A 16-year-old rugby league player from Hengoed has signed a two-year professional contract with Super League side Wigan Warriors.
Kyle Huish, originally from Abertridwr, was unveiled by the Warriors during their game with Catalan Dragons at the DW Stadium on Friday, September 6.
Half-back Huish will play for the team’s academy and will study an extended diploma in sport at Wigan College as part of a scholarship.
Huish achieved 14 A-C grades in his GCSEs, which he sat earlier this year, to secure the scholarship.
The player’s mother, Sarah Huish, said: “Kyle’s ultimate goal is to play for the first team.”
Huish moved to Wigan at the start of September and will live with a host family while in the north-west of England.
Mrs Huish said: “We are proud of everything that he’s achieved and that the hard work and dedication has paid off.
“If he applies himself the way he has up to now, he will continue to achieve his dreams.
“I’m on the phone to him every day and he’s really happy there.
“As parents all we can do is support him. It’s the best thing we could have done for him, he’ll thrive, and to see him so happy is all we could have hoped for.
“We’ve met with the host family a few times during the summer and Kyle also stayed over with them for a night before the official move.”
Huish has previously been involved with Wigan’s setup and used to travel there for weekly training sessions before leaving for a stint in union with the Dragons in 2018.
However, soon after joining the Dragons, the former Aber Valley Wolves, Nelson RFC and Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni man realised that he wanted to commit himself to playing league.
Huish has represented Wales at youth level on a number of occasions too, and was involved in the historic 18-10 victory over England in September 2017 – where Wales beat England for the first time in an under-16 international match.
But it was at Kyle’s primary school, Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Caerffili, where his love of the sport began.
Mrs Huish said: “Kyle didn’t pick up a rugby ball until he was ten.
“His older brother would stay after school for rugby club but Kyle wasn’t old enough to play.
“Mr Hughes told him that he could stay behind and train with the older boys and that’s when he fell in love with the game.”
Mrs Huish added: “Kyle loves the physicality and hard work involved with league.
“He enjoys the challenge and the pace of the game.
“It was an easy decision for him to chose league over union.”