Talented young Great Britain Women’s netminder Ella Howard is attending this week’s IIHF Goaltending Development Camp in Slovakia.

The camp, which is run by the IIHF, takes place in the town of Hamuliakovo.

Sixteen-year-old Howard was part of the bronze medal-winning GB Under-18s squad at this year’s U18 Women’s World Championship Division I Group B in Dumfries, where she was named netminder of the tournament, GB’s player of the tournament and the GB Supporters’ Club player of the tournament.

GB Women’s netminding coach Dave Clancy is one of the coaches for the week-long camp.

Howard, who will play in the Provincial Women’s Hockey League in Canada next season, said: “I think it will be very interesting to work with coaches and goalies from around the world and it will positively impact my game.

“Camps like these are important for improving the female game. There will be a lot of expertise in one place and this can be spread back home.

“I’m looking forward to this camp as it will help to prepare me for my first season in the PWHL and hopefully for another year with team GB.

“I can’t wait to meet the other goalies. It’s nice to keep in touch with girls from tournaments and camps like these.”

Clancy was goalie coach for GB U18s’ bronze-medal success and GB Women’s silver at the World Championship Division II Group A, also in Dumfries

Clancy said: “I am so thank full to Cheryl Smith, James Ashton, Andy French and Ice Hockey UK for giving me the chance to coach last season. I am just so excited to be part of it all.

“Coaching the girls has been fantastic and amazing. I have learnt so much in a small amount of time and have felt very honoured to be part of a double world medal-winning set-up.

“I have just been blown away by being invited to come and coach in the world women’s IIHF goalie camp in Slovakia as a coach.

“I will be an understudy to some of the greatest coaches in the world. I just can’t wait.

“This can only benefit us as a country going forwards. The skills I will learn and knowledge I will gain, I will bring over and use back in the UK.”