A YOUNG boy is crowdfunding to make his dream of playing roller hockey in America a reality.

Kenzy Hyde, 12, from Eastbourne, recently attended try-outs in Sheffield to play for UK Young Guns and has been selected to play in the State Wars 2017 tournament in Michigan, Detroit.

He has six months to raise around £5,000 to pay for his travel, registration, hockey kit and accommodation.

Kenzy said: “Since I started playing hockey, it’s been my goal to represent the UK abroad.

“It is an amazing opportunity and will be a great experience to play against the top US teams, I’m so excited.”

He currently plays for a club called Eastbourne Edge and they train at the skate rink in Birch Road, Eastbourne, on Monday nights, sometimes travelling to Sheffield to train there.

The tournament will take place in the summer and team GB are the only team outside America to be selected to take part.

Kenzy’s parents are hoping to raise around £2,500 towards the costs and are considering borrowing the remainder to see their son’s dream come true.

Donna Hyde, 40, a retired police officer from Eastbourne, said: “We are all so very proud of my son Kenzy and what he has achieved so far and he is really stepping it up in terms of his ability in the sport.

“The number on his kit is 15 which he chose because he said to us that he wants to play for team GB before he turns 15 years old.

“Now he has been offered the chance to do it three years earlier.

“This could be such a positive step for him and he is already known around the country for playing the sport, so for him to gain recognition and be offered more opportunities overseas would be amazing.

“His ultimate dream is to play in the National Hockey League in America and this could be a big step towards him making that dream a reality.”

To find out more about Kenzy’s ambition to play roller hockey in America or to donate to his crowdfunding page, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kenzy-hyde.