Berkhamsted Squash Club marked the 10th anniversary event last month in memory of Harry Faulkner, the teenager who died of a heart attack during a league match.
The Hertfordshire club raised nearly £3,500 for Cardiac Risk in the Young (C-R-Y) in memory of Faulkner. This allows for C-R-Y to screen 57 young people’s hearts.
Faulkner, who had turned 18 in 2013 and was a British under-19 player, was playing for in the Hertfordshire league when he complained of feeling unwell.
After hitting one shot into the nick he turned to his coach in appreciation, before asking for an injury timeout due to feeling unwell. As soon as he stepped off court, he fell to the ground and passed out. Each of his team-mates attempted to revive him before local paramedics arrived 20 minutes later. He was sadly pronounced dead two hours later in hospital.
“He was understated and quiet; a gentleman off court but not on it,” Harry’s father, Stefan, told this correspondent at the time. “He had time for people and helped out the younger guys and he just lived for the sport.”
A decade on and the club held a “brilliant evening” in his memory.
John Shaw, Berkhamsted Tennis & Squash Club chair, said: “We had a great atmosphere from start to finish, starting out with good squash from our members alongside ex-Hertfordshire county players Harry grew up playing with during the 30+ person round robin across six courts filled with enjoyment.”
The club also saw Daryl Selby, Ben Coleman, Adrian Waller and Miles Jenkins play an exhibition, while the club praised Adam Fuller for his contribution.
“This event would not have been anything like it was without Adam being as prevalent as he is in the squash world, connecting the dots and making everything top calibre,” the club said.