Former Wales star Mark Hughes will be in Cardiff this week to watch his daughter overtake him in the Welsh cap stakes.
Stoke City manager Mark made 72 appearances for Wales, while Xenna Hughes is currently on 69 going into the European Championships which start today.
“I could go past my Dad’s tally this week,” says Xenna. “I’m not sure how he’s going to take that.
“He’s hoping to come down to watch some time during the week. Both he and my mum have been incredibly supportive.
“It’s great that he has been in the same situation as me and knows just how much dedication it takes to get to this standard.
“Every other day he tells me how proud he is of me. It’s got to the point where I have to tell him to stop.”
Xenna is in the Wales squad for the EuroHockey Division Two tournament at the Sport Wales National Centre at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff this week.
Wales play Austria, Poland and Belarus in their pool before hopefully going on to the promotion knockout matches. A successful week would help them qualify do the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018.
Xenna, 24, plays club hockey for East Grinstead and has been a Wales international for six years.
She played in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and scored the winning goal for Birmingham University in the British Universities Cup final.
Having graduated with a sports, exercise and coaching science BSc degree, Xenna is now working towards becoming a personal trainer at a health club in London.
Wales have prepared for this week’s European Championships with wins against Poland 3-0, Scotland 3-0 and Czech Republic 2-0.
The tournament starts today and Wales take on Austria in the final match this evening (6pm).
The Welsh squad of 18 players, sponsored by D&G Office Interiors, are in confident mood after beating Scotland for the first time in 12 years.
Abi Welsford, a PE teacher in Bridgend who lives in Cardiff, is the Welsh captain, while their head coach is Kevin Johnson, who has been in the role for two years after working with England and GB.
“We’re excited about the tournament, but more because we have continued to grow as a team and we’re ready to go about our business and continue our good run of form,” he says.
Wales have a realistic chance of earning promotion to European hockey’s Division A for the first time in their history.
They moved up from the third tier in 2013 and were mid-table in the Second Division two years ago.
A top-two finish in Cardiff will lift them into the highest league for the next championship in 2019.
Wales host their first international women’s event in Cardiff looking to improve on a 13-game unbeaten run during which they have beaten teams ranked in the world’s top 20, and jumped six places to their highest ranking of 26.
If they qualify for next Saturday’s final, Wales would join professional teams including England and the Netherlands, the three-time Olympic gold medallists, in two years.
While Wales women bid for success in Cardiff, the men’s team take on their EuroHockey challenge against Czech Republic, Switzerland and Russia in Glasgow.
Head coach Zak Jones was delighted with his players during their three-game series against Division A Poland.
“The squad feel we are now ready to go and are looking forward the challenges that lie ahead in Glasgow.”
Wales won two of three warm-up games against Poland with goals from Owain Dolan-Grey, Gareth Furlong, James Carson and Rhys Doherty, his first international goal, earning victory in the first.
They also won the second, 4-1, while Poland came out on top 3-1 in the final fixture.
The final game, in which Dan Kyriakides earned his 50th international cap, ended 3-1 to Poland after the first half ended with Wales trailing 3-0.
“We were outstanding in the second half, but, despite creating a number of good chances and earning a number of penalty corners, could only find a way through the home sides resolute defence and outstanding GK once.”
Wales women’s squad in Cardiff:
Abi Welsford (captain)
Midfield, plays for Swansea City. PE teacher, 136 caps.
Leah Wilkinson (vice-captain)
Defence, plays for Holcombe. History and politics teacher, 136 caps.
Rose Thomas
Goalkeeper, plays for Wimbledon HC. 45 caps.
Ella Jackson
Goalkeeper for Wales, plays for Buckingham HC. Physiotherapist assistant, 14 caps.
Beth Bingham
Plays screen for Wales and Loughborough. Studying sport and exercise science, 52 caps.
Sarah Jones
Midfield, plays for Holcombe. Project co-ordinator at British Tennis, 81 caps.
Danielle Jordan
Midfield, plays for Buckingham. Graduate sports coach, 61 caps.
Eloise (Ellie) Laity
Forward, plays for Clifton Robinsons. Chemistry student, 24 caps.
Jo Westwood
Defence/screen, plays for Swansea City. Works in financial planning organisation, 80 caps.
Hannah Cozens
Midfield, plays for Loughborough. Studying sports science and geography, 28 caps.
Lisa Daley
Forward, plays for Swansea City. Participation co-ordinator at University of Bristol, 37 caps.
Natasha Marke-Jones
Midfield, plays for Swansea City, 69 caps.
Phoebe Richards
Forward, plays for Buckingham. Human factors ergonomist, 80 caps.
Sian French
Midfield, plays for Bowdon Hightown. Physiotherapist, 82 caps.
Tina Evans
Defence, plays for University of Birmingham. Senior IT consultant, 102 caps.
Xenna Hughes
Defence, plays for East Grinstead. From Wrexham. 69 caps.
Emily Rowlands
Defence, plays for Loughborough. Physiotherapist. Five caps.
Sophie Clayton
Midfield, plays for Swansea City. From Newport, lives in Cardiff. Dentist. 38 caps.
European Men’s Hockey Championships, Glasgow. Sunday (Sunday, August 6 to Saturday, August 12):
Pool B fixtures for Wales:
Sunday, August 6: v Czech republic (2pm)
Monday, August 7: v Switzerland (4.15pm)
Wednesday, August 9: v Russia (11.45am)
France, Portugal, Scotland and Ukraine are in pool B.
European Women’s Hockey Championships, Cardiff (Sunday, August 6 to Saturday, August 12).
Pool B fixtures for Wales
Sunday, August 6: v Austria (6pm)
Tuesday, August 8: v Poland (6pm)
Wednesday, August 9: v Belarus (6pm)
France, Italy, Russia and Ukraine are in pool A.