Junior bowlers in Huddersfield will dedicate their match this weekend to the memory of teenager James Hick, who died last week.
And they will remember a talented bowler and “fine young man” by holding a minute’s silence and releasing balloons before the game at Almondbury Liberal Club, where James was a playing member.
James, 14, was found collapsed and bleeding on Southway in Mirfield last Wednesday morning. Members of the public made desperate efforts to save him, but he sadly passed away. An investigation into what happened is underway.
James, a pupil of Mirfield Free Grammar School, was a junior bowling member at Almondbury Bowling Club and Almondbury Liberal Club.
The match between Huddersfield Junior Inter District’s A and B teams will get under way at 7pm on Saturday (April 28) at the Liberal club. A minute’s silence will be held before the start and there will be a balloon release by James’ friends at about 6.45pm.
The club will also run a raffle, a ‘bowl at the bottle’ competition and a kitchen with proceeds going to the Justgiving Facebook page set up in memory of James.
Geoff Martin, secretary of Huddersfield Junior Bowling Association and manager of the Almondbury Liberal Club junior team, said: “It will be an emotionally charged evening for many, but will give everyone in our junior bowling community the opportunity to talk about young James, how much he was liked, how good a bowler he was and how much he will be missed.
“Many of James’ bowling friends will be there to pay their respects to this fine young man. Lots of the kids want to go; he was a popular lad.”
Geoff, who has known the Hick family for 25 years, said James came from a family steeped in crown green bowling. “His grandfather Harold Hick and his late grandmother Judith Hick were both very good bowlers,” said Geoff. “Both his auntie Jackie and father Michael were legendary junior bowlers.”
James began his junior bowling career at Almondbury Bowling club in 2013. The following year, he was a semi-finalist in a local village junior competition and won a number of junior league matches. He was runner-up in the Hemplow Bowling Club sponsored Under 14 mixed singles handicap in 2015 – and won the competition the following year.
In 2016, James and brothers Ethan and Aidan joined Almondbury Liberal Club junior bowling team.
He went on to win several trophies and last year made his debut for the Yorkshire Junior county team as well as helping his team win the junior county championship final.
Geoff said: “It was an exemplary season by anyone’s standards. Who knows what the young lad could have achieved in his bowling career?
“He’ll be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him. On Saturday he will be remembered.”
James also played football with Battyeford Sporting Club. Players from two Mirfield primary schools – Crossley Fields and Crowlees – held a minute’s applause for James last weekend before the Denis Ward Memorial Trophy final at Batley Grammar School.
