The Narooma boxing program being run by the Far South Coast PCYC at the Narooma Sports and Leisure Centre is going from strength to strength.
Narooma police officer and long-time boxing coach Scott Wharfe continues to work with a group of boxers getting them up to competitive level.
Narooma PCYC boxer, 24-year-old Jake Jamison is set to compete this march in his first bout.
“Jake has trained solidly for the past 14 months, and has done everything asked of him, we expect him to be very competitive,” Wharfe said. “He hasn’t been matched yet, but there are a couple of opponents being looked at, either in Sydney or Canberra.”
“Jake has trained very hard, and will be the fifth boxer to compete out of the Narooma PCYC boxing gym. Everyone of our competitive boxers has performed well, which I think is validation of the technical and physical programmes that we have in place.”
2015 saw the Narooma PCYC boxing programme commence at the Narooma leisure centre, with a semi-permanent area set up on the old stage.
Coaches Scott Wharfe and Kevin Duck saw more than 40 participants come and go throughout 2016, including boxers from all over Australia, and even one from Stockholm, Sweden.
Local boxers including Jake, Pat Mathews, Ali Elmasri, Simon Davies, Jonathan Kennison and Gary Traynor, who all attended interclub sparring days at Strongarm boxing at Ulladulla, Fightsmith boxing in the ACT and Lake Illawarra PCYC throughout last year.
Training is unapologetically hard, with at least two sessions per week conducted at 5.30am, Wharfe said.
“Probably our beach sessions are the hardest, but I think everyone gets a lot from them,” he said. “We had a good 2016, getting a heap of enthusiastic people train with us, it was a lot of fun and has laid a solid foundation for us to kick off 2017”
The 2017 boxing program is in the process of being finalised, and there will be further information coming regarding the boxing classes this year.
“Our new manager, Megan Lee, has promised that big things are planned this year for the Narooma PCYC, continuing the outstanding work done in 2016 by outgoing manager Gary Traynor,” he said.
A fundraising raffle and PCYC registration night will be held at O’Brien’s Hotel from 7.30pm on Friday, February 3, to coincide with the Danny Green vs Anthony Mundine fight.
Any enquiries regarding boxing can be made through Scott at the Narooma police station on 4476 2044.
Stan Gorton
Walkley-nominated journalist based at The Islander on Kangaroo Island with an interest in the local community and the environment.
Walkley-nominated journalist based at The Islander on Kangaroo Island with an interest in the local community and the environment.
