JORDAN BUESA became Braehead Clan’s first-ever apprentice signing when he put pen to paper at the age of just 16 last year and this week, he will take another important step forward in his career when he represents GB in the under-21 World Ice Hockey Championships. And what will make his experience even more special for Buesa is that he will do so on home soil when the Division II Group A tournament begins in Dumfries on Sunday.

The teenager from Troon is one of five Scots who have been selected for the 22-man GB squad who are up against Korea, Estonia, Japan, Netherlands and Romania as they look to win promotion back to Division I Group B. “We are up against some strong opposition but will be trying our best to win the group,” he said. “It’s always an honour to represent GB but to do so in a world championships at home makes it even more special.”

Buesa is not the only one who is delighted about his selection; his head coach at Braehead Clan, John Tripp, is also thrilled that his young player is being afforded the opportunity to test himself on the international stage – and the Canadian is expecting big things of Buesa. “This will definitely help him because he’s playing at a high level,” said Tripp. “Other players will start to look up to him because he is one of the few players who are full-time. He goes into the tournament knowing that he has a job to do and he will want to be one of the better players so we’ll see how he gets on.”

Buesa has impressed in the 18 months since signing for Braehead Clan and Tripp admits to being delighted at how the 17 year-old has developed but the teenager does, as you would expect of one so young, still have much room for improvement. “He is doing well - and he is learning all the time,” said Tripp. “Signing for Braehead was a big step for him because he is playing with men who have a lot of experience. We are working with him on a daily basis whether it’s on the ice and off the ice but he is playing at a very high level for his age. He’s a really good skater and that’s a very good thing to have behind you as a hockey player. So now it’s about getting his hockey IQ higher and him learning what it takes to be a professional athlete.”

While Buesa’s long-term future remains somewhat unclear, Tripp would love the young talent to remain at the Glasgow team although there is, admits the head coach, always the possibility that the Scot has his head turned by overseas offers. “He is definitely part of our plans going forward,” said Tripp. “It all depends on what he wants to do and where does he want to play because maybe he wants to go to America, I have no idea that that’s something to be discussed at the end of the season. But what I do know is that I want him to be a better player and a better person so whatever he sees happening in the future we’ll have to just wait-and-see.”