FIFTEEN year old Jay Power has enjoyed a terrific season of football with Hakin United’s talented under 16 team that completed a remarkable treble of league, cup and West Wales Cup but as well as his football prowess he has played rugby and cricket - and is already a low-handicap golfer after only three seasons at Milford Haven Golf Club.

Jay has been involved with Hakin United’s junior section since under eight level when he palled up with Camron Thomas, whose granddad Daisy Picton started up a team for their age group and both lads were immediately involved and for a while played anywhere along the back four of the very Young Vikings before eventually switching to his current role as a defensive central midfielder.

At first they played friendlies and won a few tournaments like the one in St Clears before joining league football in our county and only losing twice in the past five seasons, ironically both to their counterparts from Pennar Robins.

“We have always had a great team spirit as we trained on Tuesday evenings at the Milford School Astroturf - I love training and we always pushed each other in all the exercises, with Hamish Gideon as perhaps the best, but not by much, from a group of us who also worked hard.

“The coaches were brilliant and Daisy (Picton) always brought some humour into every session as he wound the players up and mercilessly teased anyone who fell behind. Colin Fawcett did the motivation in the dressing room, especially at half time if we hadn’t been playing well - and Stuart McDonald did a great job recently in the pre-match warm-up sessions.”

In their time together the Young Vikings claimed the league trophy each campaign and won four out of five cup finals, three against Tenby and the other against Merlins Bridge, with their only loss being a first round tussle against the Robins a couple of years ago.

They also lost at Bush Camp from their very first match of the season just finished but then amassed a huge number of goals in winning every other fixture, often by double figures, followed up with a decisive victory over Dafen Welfare at Stebonheath Park, Llanelli, and then success in the under 16 cup final for Pembrokeshire at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium as they won by 3-1 against old rivals Tenby.

Their other West Wales Cup successes also came at Stebonheath Park, initially when they had a titanic clash with Pontardawe before they won on penalties.

“I was very nervous because I was due to take the fifth spot-kick on that occasion,” admitted Jay, “but luckily I wasn’t needed because we had already won before it was my turn.

“Then we took on Sandfields in our second final and again it was close but we won 3-2 - and it was great to complete our hat-trick with that 2-0 win over Dafen thanks to goals by Jack Wilson and Camron Thomas.”

That Jay should like sport is perhaps only natural because his dad Carl played as a prop for Milford Haven RFC and Jay played scrum half for The Mariners’ junior teams that were coached by Nigel Johnston and Paul Nicholas until his age group folded and he went along to Haverfordwest, where he was coached by Arthur Daye and played in the Young Blues’ team which lost in his age-group final against Crymych in Narberth at under 15 level.

In all his sporting activity Jay has received total support from dad and mum Claire, whom he describes as his greatest supporter, and she regularly taxis him to St Ishmaels so that he can play for the village cricket club after being persuaded to join by his neighbour Phil Cockburn, a very talented batsman with Tish.

“I used to play for Neyland Juniors and in my last season there we lost to a very strong Kilgetty team in the Ormond Cup but it’s easier to travel to St Ishmaels and I’ve settled in really well, with a top score of 36 and 20 so far this season; and I had five wickets against Whitland Thirds with my bowling.”

Another sport in which Jay is beginning to excel is golf as he plays off a 7 handicap at Milford Haven Golf Club.

“I haven’t played as often as I would like because of my football,” he told us, “after starting out with football coach Colin Fawcett and his son Ben, who plays in the same football team as me.

“I also play regularly during the summer alongside my dad and my grandfather, Roy Locke, and I really enjoy the game after starting out three years ago on a handicap of 36.

“It took me a while to start getting my handicap down until I had a few lessons with club pro Elliott Harding, who made me focus on getting my stance and swing right - and it worked a treat because I was dropped from 16 to 12 within the space of two weeks after I had won two junior competitions with net rounds of 63 and 64.

Back on the football front, Jay has options to consider before the start of the next season because he is now too old for junior football and would have to play senior football despite being only 16 years old and having to play against much older and experienced players.

His other choice is to look to play for the development squad at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium, where the majority of team mates and opposition will still be in their teens, where he already feels comfortable because he has played for their under 16 academy team, alongside most of his Hakin team-mates and coached by Colin Fawcett and Daisy Picton.

“We reached the Welsh Cup Final for our age-group,” said Jay, “but we lost to Cefn Newy Druids after a long journey to play at Newtown; just missing out on penalties after being level at full and extra time.

“It was a real sickener and I felt really bad because I was one of our players who missed from the spot - but the coaches and my team mates were really good about it so I didn’t feel quite so bad about it afterwards!”

So now Jay will enjoy his summer of cricket and golf before returning to football in August.