A Johnstone junior ice hockey star is celebrating with his family, after being selected to travel with the Scotland Under 11 side which will travel to Finland in April 2026, as well as being selected to represent a GB Elite Select team at the prestigious World Ice Hockey Championships later this year.
Young Ollie Wilson, aged 10 from Johnstone, a pupil at St Anthony’s Primary School, represents Lanarkshire Lightning and Glasgow Clan Academy, and his performances have earned him a place in the Scotland squad headed for Scandinavia in April.
His name will be familiar to many ice hockey fans locally, as dad Chris is the Assistant Captain with the Paisley Pirates.
Chris had an illustrious career with the Renfrewshire side since he himself started out as a junior back in the days when the club played at the Paisley Lagoon Leisure Centre, and ice hockey within the Wilson family has come full circle in that time, with Chris, wife Emma, and sister Rosie following Ollie’s progress, not to mention the travelling, as he makes his name around the ice rinks in Scotland.
Chris commented, “I’m now getting an even better appreciation of what my parents Anne Marie and Robert, not to mention other friends and relatives, did for me when I started out as we’re now doing the same circuit as we follow Ollie to his various ice hockey commitments every weekend, with training of course thrown in for good measure.”
As is always the case for players in any amateur sport at the upper level, the costs are sometimes prohibitive, and Ollie is on the lookout for support from local businesses who might be able to assist in helping him progress in the sport and gain positive life experiences at the same time, just like dad.
Chris said, “I’ll never forget some of the experiences I gained both and off the ice during my career, going to place like China, Sweden, Germany and Canada, and both Emma and I will ensure that Ollie gets the chance to do likewise. He’s working very hard towards selection for the World Championships in Innsbruck and Riga, and it’s an opportunity that he would be so lucky to get, so we’ll be trying out utmost to help him achieve that goal. All the work he’s putting into playing at Glasgow Clan Academy and Lanarkshire Lightning, who are of course linked to the Paisley Pirates, seems to be paying off, and we’re hoping he can go far in the sport, if that is what he wants to do. There’s a couple of other foreign international fixtures on the horizon too, so it’s a very busy, not to mention expensive, time for us.”
He went on, “In addition to the fundraising which is already underway to meet the costs of the Finland trip, like a Race Night in Kilbarchan Bowling Club, Ollie has already got his first sponsor, in the shape of local waste management company Main Waste Solutions (Scotland), who are based locally at 13 Mary St in Johnstone, and who are owned by James Clark, the former Paisley Pirate, who represented Great Britain at Under 18 level, so he knows what is involved in finding the funds necessary to make this opportunity the chance of a lifetime, and we’re very grateful to James for his support. Scottish Ice Hockey are also matching monies raised up to £250, so every £1 of support is doubled.”
“We’re still looking for other sponsors, however, and you’d be amazed how many names and logos you can get on a helmet and team jersey, so we’re hopeful that there’s a few more folk in the community able and willing to help a 10 year old have the experience of a lifetime, and gain positive feedback in the process.
Emma and I are both contactable via Facebook, and we will of course be delighted to speak to anyone wanting to support him.”
