A TALENTED young sportsman is pulling on his skates for two international tournaments.

Budding ice hockey players from countries including Germany and Sweden have been in action in Riga in Latvia over the last week before then travelling to Bratislava in Slovakia later this month.

Among those taking to the ice is 12-year-old Harry Hudson.

The left-forward was called up to the UK Select squad for the tournament in Latvia and the Scotland under-13 squad for the event in Slovakia.

His mum Claire told the Courier that ice hockey was entirely self-funded and they were looking for local sponsors to help her son, as well as doing fundraising to cover the costs.

She said: “All he wants to do is play hockey.

“At school, he is learning Mandarin, Spanish and French and he wishes he was learning German because he could go there and make a career out of ice hockey.

“Their elite players get paid a pretty penny and it is good money.

“His goal just now is to keep getting selected every year for GB.

“He wants GB under-18s.

“Two kids from Kirkcaldy got in this year and that is amazing.

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“You are against the whole of the UK and there are a lot of highly, highly skilled players.

“I love the fact he has got a goal and this is what he wants to do and is trying everything he can to make it physically possible.

“He goes into our driveway and shoots 100 pucks after school.”

Harry, who attends Knox Academy, was taken along to an ice hockey match at Murrayfield in Edinburgh when he was just two-and-a-half years old.

Immediately, the Haddington youngster started learning to skate before then taking up ice hockey when he was only four.

Now, he is training three times a week in Kirkcaldy – heading after school on a Wednesday and Friday and being at the Fife rink for 7am on a Saturday.

His mum said: “It is a full commitment.

“He missed out on stuff because he has an extra training session, a game or a tournament and friends here are having a party or whatever but, to him, hockey is the main thing.”

Also stepping on the ice is younger brother Stanley, who is a budding goalkeeper.

The sport is in the blood, with Claire’s brothers and dad also regulars on the ice.

READ MORE: Haddington: Ice hockey brothers set their sights on Scotland call-up

Last year, Harry travelled out to Latvia for another competition and enjoyed the experience.

Claire said: “Harry does not remember the scores from when he went out to Riga but will tell you of all the laughs he had with his friends.

“That is what it is all about.

“He loves the intensity of ice hockey; there is no room for error.

“Harry and all those on the team don’t think about skating; they don’t think about what they are doing with their feet – it is all about getting to the puck.

“He loves the high intensity and the danger aspect.

“It is full contact at 14.”

Anyone looking to support Harry can contact Claire by emailing clairydoll@hotmail.co.uk