Boxing club weighs in to help Bridgnorth youngsters
Children as young as five are learning the ropes and aiming high thanks to a new boxing club in Bridgnorth.
The youngsters at Bridgnorth Boxing Academy are not taking to the ring just yet and although the heavyweight pads are saved for the adult sessions, organisers say the five to 10 year-olds are learning footwork, discipline and ways to maintain a healthy mental wellbeing.
Founders Sean Powell and Yassar Naseer said the idea to create a club in Bridgnorth was sparked after hearing of aspiring boxers having to travel to Telford or Wolverhampton to train.
Sean, who is also a level one boxing coach at Bright Star Boxing Academy in Shifnal, said: “I’m a Bridgnorth lad and for me there’s nothing like this in the town.
"Yas is a level one coach in Donnington and has years of experience boxing for England so we came together to give people the opportunity to try something new.”
The club is working in partnership with Bright Star Boxing Academy and Bridgnorth Health & Fitness Club in order to put on the sessions.
Games
The 32-year-old added: “There’s no other sport like it. It’s good for managing your mental health, putting structure and routine into lives and most importantly it’s a disciplined sport that caters for all ages. The sessions we run are really interactive and fun, especially for the younger ages.
"There’s a lot of games and different elements that aren’t always just boxing, but focus on the technical side without them really knowing it.
“We talk about how their week’s been and it’s very nurturing. If they’ve had a difficult week we try and manage that in the sessions.
"We’re in the early stages of what we want to do and we’re limited a bit at the moment but our dream would be in a year or two’s time to have a boxer from Bridgnorth Boxing Academy that is competing against other amateur clubs.”
The academy runs four different sessions for five to 10-year-olds, 10 to 16-year-olds, adults and an open session for people aged 11 and over.
Contact Sean on bridgnorthboxingacademy@outlook.com or 07538 275960.
