Bulldogs’ Daragh Spawforth going for Winter Olympics gold with GB
OLYMPICS HERE I COME: Bulldogs’ Under-16 and Under-18 captain is hoping to bring home a medal from Gangwon with GB Under-16s. Picture courtesy of Alien Aerial Photography.
BRADFORD BULLDOGS’ Under-16s captain Daragh Spawforth is set to live the dream by representing Great Britain at the Winter Youth Olympics in South Korea.
The 15-year-old is part of the Under-16 GB team that will play in a 3-on-3 tournament at the Games, starting this Saturday (January 20) against Austria in Gangwon.
Daragh has battled his way through a rigorous selection process which began just after Christmas in 2022, with an initial group of over 60 players being whittled down to the 13 charged with battling for an OIympic medal.
GB will go head-to-head with Austria, China, Denmark, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Poland and Spain in the round-robin stages, with the top four teams progressing to the semi-finals.
AIMING HIGH: Daragh Spawforth, in acgtion for our Under-16s against Whitley Bay last weekend. Picture: Alien Aerial Photography
As the name suggests, the major difference from 3-on-3 to regular ice hockey is that teams have just three skaters plus a goalie, as opposed to the normal five skaters and a goalie.
In Gangwon the shortened format – first used at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Switzerland – will see cross-ice matches taking place simultaneously.
Daragh, from Altofts, near Wakefield, has played hockey since the age of seven at Bradford, where he currently captains the Under-16 and Under-18 teams.
He has represented the Bulldogs at regional level at various age groups and has also played for England in a number of tournaments in recent years.
Representing GB under the Olympic banner will understandably be his proudest moment so far.
“I just feel really proud to have been selected,” said Daragh, who flew out with the rest of the GB team on Sunday. “It will be a privilege to pull on that jersey.
“The selection process has been quite long. We started these trials about 13 months ago and the whole process has been challenging at times because the coaches have pushed players to the limit to demonstrate their abilities.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME: Daragh (far left) out in Gangwon in the Olympic Village with his GB Under-16 team-mates.
“I imagine the final selection for coaches must have been difficult as there was some great talent available to them.
“This is my first chance to represent GB at ice hockey, that’s why it is so special to me. The fact it is on an Olympic stage makes it doubly special.”
Daragh is quick to acknowledge the help and support he has received from his family, as well as coaches and team-mates along the way.
“Bradford was the nearest junior club at the time and ever since I first entered that rink I have loved every minute,” he added. “The club has given me every opportunity to develop on the ice.
“There have been a lot of people involved in getting me to the position where I can do this - my parents especially, plus my club coaches at Bradford, in particular Andy Brown and Kirsten Deighton.
“My school has been incredibly supportive, too, by allowing me to attend the trials and there are coaches who have supported me through the player pathway, including the GB coaches who have seen something in me to give me this opportunity.”
LET THE GAMES BEGIN: The rink where the 3-on-3 tournament will take place in Gangwon.
Daragh’s Under-18s and Under-16s Bulldogs team-mate, Danny Harrison, was named as the team’s sole skating reserve but did not make the trip.
On the team’s chances out in Gangwon, Daragh is hopeful that GB can spring a few surprises.
“We have a good team with some of the best players in the country at this age group,” he said. “The players have some good chemistry on the ice and compliment each other well in terms of our styles of play. I think we stand a good chance of surprising some of our competition.
“There are some established hockey nations there but I am confident that we can step up to the plate and demonstrate that we are just as strong.”
Andy Brown, head coach at Bradford Bulldogs and also an assistant coach with GB Under-18s, said the whole club were extremely proud of Daragh being selected.
GREAT BRITAIN UNDER-16s SCHEDULE IN GANGWON
Saturday 20th January: Game 1 v Austria – Face-off 12noon (3am UK time)
Sunday 21st January: Game 2 v Latvia – Face-off 9am (Midnight UK time)
Monday 22nd January: Game 3 v Poland – Face-off 10:30am (1:30am UK time)
Monday 22nd January: Game 4 v Spain – Face-off 5:30pm ( 8:30am UK time)
Tuesday 23rd January: Game 5 v Chinese Taipei – Face-off 9am (Midnight UK time)
Tuesday 23rd January: Game 6 v Kazakhstan – Face-off 5:30pm (8:30am UK time)
“It’s a fantastic achievement,” he said. “Daragh thoroughly deserves this because of the commitment, hard work and time he puts into his hockey.
“I fully expect him to play a big role out there for GB, we’ll be keeping an eye out on how he and the team are doing and it is going to be an experience that he’ll remember for the rest of his life.
“I have to give a special mention, too, to Danny who narrowly missed out. The fact he was named as the only reserve and is still aged only 14 is also a massive achievement. Myself and the whole club are immensely proud of them both.”
The GB team has former Sheffield Steelers, Nottingham Panthers and GB defenceman Danny Meyers as head coach, who admitted the selection process had been tough.
“It was important for us to differentiate the players from their three-on-three game to their five-on-five game,” said Meyers.
“A lot of thought went into the decision of the final team and we believe that we have assembled a group of players that will shine at different times when called upon, which gives us the flexibility in the team that we need.
“As a coaching staff, we have the utmost confidence in these players and we trust them.”