Rydal Penrhos pupil and talented hockey player Alex Starling earned selection to the Wales U18 squad for the second consecutive year.

Hockey remains a core part of the sporting provision provided at Rydal Penrhos. The school’s boys’ and girls’ sides have gone on to achieve great things in recent years, which included qualification to and often winning national championships thanks to their ongoing progress.

Alex Starling, who is a Year 13 pupil at the school, is one of the brightest young talents in the region and was recently selected to the Hockey Wales U18 National Age Grade squad. This is the second consecutive year that the Sixth Former has attained the distinction.

As part of his efforts to earn a place in the squad, Alex attended several training and selection camps with other hopefuls from across the country, which took place in Cardiff over a three-month period before coaches finalised their squad.

Despite impressing for the Wales U18 squad last season, Alex still had to fight for his place this time around. A challenge he rose to in no uncertain terms en route to yet another national honour.

Alex is the current Boys’ Hockey captain at Rydal Penrhos and also gained valuable experience at the senior level with the Eirias Hockey Club men’s first team.

It promises to be a busy schedule for Alex and the Wales squad leading up to the European Championships this summer. This will take place in South Wales and the hosts are aiming to make a big splash against established nations from around the continent.

We would like to offer our sincere congratulations to Alex on making the Wales U18 hockey squad in two-straight seasons. You should be enormously proud of your ongoing success and everyone at Rydal Penrhos wishes you nothing but the best in the coming months.