It took me a while to meet Mike when I started playing boules at Wenvoe.
I was invited along to have a try, and the club members who were there on Sunday mornings frequently mentioned “Mike & Jeff”, but I didn’t see either for weeks. It turned out they were playing regularly in competitions throughout the summer months.
When I did meet them, Mike Jacques & Jeff Ball turned out to be next-door neighbours, best mates and regular playing partners.
As a newbie to the sport, Mike took me under his wing and taught me how to hold the boule & how to point. He was an exceptionally good pointer, but I quickly discovered his “super-power” was shooting – and especially shooting boule-to-boule: “If you can shoot boule-to-boule, you can play on any surface”, was his maxim.
Mike was always willing to take time out to give novice players some coaching advice. He got hold of an old log from somewhere, fixed it to the floor at the pistes in the playing fields in Wenvoe, and had us all shooting over it for practice.
As well as regularly playing in the WPA league, Mike was a regular in National and Open competitions – invariably with Jeff and the late Dai Cannan. In addition, Mike was a frequent fixture in Wales teams competing in the Celtic Challenge, Home Nations and Inter-Regional competitions.
Always tough to play against, Mike was humble in victory and magnanimous in defeat.
More than just a keen player, Mike was a great “club” man – strong as an ox, he could be relied on to help out with the grunt work around the pistes – building the permanent ones Wenvoe PC had at the Wenvoe Arms, raking the surface, renewing the surround boards, as well as putting in lots of work when we laid the gravel on the car park to create the pistes needed to host the Celtic Challenge in 2010. In addition, he was always willing to help out at other clubs.
When play stopped during the Covid lockdown, Mike returned to an earlier hobby – clay-pigeon shooting and continued with that until he had to devote more time to caring for his wife, Debbie, until she passed away in late 2025.
Mike was admitted to hospital just after the New Year, but sadly passed away on 3rd January.
Rest in peace, Mike. Keep shooting boule-to-boule.
Bob Pugh
Secretary, Wenvoe PC.
The WPA membership sends our heartfelt condolences to Mike’s family at this very difficult time.
Mike was a real character, never short of a quip or two and always had a smile and a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
I can’t remember what he said to me when he received the trophy, but as you can see, the result is typical of Mike.
Tony Smith
National President
