Communities get boxing gear

It will be executed in three phases and is being funded by the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago.

Yesterday vice-president of the Amateur Boxing Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ABATT) Cecil Forde said government has spent over half a million dollars in boxing equipment which has been in a storehouse for the past months.

The equipment is being distributed to the different communities for the unearthing of new talent in Trinidad and Tobago he said.

Beneficiaries are Belmont, Carenage, Petit Valley and the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo for the programme to begin on Monday.

Forde said each venue will be equipped with the gear and will have a coach and manager to conduct coaching sessions.

The sessions will be held for two hours from 5 pm to 7 pm three days for the week.

He said a minimum of six boxers will be required before a session can begin, catering for young interested boxers between the eight-20 age bracket.

During these sessions, boxers will be taught the fundamentals of the sport before being moving on to the boxing gyms.

The second phase of the programme will cover areas such as Laventille, Arima and central Trinidad.

According to Forde, the third and final phase will focus on south Trinidad and in the sister-isle of Tobago at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet.

The intention he said is to reach the young population before individual development can take place.

The programme will coincide with the staging of another youth boxing course for children who are still at school.

Forde said the programme will give the young boxers a head start for the coming Intercol boxing tournament which is scheduled for September.

Registration for this programme will also be held on Monday and officials are urging young interested boxers to come out and take part.

The course will be held at two gyms — Tthe Tigers Gym which is situated on Prince Street, Port-of-Spain and at the Cosmic Boxing Gym in Marabella.

Two coaches have been appointed to hold the sessions — Gordon Hoyte, the coach of local champion Kertson “The Cat” Manswell and Patterson Matthews who will be at the Tigers Boxing Gym; while former world title holder Claude Noel and Allen Joseph have been designated to the Cosmic Boxing Gym.