CROESYCEILIOG School pupil Danielle Jordan can’t wait to get her A Levels out of the way so she can concentrate on playing hockey for Wales at this summer’s Commonwealth Games.

The 18-year-old was this week named in the 16-strong Welsh squad for Glasgow 2014 alongside Newport-born captain Abi Welsford and she couldn’t be happier.

But the talented teen knows she has to concentrate on her exams before she can allow herself to dream of winning a medal in Scotland.

“Thankfully my A Levels will be done just before the Games, although I will have to go straight from one exam to a warm-up game,” said Jordan.

“It’s been really hard to manage but it’s worth it and it will be nice to get the exams out of the way so I can concentrate on my hockey.

“I’m really proud and excited about going to Glasgow,” she added. “We all get on as a team and it’s nice that I’m going with my friends.

“I’m the youngest in the team; I’m the baby and they all pick on me but I enjoy it.

“I wasn’t expecting to be a part of the team because I’m really young but I know it will be a really good experience for what will hopefully be a long career.”

Jordan made her first Wales under-16 appearance in 2011, got her first senior cap in 2012 and went to play in the European Championships in Athens last year.

“We’ve got a really tough pool against England, Australia, Scotland and Malaysia so it’s going to be hard in Glasgow,” she explained.

“But it will be really good to compete against the best on such a big stage.

“I can’t wait to get up there and my family are going up to support me as well. We get two tickets each as athletes and they’ll be fighting over those!”

Croesyceiliog PE teacher Rachel Pryce, who has coached Jordan for seven years, said: “We’re very proud of Danielle.

“She’s worked so hard and for someone of her age to be able to manage A Level exams and the amount of work that she’s had to put in with her hockey is amazing.

“She’s the first current pupil we’ve ever had to be playing in the Commonwealth Games and she’s a real role model to the whole school.

“We’ve got a lot of staff trying to get tickets now to cheer her on.”