Barry-born Bayley Harewood is intent on becoming an NHL hit.
The 14-year-old former Cardiff Devils junior player has a long way to go, but he has already caught the eye of Canadian ice hockey scouts.
He is playing at the Canadian International Academy, an organisation designed to identify the next big stars in the sport, and hoping to be awarded a scholarship.
Harewood was spotted playing for the Devils and England youth teams and would love to spend four years at the Academy in Ottawa.
He will receive schooling and coaching at one of the World’s top institutions for promising ice hockey professionals, while he has been appointed assistant captain and is the teams leading points scorer.
Harewood is focused on playing in the NHL, the World’s premier ice hockey league, and become only the fifth Welshman to ever appear in the competition.
He was first invited to join the Academy around 18 months previously, but Bayley’s parents, Dina and Craig, felt he was too young.
But he was showing true potential and they decided to travel to Canada.
“It really blew us away,” said dad Craig. “Everything is under one roof. He’ll go on the ice first thing in the morning, go to school, back on the ice and then study before bed.
“As well as giving them the opportunity to develop their skills and earn recognition by the top clubs, they teach them valuable life skills, and the facilities are first class.
“Every weekend they travel the country playing matches and he’s gone from 13 games a season to more than 60.”
Bayley started playing ice hockey when he was seven years old, joining his cousin to play for the Junior Devils in Cardiff.
Centreman Harewood first played at the age of seven and he has represented the South West and England.
Bayley has had backing from Barry-based S&G Air Conditioning Contracts Limited and operations director Paul Copner: “We have always had an interest in supporting the local community and have always been keen to sponsor local sports, boxing and golf.
“We were made aware of Bayley’s search for sponsorship a couple of years ago and with him being from Barry it seemed like a great cause to support. Initially we provided him sponsorship for two years which helped cover his various expenses during that period.
“When we were told about the amazing opportunity for Bayley to go over to Canada to study and to pit himself against some of the best young ice hockey players around we decided to continue our sponsorship for another couple of years.
Hopefully we can watch Bayley continue to ful/l his sporting ambitions in ice hockey and see him play at the very top level of his chosen sport.
Anybody interested in sponsoring Bayley should contact Craig and Dina Harewood on 07811165979 or 07815804246. Alternatively e-mail: craigharewood7@gmail.com
The current Welsh NHL group members are:
Cy Thomas (August 5, 1926 to January 2, 2009) was a professional ice hockey player from Dowlais, Wales. He played 14 NHL games for Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Black Hawks.
Wilf Cube (July 4, 1906 to May 5, 1968). Goaltender from Barry, South Wales. Played 10 seasons (1930-1941) in goal for Philadelphia Quakers, Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens.
In those years ice hockey goalies did not wear face masks.
Cude’s family relocated from Wales to Winnipeg, Manitoba in search of employment and he started playing ice hockey there.
Jack Evans (April 21, 1928 to November 10, 1996). Born Garnant, Wales. Defenceman. Played for New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks between 1946 and 1972.
HIs family emigrated to Drumheller, Alberta in his youth. Only spoke Welsh when he arrived in Canada and when he learned English spoke with an elongated drawl that earned him the nickname ‘Tex’.
Started playing ice hockey at the age of 14 and quickly became a leading junior league D-man. He was a member of Chicago’s 1961 Stanley Cup winning team and played in the 1962 NHL AllStar game in Toronto.
Nathan Walker (born February 7, 1994). Aged 23. Cardiff-born forward who has played for Australian club Sydney Ice Dogs and HC Vitkovice in the Czech Republic plus North American teams Youngstown Phantoms, Hershey Bears and South Carolina Stingrays before Washington Capitals.