A young hockey player has taken steps towards fulfilling her ambition of playing for Wales at the Euros held at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens in 2023.

Nansi Ioi Roberts was selected for the Wales Under 18s squad to go on an Erasmus trip to the Netherlands in July where they played five games including one against Ukraine.

The Ysgol Glan y Môr pupil, who played for Pwllheli’s first team at the age of 13, said: “I was lucky enough to get a phone call which was a bit of a surprise to be honest.

“I was on holiday in Fuerteventura when the phone rang one morning; it was the Wales under 18 team manager asking if I would be interested in going with the team on a trip to Holland.

“I was completely shocked and delighted with the offer. I was taking the place of a players who unfortunately couldn’t go so the schedule was very tight.

“I only had 12 hours to get home from my holidays, unpack, pack again and set off for Cardiff to catch the bus at 2am.”

Sh went on: “We lost our first game and then went on to play four more games against different clubs.

“One of them was the Ukrainian women’s under 21 team, who had been in the Netherlands for over six months due to the war situation.

“This was a very harrowing experience. There was a chat with the team after the game and the realization that none of them had seen their families for months because of the war was heartbreaking.

“The whole trip was an amazing experience, not only because I was chosen to play for the under 18s team but the experience of travelling abroad and experiencing a different culture on and off the pitch.”

The only girl from North Wales selected for the squad, Nansi has turned out for the Under 16s previously following in her mum Manon’s footsteps who represented Wales in 1999.

She took her first steps in the game as a seven-year-old with Clwb Hoci Pwllheli and has come on in leaps and bounds.

She said: “I owe a lot to them for starting me on the journey and pushing me to go on and have opportunities to take part in tournaments and receive weekly training.

“I then developed and got to play for the Pwllheli first team at the age of 13, before being chosen to receive 360 ​​North Wales development training in Colwyn Bay every other Sunday.

“Unfortunately for me the pandemic came which meant that hockey was at a standstill, but during the lockdown me and my sister Daloni played hockey non-stop in the back garden and I tried to develop my ball skills.

“Following that after things improved I had trials with North Wales Hockey and was chosen not only to play but to be captain of the team.

“As a result, the coach of the Eirias hockey team asked me to sign and play with the team.

“Although it was far away and the weekly commitment can be difficult, the opportunities they were able to offer were fantastic and so I agreed.

“It has always been my dream to represent my country as my mother did and so I felt this was too good an opportunity to miss and a step closer to making my dream come true.”

After being selected for the Under 16s squad, Nansi was unable to play the first game against Scotland back in April after testing positive for Covid but she was fit enough to join the squad a month later.

She explained: “I got a call to go and take my place in the team in a test series in Northern Ireland in May.

“I was the only one of the squad who comes from North Wales so I was given permission to fly separately from the rest of the team from Liverpool Airport meeting my fellow players in Belfast.

“I was very nervous stepping onto the plane at the airport, knowing that my big opportunity was getting closer.

“Meeting the other players then at the airport and saying goodbye to mum, nain, my brother and sister who had come to support.

“The next time I saw them I was wearing the red shirt and singing Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau on the playing field at Ulster University.

“I will never forget being able to wear the red shirt for the first time, a priceless, completely special experience.”

Nansi, who is sponsored by Grays Hockey, Carl Kammerling International Ltd, Harlech Foodservice, Becws Islyn, Pant Du, loi Jones, GD Roberts Funeral Directors,Pritchard & Griffiths Cyf, and Siop Mirsi, is now training with the Under 18s in Wrexham and Cardiff.

She added: “My ambition is to play in the Euros for hockey in Cardiff’s Sofia Gardens in 2023.

“I’m crossing my fingers to be able to represent Wales there, especially as it’s a home tournament. The thrill of representing my country was something I certainly want to experience again, hearing and singing the anthem is something very special.

“I have eight caps at the moment, mum has 11, so I have some work to catch up with her. I really hope I get the chance to do that.”