PHOTOS:
Owen Rickard scores a try for Milford juniors
Award winner
Shows off medal at Iron Kids
Swimming for the Milford Tigers
Ready for Karate action

 
When Owen Rickard stepped up on stage at Slebech Park to receive his ‘Junior Sportsperson of the Year’ award as part of Radio Pembrokeshire’s ‘Local Heroes’ celebration the seven year old from Milford Haven not only amazed everyone there with his prowess but captivated them with his charm.
 

He showed presenter Dave Baker his karate kicking skills but also told him about how he enjoys helping those not so good at sport as Owen is in games sessions at school. He also spoke about how he loves so many sports and in 40 years of writing this reporter has never met anyone so young who is not only hugely talented but able to share his infectious enthusiasm so easily!
 

Owen was inspired at five years old

 
‘Inspire a Generation’ was what the banner said.  In the summer of 2012, Owen Rickard was five years old and he was able to enjoy the atmosphere of the Olympic Games and visit some of The Games’ venues whilst with his grandparents that summer. They live in Greenwich, just across the river from Stratford, where the Olympic Park was, and during the summer of 2012 not only did he watch Andy Murray go through to the finals of the Wimbledon Championships but he also watched the inspirational sportsmen and sportswomen of Team GB who won 65 medals at the Olympics and 120 medals at the Paralympics.  It was the summer that changed Owen.
 

Up for a challenge ...

 
After watching so many achievements by so many he was up for a challenge.  He admired most of all the Brownlee Brothers especially being able to swim, cycle and run.  He set himself for ‘Iron Kids’ that September where the rules stated that he would have to be able to swim 50m.  Owen asked his parents to put him into swimming lessons and he started at Level Two at The Meads Leisure Centre, barely being able to keep himself afloat to do a five-metre width.  
 

... And does it!

 
His aim by the end of the summer was to be able to swim the 50 metres without drowning in a wetsuit in Tenby's North Beach, raising funds for The Wales Air Ambulance.  He has since done a further ‘Iron Kids’ and will be doing so again this year. With the help of The Meads swimming instructors, by the summer of 2013, Owen was near completion of Level Seven with his swimming, had completed the Bronze Level Junior Lifesaving/Rookie awards and was able to join Milford Haven Swimming Squad and has enjoyed what competitions he has been allowed to enter, due to his age, locally.  He has even brought home medals.
 
Owen was also determined to remove his training wheels on his bike that summer, it took him about 15 minutes and he was off.  He is already a good runner and now can't wait till he can train for triathlons and become an ‘Iron Man’!
 

A future rugby star?

 
With Wales winning the Six Nations Championships and the Grand Slam that same year, Owen was also motivated to do well at rugby, playing tag for the under 7's at Milford Haven Rugby Football Club.  He has shown fantastic knowledge of the relevant skills and elements of playing good rugby such as using good footwork, speed and agility, using space and going forward, ball skills,  passing and above all, working as a part of a team.  Owen finished last year’s season as ‘Top Try Scorer’ with 30+ tries and this season he is already on the way to doubling that! He wants to continue with his rugby, and hopes to be able to play at county level, for Llanelli Scarlets, Wales, Lions and maybe Team GB now that rugby will be incorporated!
 

Karate promotions

 
Owen also loves karate and is trained by Milford Haven Karate Club.  After having done his first grading in December 2012, he was sitting with others awaiting results of the gradings. He was so disappointed as it seemed that all of the red belt gradings which was what he had gone for, had all been read out.  Surely he didn't fail?  Surely they forgot about him?  No, he skipped the red belt and was rewarded with a yellow belt instead!  He has since been awarded his orange belt and has started sparring once a week.  This is a bit awkward as there are not many to spar with from his age group, but the older boys are very patient (and gentle!) with him
 

He’ll try anything and has superb family support

 
Amazingly, Owen also enjoys other sports and played for Neyland Cricket Club last summer. Outside of the above clubs, he can be found playing tennis, squash, basketball, baseball, just about anything!  His motto is to try it once and if you like it, do it again.  He doesn't stop when he's tired, only when he's done.  Catch him when you can!
 
Owen lives with mum Sharon, dad Mathew, older brother Rhys and older sister Megan. As in his sports, Owen likes to achieve academically and does well in school.  He loves being outdoors, is one heck of a mover on the dance floor, likes his beats fast and his base down low and is a Star Wars addict.  He is a typical seven year old: getting into mischief, breaking things unintentionally and making a heck of a mess to clean up, particularly with Lego pieces!  
 

Loves helping out too

 
It is good to report that Owen is humble and very compassionate with others and despite his age, already knows that even with his goal of becoming a professional sportsman he would probably like to use his natural talents coaching disabled sports or disadvantaged children.
He is a great believer that sports should be accessible to all children and that even if you don't win and you don't bring home awards, medals and trophies; it's the participating that counts.
 
He often cheers for the opposition or the underdog, believing that self motivation to do something in the first place can be difficult enough for someone without knowing that you are losing.   He has shared his Radio Pembs Local Heroes Junior Sportsperson Award, which he received last month, with all of his teams, expressing the view that there are many out there also worthy of being acknowledged for their sportsmanship and achievements.
 
Chat to him for just a short while and you can’t help being drawn in by his infectious enthusiasm, and we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk can safely say we enjoyed our chat with Owen Rickard, a remarkably sporting youngster indeed!