The parents of Russell Simmons yesterday spoke of the talented and charismatic sportsman who died suddenly aged 18.
Gifted tennis player, cricketer and footballer Russell, who died on Saturday, had an ambition to become a PE teacher at his former school, Wellsway in Keynsham.
His heartbroken parents Dave and Jan, who live in Saltford, said their only child was a charming and popular teenager with the world at his feet.
He had recently passed his driving test, was in a blossoming relationship with his girlfriend Lissa and had started a degree in sports coaching at the University of Gloucestershire.
Hundreds of people have posted messages paying tribute to Russell on social networking websites Facebook and Twitter after hearing the devastating news.
The Bristol-born teenager had recently been named young player of the year at Brislington Cricket Club, represented the cricket club's football team and had become a tennis coach.
Mrs Simmons, 48, an operations manager at Friends Life in Stoke Gifford, said her son was naturally talented and "could have done anything with a ball".
Mr Simmons, 56, who works in IT at Waycroft Academy in Stockwood, said 'ball' was his son's first word.
They said Russell was a confident and optimistic student. Mrs Simmons said: "We used to say he was in a 'Russell bubble' because he was never fearful of things and didn't ever see any problems. He wasn't fazed by anything.
"Recently he said 'Life doesn't get better than this, mum'. He was doing a sports coaching degree at uni and was doing a Level 3 tennis qualification, which he had just passed. He had plans to teach tennis – Wellsway School had contacted him asking him to coach a 12-week course over the summer holidays.
"He absolutely loved Wellsway School and wanted to become a PE teacher there one day. He loved tennis so much that we had to drag him off the court at times.
"His ambition last year was to pass his A-levels at Wellsway sixth form and get to university, win young player of the year at Brislington and pass his driving test. He did all three."
Russell, who grew up in Brislington before moving to Saltford eight years ago, had been living in halls of residence at the university's Oxstalls campus at the time of his death. He had recently landed a part-time job in a library and won a place in the university's tennis 1st team.
The teenager, who also worked at the Co-op supermarket in Saltford, regularly returned home at weekends to play sport.
Mr Simmons, who watched his son play sport competitively for the last time at Highridge two weeks ago, said Russell was an accomplished sportsman but excelled most at tennis and cricket.
He said: "In one of his last games for the Under 16s at cricket, he won the Bristol and District Plate. At the age of 11 he scored 102.
"But tennis was the one in which he achieved qualifications in beyond his years. The head coaches at Saltford Tennis Club saw something in him.
"They said that when they saw Russell they could see a real keenness in him, not only to play but to play a bigger part.
"This became a major part of his life which he forged himself."
Mrs Simmons, whose father Frank Barclay was a professional footballer and brother Bryce Barclay is a pro golfer, said: "He could have done anything with a ball but there was something about tennis he loved. It was lovely to watch him play – he was very graceful.
"When he wasn't out playing sport, he was at home on his PlayStation competing against his friends and winding them up.
"He loved Liverpool and his favourite players were Steven Gerrard and Louis Suarez. He liked Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Kevin Pietersen.
"He would do everything at the last minute – he wasn't an organised person. He was a home bird and liked being at home.
"He was also a bit of a wind-up merchant – that was his sense of humour."
She added: "There was something about him that stood out – he was charismatic and very attractive and handsome. He had a sportsman's gait and was over 6ft."
A Facebook tribute page was set up in memory of Russell over the weekend and since then more than 3,300 have paid their respects.
Tributes have also been paid by Saltford Tennis Club and Brislington Cricket Club.
A tribute from the tennis club said: "Russell will be sorely missed by everyone and was doing a fantastic job at the club. He was loved by so many people at the club and was fantastic at bringing in new players.
"He was a great player who has helped us in summer league tennis and was looking forward to playing this summer and loved coaching at the club."
For Brislington Cricket Club, for whom Russell opened the bowling for the second XI, Kevin Moore said: "He was a talented fantastic sportsman who was an integral part of Brislington Cricket & Brislington Cricketers Football Club.
"Our thoughts are with Jan and Dave and their family."
Mrs Simmons said she and her husband had been "overwhelmed" messages of sympathy.
