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Congratulations to Jack Whelan

Congratulations to Jack Whelan

Liz Spencer21 Jan 2015 - 21:38
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Hockey Writers Awards - Joint Junior Winner (16'S and Under)

Reading first-team member Jack Whelan has been honoured by The Hockey Writers' Association.

He was voted a joint winner of the junior boys (16 and under) award sponsored by the Higgins group, sharing it with Beeston's Ollie Rogerson.

Jack made the England under-16 squad a year young and captained the team against Ulster and Belgium.
He has established himself in Blues' squad and scored in the matches against Beeston and Hampstead & Westminster.

"Just standing alongside the likes of Richard and Simon Mantell and Jonty Clarke at my first training session was an inspiration," said the RGS High Wycombe pupil.
"I was amazed at how welcoming they all were. The club went for youth and that has given me a chance to play in the first team. I can't thank them enough."

Jack added: "Scoring for England Under-16s on my debut against Ulster was memorable. I could not stop smiling,
"In the long term competing in the Olympics is my aim."

Blues' head coach Andy Watts was "delighted" when he heard the news of Jack's award.
He said: "Jack has done really well since coming into the team. He is the youngest player in our squad by a little way. We want to keep giving him as many opportunities and experience as we can."

For once, no Reading players made the top three in the senior men's and women's awards announced at the annual HWA's dinner in London.
But Susannah Townsend, who played for the Blues last season before returning to Canterbury, took the female award, while another ex-Reading star, Nick Catlin was a runner-up (along with Ashley Jackson) to Holcombe team-mate Iain Lewers in the men's poll.

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