FOUR Grŵp Llandrillo Menai students are in the Welsh Schools under-18 squad aiming to retain the Roma Caput Mundi trophy.
Morgan Davies, Byron Davis, Osian Morris and Rhys Williams will head to Italy for the annual invitational tournament, which Wales won for the first time last year.
All four learners play for the joint Coleg Menai/Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor team which is currently second in the English Colleges Football Association Men’s Premier League 2.
They will travel to Italy on February 26, and play a friendly against a local team in Bologna before tournament group games against Canada, Greece and Italian regional side Lazio.
The team will hope to recreate the magic of last year’s tournament, when Wales won their group before beating England in the final.
Welsh Schools under-18 manager Marc Lloyd-Williams, lecturer and Academi Coordinator at Coleg Menai, said: “It was a great achievement to be the first Welsh squad to win the Roma Caput Mundi tournament, and we are looking forward to the chance to defend our crown which we won in dramatic circumstances on penalties last season.
“Morgan was a member of the victorious squad last season, while Byron, Osian and Rhys will experience the tournament for the first time.
“All four have shown their dedication to both their studies and their football, and fully deserve their call-ups.”
Morgan and Byron are members of Academi Menai, while Osian and Rhys are members of Chwaraeon CMD, combining their studies with playing elite sport. All four played for Caernarfon Town’s under-16s, and joined the respective academies through Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s partnership with the Cymru Premier club.
Marc said: “The fact that all four have made the Welsh Schools squad - having been key players in the Academi team which is flying high in the ECFA Premier League - is testament to the success and ongoing potential of our partnership with Caernarfon Town.”
Midfielder Morgan, who studies A-levels at Coleg Menai, now plays for Holyhead Hotspur. Byron studies Level 2 Plastering at Coleg Menai’s Llangefni campus, and plays as a striker for Caernarfon Town.
Osian studies Level 3 Engineering at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor’s CaMDA campus in Dolgellau, and plays up front for Dolgellau Athletic. Rhys is also at the CaMDA campus, studying Foundation in Construction, and plays in goal for Barmouth & Dyffryn United.
Marc added: “Due to the close working relationship we have with all departments within the Grŵp, learners have the opportunity to engage in regular extracurricular sporting activities, whichever academic or vocational route they choose on their journey with us.
“This allows me to observe the players on a weekly basis playing elite college football, which enhances their credibilities to earn international recognition.”
Do you want to combine your studies with playing elite sport? Learn more about Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s sports academies at gllm.ac.uk/student-life/gym-sports-academies