Young sporting stars honoured in school Hall of Fame

Wednesday, 24 December 2025 11:39

By Catherine Smyth

SPORTING superstars who are excelling in cricket and gymnastics have had their photographs added to their school’s Hall of Fame.

The wall outside the Sports Hall at Whitworth Community High School now has photographs of Emmie Howard and Charlie Hartley, both in Year 7 and aged 11.

Emmie, from Whitworth, discovered her passion for gymnastics when she was a pupil at Our Lady and St Anselm’s RC School and she initially joined Valley Gymnastics Academy.

Soon after, she moved to Rochdale Olympic Gymnastics Club and she has also converted the play room at home into a gymnastics training area.

Emmie was delighted to represent her club in a competition at Flic Flac Gymnastics in Chorley when she was first for her floor routine and sixth in vault coming overall second.

She said: “My teacher is really nice and I love learning new skills. I go for four hours on a Saturday and three on a Tuesday and I have made friends with all of the people in my group from Years 6, 7 and 8. My cousin Sienna Bearshaw also goes.”

Emmie said her favourite piece of equipment is the uneven bars.

For Christmas last year she got a special mat with a raised up beam so she could practise her skills at home in safety.

Emmie said: “Last year I also asked for a table so I could practise handstands and work on my conditioning.

“I use Harry Potter music for my floor routine and I do flips in my living room to practise. I can’t survive a day without doing a single gym trick.”

She has more competitions coming up in the New Year and said she would like to become a gym teacher because she wanted to help people and show them how to do gymnastics properly.

From a very young age, Charlie, from Bacup, was introduced to cricket by his grandfather Terry Lord.

He plays for Bacup U13s and has just been signed by Lancashire U12s.

Charlie said: “My granddad taught me when I was really young and I just kept playing. Tthen he said there were trials for Lancashire and I was supposed to go, but I forgot.

“He took me again this year. We had to do lots of drills, fielding, bowling and batting, they checked your fitness and how long you could stay out on the field and if you got tired.

“You also had to show your catching and throwing ability.”

He said he initially didn’t get a place, but when some of the team couldn’t play Charlie and his cricketing playing cousin Noah McGrath, 10, were invited to join the U11s team.

In their first game Noah got a wicket while Charlie fielded really well and they got on the team.

Charlie is best at fielding and bowling and is working hard to improve his batting skills.

He also plays football with Junior Hoops in Haslingden, golf at Rossendale and Bacup golf courses and darts at home.