GB ice hockey coach Cheryl Smith has admitted she is very excited by the talent currently in the Great Britain Women set-up © Ice Hockey UK

Great Britain ice hockey coach Cheryl Smith has claimed she is very excited by the amount of talent among her country's women players. 

Britain Women are due to start their qualifying campaign for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Kazakhstan in November.

They are also preparing for the the 2017 World Championship Division 2A tournament, due to take place in March or April at a venue still to be confirmed.

Smith is impressed by the amount of young quality following an under-16 training camp at Sheffield last week. 

"We have some really exciting talent coming through the women’s programme," she said. 

“We took a number of young players to the recent international tournament in Slovakia and they really impressed.

“What’s exciting is that there are plenty more coming through and this was underlined at last weekend’s under-16 camp."

Great Britain Ice Hockey national talent development officer Mark Beggs is also impressed by the youngsters coming through. 

"Not just talent but at an elite level in every position," he said.

"Some outstanding players with great attitudes."

Britain's under-18s are due travel to Poland in January next year for the Division 1B World Championship tournament, the same competition in which they narrowly missed out on a bronze medal last year after losing to Kazakhstan.

Smith believes some players she saw in action last weekend at the training camp could well force themselves into that competition.

“Some of these under-16 players could force their way into the under-18 squad

The future is definitely bright, that’s for sure.

“Myself, Michelle [Smith] and James [Ashton] have faith in our young players and we will give them every opportunity we can."