Boxing training for school students

Umina PCYC opens its doors to young students every Thursday and Friday morning, giving them the chance to train with the best for free.

Umina PCYC is the home gym for the NSW PCYC Boxing Academy, a team of elite junior and senior male and female boxers that are selected from across NSW clubs to represent PCYC.

They have athletes travelling from as far as Sydney all the way to the Central Coast just to catch a glimpse of what it is like to train with some of the best boxers in Australia.

But every Thursday and Friday morning, head trainer Mr Joel Keegan and current Ringside World Champion Ms Anja Stridesman focus their energy in training dedicated local high school students.

Club manager Mr Martin Eddy spends the morning driving the company bus to each student's house, picking them up for training.

They are then given the opportunity to train as if they were members of the NSW PCYC Boxing Academy with Keegan and Stridesman.

Such training sessions would usually end up costing around $56 a month but, thanks to the generosity of the PCYC, the sessions are all free.

There are showers in both female and male change rooms at the PCYC allowing participants to freshen up before school.

PCYC officers then cook a barbecue each week for the students, so they don't go to school on an empty stomach, and also provide fruits that can be taken for morning tea.

Students are then dropped off and signed in to school by club manager, Martin Eddy, leaving parents stress free.

This program may be further improved as the PCYC has been informed it may receive a grant to go towards it, perhaps to purchase a larger bus as more local teenagers are getting involved.

Submission, 7 Sep 2016

Reporter: Khymamoana Tevi-Fuimaono