Promising Ellis wins leading junior prize

CHELTENHAM hockey player Ellis Robson has been named as a winner at the Hockey Writers’ Club youth and junior awards for 2018, sponsored by Higgins Group.

He is one of four winners were presented with their prestigious rising star awards after the judging panel sought information from coaches, clubs and schools, considering not just hockey ability but players’ personal qualities and potential for future development.

Past winners of Higgins awards include Rio Olympic Games gold medalists Maddie Hinch and Sophie Bray and Robson won the Junior Boys 16 and under prize.

Robson, pictured, scored 24 goals for King’s School Gloucester to take them through to the finals of the Under-11 IAPS tournament. With Cheltenham HC, he has won the Under-14 and Under-16 National Championships and the Under-16 National Indoor Finals in 2018.

In 2018 he represented England at Under-16, scoring 11 goals including a hat-trick against the Netherland and was called up to train with the England Under-18s, being capped seven times and has scored 21 goals in 39 internationals.

Representing Cheltenham on the first day of the 2017/18 season, aged 15 years and 22 days, Ellis may have become the youngest ever goal scorer in the National League. He remained a regular player throughout last season but this year has moved to Cardiff & Met HC where he has scored several goals.

Walid Abdo, head coach for Cardiff & Met HC, added: “Since joining Cardiff & Met, Ellis has been nothing short of impressive. I am really enjoying playing a part in the next stage of his development. He’s technically very good, physically fit, tactically sound and has a real mental strength to take him to the next level.”