...but can you throw any light on what happened to it?
Groby Amateur Boxing Club may be in Merrylees!
April 2010 The planned boxing club has moved a stage further even though premises aren't yet available in Groby. Scott Cooper, who is promoting the club, continues to put his time into the venture. The club now has a constitution and a bank account and has found premises on Merrylees industrial estate which might be suitable. Scott is keen for the club to provide a minibus facility to collect and return local children who want to participate, so offers of financial help to the club to finance this would be greatly appreciated.
The original story 2010
Another exciting youth project for the village
Scott Cooper is a Groby resident with a wife, three children, two dogs, a career and a vision. Now a head teacher he grew up in Yorkshire in an area like many others throughout the country where what you got out of life didn't come to you on a plate but was directly related to your own efforts. In such an environment the future can be different and better if something happens which changes your life, as it did for Scott. He found boxing. And now he has a vision of bringing boxing coaching to Groby to help local youngsters to enjoy the direction, motivation and active lifestyle that changed his own life.
A Graduate in Physical Education Scott has 16 years teaching and coaching experience. He has an Amateur Boxing Coach Qualification, lots of sports coaching qualifications and experience,and a full First Aid qualification.
The advantages of a boxing club
“I coach boxing in my spare time to many children and young adults and believe an official Amateur Boxing Club in Groby would be a worthwhile venture,” said Scott. “The advantages of a boxing club are endless and often supported by local police as a proven method of reducing crime and providing an alternative to hanging around parks and streets. It provides focus and confidence while implementing some discipline and structure into many peoples future. Boxing can be about fitness aspects and for the more serious element a future in amateur boxing. It can also serve the community in the form of adult classes and provide facilities for the services such as the police and fire brigade. The educational value can also be a huge advantage. For example there is a certified course that I could lead at a boxing club that allows the participants to study both practical and theory the skills and training principles of boxing in which to be awarded with the equivalent of a GCSE. Boxing awards and leadership courses can become a part of the club.”
“I believe young people respond well to these opportunities, which in turn assist the community in solving other problems. I really enjoy the task of changing peoples futures with training and motivation and an obvious caring.”
Indeed if you ask Scott about the benefits of boxing training the list he gives you is longer than a boxers arm. "It teaches self- discipline and instils self-confidence," he said. "It promotes physical fitness and athletic skills, provides both competitive and non-competitive programmes and is inexpensive, as all an individual needs to join a boxing club is a pair of running shoes, some shorts and a willingness to learn. But more importantly it develops character and self motivation, and encourages good citizenship," he added.
Premises a problem
The immediate problem he faces is finding premises to accommodate the club. Ideally between 3000 and 6000 square feet it will have room for changing areas with male, female and disabled toilets, a ring area, a multi gym area, a fitness and skipping area and a kitchen and snack bar area. If the draft plans for a new community facility at Quarry Park come to fruition the search could be over. The case put forward by Scott to parish councillors at their February meeting was well received and he appreciates the enthusiasm and support they showed for the project. But redevelopment takes time and delay could mean lost opportunities for the young people of Groby.
Premises available immediately would be ideal even if they were only temporary until a permanent facility could be found. In addition to the Parish council Scott has approached GESensing, as they are a major employer in the village and want to work with the local community. “I have offered to help GE Sensing by offering free fitness and boxing classes to its employees,” said Scott, and with that on the table his approach will no doubt get serious consideration.
Positive impacts
At the club's core would be the aim of being a positive impact in youth redirection within the community. Such a facility would be a asset to the village and would complement the many similar local initiatives for young people. The boxing club would liaise with Groby schools, colleges, community groups and police. It would offer opportunities for children and young adults to work towards awards and ASDAN qualifications up to GCSE or A Level equivalent. ASDAN is established as a registered charity for “The advancement of education, by providing opportunities for all learners to develop their personal and social attributes and levels of achievement through ASDAN awards and resources, and the relief of poverty, where poverty inhibits such opportunities for learners.”
Scott is able to lead an A'Level course through ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness qualifications in boxing aspects. The Certificate of Personal Effectiveness is the QCDA kite marked qualification outcome of the ASDAN Award programmes. The qualifications offer imaginative ways of accrediting young people's activities. They promote, and allow centres to record, a wide range of personal qualities, abilities and achievements of young people, as well as introducing them to new activities and challenges.
Groby Amateur Boxing Club would serve three age groups- Male & Female 5-10 years (Junior sessions), 11-16 years (intermediate sessions) and 17 years and above (Senior). It would be open five evenings a week and would support school holiday full day training camps.
Boxing is safe
Safety will no doubt be a concern in the minds of some readers but it seems that statistically amateur boxing is be one of the safest sports as the rules have been formulated with the safety of the boxers as the paramount concern. In addition a doctor must be in attendance at all times and each athlete must be certified fit by the doctor on the day of competition.
But would there be a demand for boxing coaching in the Groby area? Scott has no doubts. And the experience of Birstall seems back up his confidence. Carl Gunns of Birstall was the youngest boxing manager in Britain when he got his licence at 29. In 2003 he opened his boxing gym in Birstall and membership soared to 1300, including over 200 girls. Last year he decided not to renew his manager's licence so he could focus on his community gyms in Birstall. Although Carl's reputation was probably a factor in such high membership numbers the success of the Birstall gym does indicate an underlying demand.
In the constant efforts made for community facilities for young people we might often talk of the gloves coming off, but for Groby Amateur Boxing Club it's more a case of the gloves going on. If you feel that you can help in any way you can email Scott at grobyabc@yahoo.co.uk.