Good Sports Appeal: A real knight's tale

The 32-year-old has fostered a close-knit team spirit among the Newport Knights squad that has seen them stick together while playing home matches as far away as Leicestershire before returning to the county earlier this year.

But for Jamie playing a sport that he loves is something he will never take for granted.

The Shropshire Star today launches the Good Sports appeal – a new initiative aimed at getting more people taking part in sport.

Each week we will be putting the spotlight on the amazing stories that show what a difference sport has made to individuals.

At a time when doctors say more people are visiting them complaining of fatigue, we believe it is vital to encourage more people of all ages and abilities to get outdoors and get active.

Our aim is to encourage more people to take up a new pursuit this summer – whether that is on their own, as part of a group of mates or as a family.

Each week we will be including details of clubs featured so that people know how to get in touch – and get involved in sport.

Good sports can be the people who have overcome the odds to achieve their sporting ambitions. They can be the coaches that make it happen for so many others, and the clubs that encourage more people to exercise on a regular basis.

We want to share what drives these people to selflessly help others week in week out, year after year.

Above all, a Good Sports' involvement in their chosen pursuit has made a positive difference to their lives or others.

Below you can read the story of Jamie Payne, player-manager of Shropshire's inline hockey team Newport Knights. He refused to let a serious illness as a child stop him from achieving success – and now he leads by example for his teammates.

Jamie's story is one of just many heartening sporting tales. And we want to hear about more of them from you to make this feature a must-read page in the paper every week.

If you know of a Good Sport or have a story of your own to share with us, contact the Shropshire Star newsdesk on (01952) 241421 or email ketley.newsroom@shropshirestar.co.uk with your details and let us know what you are up to.

When he was just one-year-old, Jamie was diagnosed with Hyper IgE Syndrome, a condition characterised by an extremely low immune system which results in severe lung and chest infections.

He was treated by specialists at Birmingham Children's Hospital up until the age of 16, and will need to be on medication for the rest of his life.

Jamie, who by day works as a plumbing and heating engineer, said: "It will get worse and worse basically.

"But I don't let it stop me doing anything. I have bad lungs – I had an abscess on my lungs the size of a fist recently."

The Knights, based at Maurice Chandler Sports Centre in Stoke Heath near Market Drayton, were playing their games in Leicestershire for years before a professional roller rink was installed at the sports centre.

The team's first major game at their new home was against the Team GB inline roller hockey squad.

Sadly, Jamie had to miss the game because of his condition and abscess.

He said: "I was gutted, absolutely gutted.

"I'm on medication, and I've just started a new kind, so hopefully it will do the job."

While the condition will never disappear, Jamie still fondly remembers Birmingham Children's Hospital and those who helped him as he grew up.

He said: "I spent a lot of time at the hospital. To begin with they didn't know what it was, it was so rare.

"So I did spend a lot of time there growing up.

"But I try not to let it affect me. I don't think about it at all really."

For Jamie, it was a sport he decided to get involved with when he was a child.

He said: "I started quite late on, I was 12. I finished when I was 19 for a while, then started again when I was 25 and have been doing it since then.

"The good thing about hockey is I get the breaks, it's not like other sports like running.

"The thing I like about roller hockey is that it is different. Anyone can run, but you've got to be able to balance, use your hands right, and read the game, all sorts of skills with this.

"I wish I started younger now."

Jamie is using his hockey to repay some of the work the hospital did for him as a child. Last year, he and his inline hockey teammates spent 31 hours playing roller hockey to raise £4,878 for Birmingham Children's Hospital and smash a world record.

The Newport Knights along with the Happy Chappies – a team from Wrexham – played 31 continual hours of hockey smashing all previous world records held by teams in France and the UK.

It was hosted for free by the Midlands Roller Arena in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, and referees gave up their time for free while dozens of supporters turned up to witness the world record attempt, which forbid any of the players to leave the rink for the whole time.

Jamie said: "I think it is amazing what the team has done already. There are only seven rinks like this in the UK.

"We worked really hard with the sports centre to get this, we won the league last year and are top of the league at the moment."

Now Jamie is keen to get younger people playing the sport and learning as they play.

He said: "My son quite enjoys it but I don't want to push him into it or anything.

"We did do quite a lot with children trying to get them into it.

"But because of equipment and funding we had to stop so we are looking at ways we can get children involved in it."

• Newport Knights were formed seven years ago.

• They originally played their games as far away as Leicester but have made the Maurice Chandler Sports and Leisure Centre their home.

• The rink is the largest of its kind in Europe and the only one in Shropshire.

• Many of the players also play ice hockey.

• The club has 24 players making up two teams.

• The team plays in the GBHI Midlands League B section. Search for Newport Knights Inline Hockey Club on Facebook or contact the centre on (01630) 638508.[/breakout]