A college is kicking off a football tournament next week to raise funds for research into the condition which struck down a student on the pitch.
Next Tuesday, October 14, Pendleton College’s Sports and PE department will be staging the competition in memory of Daniel Young.
Daniel, 16, from Atherton, was only three weeks into a BTEC First Diploma in Sport in 2005, when he collapsed and died minutes after scoring a goal for Atherton LR u17s.
What no one knew was that he was suffering from a previously undetected heart defect.
Now the Dronfield Road college is staging the Daniel Young Memorial Football Tournament to raise money and awareness for the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).
Rachael Hooper, curriculum leader in the sport and PE department, said: “Daniel had only been at the college for about three weeks but his death had a profound effect on everyone.
“It was the suddenness and the fact that he was such a lively and fit young man that shocked us.
“This tournament is a great way to remember him and to raise funds in research about CRY.”
Daniel’s mum and dad, Dionne, 45, who works for Tesco in Atherton and Craig, 40, a window cleaner, will be turning up at college to cheer on the teams.
The couple, who also have a daughter Hannah, eight, have been raising funds and awareness for CRY since Daniel’s death.
Dionne’s workmates helped raise over £4,000 through sponsored events.
Earlier this year the couple went to London to win backing from the FA to get more training for sports tutors and coaches to detect the syndrome.
Dionne said: “It’s going to be an emotional day at Penldeton College but I think it is great that they are doing something, not only to remember Daniel, but also to research into CRY.
“We were devastated, obviously, when he died but knowing that we, and others such as the staff and students at Pendleton are trying to raise the profile of CRY in an enormous comfort.”
The tournament will run from 9.30am to 3.30pm and will feature colleges from across the north west.
Key 103 are providing music and Pendleton catering students are providing a barbecue as well as other refreshments.
CRY was founded in May 1995 to raise awareness of cardiac risk in the Young.
It offers bereavement support to those who have suffered a tragedy through a network of specially trained individuals who have themselves suffered a similar loss.
CRY also promotes heart screening, ECG testing programmes and contributes to medical research.
Its newest patron is Little Britain star David Walliams.
