1st – 2nd September 2001

Each year the local boys football club has organised what is known as The Lewis Marsh 11-a-side Pre-Season Friendly Tournament. It covers teams from the ages of under 8 to under 17. It raises a fantastic amount for the fund and is a great weekend of fun and sport.

I say this with double pride being a member of the club and also fund manager for the Lewis Marsh Fund.

This year I took a deep breath and announced to the team of volunteers that we would hold an ECG testing session at the same time for the lads who were coming to the tournament! Mutterings of ‘she’s mad’.

One sunny (yes there was one) lunch time in June, Gill Marsh and myself and my sons future mother in law (gets complicated sometimes) sat under the parasol in the garden with a glass of wine and 200 envelopes to stuff with four sheets of paper each – and stamp. Gill and I thought we had it pretty sussed but Sue (the future mother law) tended to get a little irritated with what she felt was our inefficiency. But a couple of glasses of wine later and we managed to get them all off in the post. I would like to be able to say that all 200 were duly returned but sadly they weren’t. It took a few reminders to the managers of the teams that these forms must come back signed by at least the day of the tournament, if the boys wanted to be tested.

By the weekend of the tournament we had about 60 forms back and a few extra non-participants to test. I felt pretty disappointed but warned everyone that over the weekend we could get more.

We organised the room so that the nurses, Sue and Philippa. would screen the lads side by side but with screens separating them from the rest of the room.

Sue had trained two of the team to input all the data for her and Philippa so that we could carry out the testings as quickly as possible – in case we got a rush. So there we were, about to have a bit of lunch before starting and suddenly outside the building we could see hordes of young footballers heading our way!

The tournament was running early and they had had their rest period. We had been expecting two teams at that particular time – we got five – all with paperwork to be checked and lads to be tested. Well we really did spring into action.

I managed to become a little fitter dashing around locating parents watching other sons to sign the consent form, checking G.P’s addresses etc etc. More teams followed and in three hours we tested about seventy youngsters. The efficiency of the team and the two nurses was pretty astounding! Kim was on ‘stripping’ duty – that is asking the boys to remove their shoes, tops and jewellery. She was so organised – folding their shirts and keeping little piles of belongings neat and tidy. After an hour of this the smell from the sweaty feet (they had been playing football remember!) and trainers began to take their toll and she turned a rather peculiar colour but she gallantly continued!

The next day was slightly slower until about three o’clock when we let half of the team go as we felt we could cope with the few left to come. (when will we learn). The few increased to an extra twenty-five.

Everyone agreed that it was a most rewarding weekend – we had chatted and reassured the lads and their parents and coaches. The lads all wanted to know two prominent things – was it a needle and would it hurt! Obviously they take in very little from the information sent out or listen to their parents! So what’s new!! We also spent time speaking to so many people who wanted to know more about CRY and took the leaflets home with them.

We had tested 120 young people.

So far on our previous testing days we had not had any come back with a positive result. We felt in our hearts that this time we would not be so lucky – the youngsters came from such a wide area. We were right and sadly we did pick up some that needed a follow-up. But although I feel sadness for those youngsters and their families, I also feel relief that they have been picked up and perhaps another tragedy has been avoided.

To the team – well done girls!! We learnt a lot and will probably change a few things for next time – yes there will always be a next time I hope!

The tournament itself yet again a great success – I have just sent CRY a cheque for just under £5,000; £3,000 of which will pay for the testings.

Sally Reid