Bulldogs duo on GB duty at Under-18 Women’s World Championships in Riga
INTERNATIONAL CALLING: Bulldogs’ duo Alisha Potts (left) and Lydia Lutwyche are out in Riga with the GB Under-18 Women’s team for the World Championships Division 2A tournament which starts on Monday.
BRADFORD BULLDOGS’ duo Lydia Lutwyche and Alisha Potts are adjusting to life in the Latvian capital of Riga after landing there a part of the the Great Britain Women’s Under-18 roster for next week’s World Championship Division 2A tournament.
GB, under head coach Sean Alderson, start their bid for a gold medal and promotion on Monday when they face-off against Kazakhstan, with further games against the Netherlands, New Zealand, hosts Latvia and, to round off their tournament, Chinese Taipei on Sunday, January 26.
Both players have represented GB before, with Alisha joining Bradford in November having previously played at Sheffield.
Lydia has been with the Bulldogs since Under-10s and will be playing her second Under-18s tournament for GB.
She said: “I’m really excited to play and represent GB in this tournament.
“It is my last tournament for GB 18s and I want to make it special by hopefully getting the gold medal we missed out on last year.
“It’s an honour to put on a GB shirt and play for your country but it also needs hard work and commitment that I have put in to get into the team .”
For Alisha, it will be her third and last time representing GB Under-18s - but that didn’t make her feel any less proud to pull on the jersey.
“Ice hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need every player helping each other and pulling in the same direction to be successful,” she said. “I wasn’t naturally gifted in terms of size and speed everything I’ve done I’ve worked hard for and that’s what makes me proud to put on the GB jersey.
“When I put on the GB jersey the name on the front is so much more important to me than my name on the back. I’m hoping to get selected for a trial with the GB women in the future as now I have aged out at the junior level.”
It is another proud moment for the Bulldogs to have its players represented in the national programme and head coach Andy Brown has faith the duo can make an impact in Latvia over the coming days.
“It’s a fantastic achievement for them both and always an honour to represent your country,” said Andy, himself an assistant coach with the GB Under-18 men’s team.
“Lydia is one of our longest-serving junior players having started as an Under-10 and now in her final year of junior hockey.
“Alisha is probably our newest member of the club having joined us from Sheffield just a few months ago.
“I know they’ll both do themselves and the club proud and I wish them every success for the trip.”
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Monday, February 20: GB v Kazakhstan (2pm, UK time)
Tuesday, February 21: GB v Netherlands (10.30am)
Thursday, February 23: GB v New Zealand (10.30am)
Friday, February 24: GB v Latvia (5.30pm)
Sunday, February 26: GB v Chinese Taipei (2pm).