PICTURES: Black Country School Games honour Tunisia victim Joel Richards

Joel also took it upon himself to inspire the younger generation.

That is why it is so fitting that he was honoured at yesterday's Black Country School Games summer festival held at University of Wolverhampton's Walsall Campus.

The authority that wins the most points will from now on will be awarded the Joel Richards Black Country School Games Festival Cup.

University student Joel Richards, 19, his uncle Adrian Evans and grandfather Patrick Evans were gunned down in a terror attack on a beach in Sousse,Tunisia, 12 months ago.

Wood Green Academy headteacher James Topham said: "When Joel was at Wood Green he was a sports ambassador so he helped out.

"He was a member of the organising committee and played an important part in the festival.

"When the tragedy happened last year it was actually on the day of the games." Joel's younger brother Owen was at the event yesterday. He said "It's definitely the right way to remember Joel. It's a brilliant occasion.

"Joel was all about mass participation and trying to get as many young people involved because he knew how many different benefits their were to playing sport. "He knew getting kids involved from an early age can help them carry on in sport. It's really nice that they're doing this and carrying on what he believed in.

"Joel did so many different diverse sports. He was qualified in disability sports too so he knew the variations of sport and how general it is and he'd help anyone – he loved that part of it. It's lovely to come and visit and hand out medals. In a way it is keeping his name alive and that's really nice to think that people haven't forgot and that he did have an affect on so many different people, and not only us."

Owen handed over the cup to winning youngsters from Sandwell along with two-time paralympian football star Darren Harris from Wolverhampton.

Smile for Joel is a charity raising money for victim support, they help so many different people and it's nice that they're getting the awareness out and getting as many people involved in it as we can."

The Black Country School Games saw thousands of young people descend on the campus.

The festival was the culmination of a six-month programme and included ten school sports, an opening and closing ceremony and a variety of events.

Young people who took part were given a key role in the organising and planning of the event, which featured 10,000 youngsters, with 200 extra helpers drafted in. It was decided early on that this year's event would honour the former Worcester University student, who himself was an ambassador for games in previous years and helped organise the annual event.

Money was raised for the Smile for Joel campaign set up in tribute to the teenager on a packed day of sport which included athletics, track and field athletics, cricket, dodge ball, rounders, rugby, tri-golf, football and triathlon sports as the event returned for its eighth year.

All the participants were given a special award to mark their significance in being involved while the games also acted as countdown to the Olympic Games in Rio, which will get under way in six weeks time.

Schoolchildren from across the West Midlands were taking part in the games, which was originally set up to try and encourage more young people to become active in the hope they would carry on taking part in sport in later life. Schools take part in various heats throughout the year, with the best performing pupils selected to be involved in the national games.