A 15-year-old York Whitehawks player is one of the youngest members to have been selected for the Women's Great Britain Inline Roller Hockey team, writes Paul Berger.

Katie Hills, a pupil at Woldgate School, Pocklington, will join the 30-strong squad to compete in the Top Cat Tournament, in New York, in November.

And in a double accolade for the York club, 16-year-old Andy Hancock has been selected for the British Bulldogs Under-18 team.

The Bulldogs are due to play in an international competition in Las Vegas towards the end of the year. They will also be competing in a tournament in Valencia, Spain, along with teams from Spain and France.

Katie, who began playing roller hockey when she was 12-years-old, is the only girl on the York Whitehawks team.

She said: "I'm very excited about being picked. It will be the first time I've played in an international tournament."

The squad, who have christened themselves the 'High Flyers', won a silver medal in Las Vegas, last October.

GB coach, Eric Young, said: "Katie certainly showed a lot of potential at the trials. Once we get hold of her she'll come good."

St Peter's School pupil Andy, who has been playing roller hockey for three years, has been turning out for the Whitehawks Under-18 and senior teams this year.

He has already represented the North East at Under-15 level and this year has been playing in the Hartlepool League representative team. The Whitehawks compete in the Hartlepool League along with other teams from across the North East.

Whitehawks' chairman Paul Hancock, father of Andy, said: "Both of them deserve it. They've both worked very hard."

Members of the GB women's team must raise £1,100 each to pay for the trip to Las Vegas because the sport is underfunded.

Anybody wishing to sponsor Katie should contact Judith Hills on 01759 371212.

The details of the British Bulldogs' trip to Las Vegas have yet to be finalised but anyone wishing to assist in Andy's trip should contact Paul Hancock on 01904 799149.

Updated: 12:54 Thursday, April 26, 2001