STEVIE Lyle turned down the chance to join Manchester Storm six years ago because he was still at school.

While most kids were worrying about pimples and GCSEs, Lyle was ruling the roost between the pipes for Cardiff Devils.

John Lawless, the coach who went on to found the Storm, gave Lyle his big chance when he was just 14 years old and the following season invited the starry-eyed youngster to join him at the M.E.N. Arena.

Lyle decided to stay with his home-town team and finish his schooling, and at the same time he just happened to backstop the Devils to the first-ever Superleague championship.

He eventually made the trip up north to join the Storm at the start of this season and his performances have left coach Daryl Lipsey and the fans united in their praise.

Tipped for top

It is difficult to believe that this highly talented and well-mannered young man is still only 21, but it is far from an outside bet that his career will continue to blossom and that he could end up making a name for himself on the other side of the Atlantic.

Lyle is arguably the best talent British ice hockey has ever produced and it all started at the tender age of seven when his dad took him along to see the first-ever Devils game.

''I was hooked. I just loved it,'' said Lyle. ''Before long I was playing myself and it just seemed natural to put the pads on.

''John Lawless and Shannon Hope were running things and they said I had talent.

''I always played for the team a couple of years older than my age but then when I was 14 John stuck me in against a Russian team.

''He was a huge influence on my development and but for him I would not be where I am now.

''He just kept playing me. Here I was a 14-year-old schoolboy playing pro hockey. It was really weird but I grew up fast.

''When he left for the Storm he asked me to go with him but I was still at school and thought it was better to stay at home.''

He did not stay that long however and soon he was over in America trying to break into the big time.

Lyle started out in Detroit and then moved to Kindersley in Canada before returning to Cardiff at the end of the season.

''Things did not work out,'' Stevie said. ''They had another good goalie and I was on the bench a lot of the time. It was hard to swallow and maybe I didn't swallow it very well. Maybe I just wasn't ready for it.''

But Lyle has not given up on that NHL dream and hopes that playing for the Storm might just be a platform to future success.

''It's a dream of mine to make it into the highest league in the world and I believe I'm well placed here in Manchester to make things happen,'' he said.

''The Storm is a well-known team over in America with lots of connections and I'm hoping that doors will open.

''But it would help a lot if we could win something this season.''

Tonight Storm face another daunting task when Sheffield Steelers are the visitors to the M.E.N. Arena (face-off 7 30).

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