Ten-year-old football fanatic, Dylan Rees from Tenby, has beaten hundreds of other sports-mad youths to win a week at a top sporting academy this summer. Already named team player of the SCI Football Tournament by his coach in May this year, Dylan entered the Great British Chicken competition in the hope that the intensive coaching prize would boost his chances of becoming the next Ronaldo. The competition judges, which included former world champion hurdler, Sally Gunnell OBE and Olympic gold medal-winning hockey star Rob Clift, were looking for youngsters with the drive to become future champions and were impressed by Dylan's dedication and obvious talent. Dylan trains for at least seven hours each week, playing with teams at Tenby AFC, Tenby Junior School, Pembrokeshire County and Cardiff Academy School of Excellence. And when the budding football star isn't on the pitch with one of his teams, he's usually to be found practising kick- ups, footwork and ball technique. Dylan's teacher and school football coach, Andrew Williams, describes him as the 'linchpin' of the team - good in both defence and attack - and believes he has true 'strength, stamina and aerial prowess'. "Dylan was shaking with excitement when he found out he'd won," said his mum, Alex. "This is a great opportunity for him to play alongside other soccer- mad youngsters and hopefully the high-level coaching will give him an edge at the Cardiff City AFC football trials at the end of this year." Dylan enrolled at Exsportise Sports Academy in Dorset on July 29, with 14 other Great British Chicken prize-winners, for a week's intensive coaching. Whilst there, he met Sally Gunnell as part of his prize. "As an athlete, chicken was one of my staple ingredients, as it's lower in fat than red meat, yet full of energy-giving protein," said Sally Gunnell. "And now, thanks to picking up a pack of British chicken, as well as giving their family a healthy meal, the parents of these winning children have given them a dream opportunity to develop their sporting potential."
