Llanrumney Boxing Club Opens
A new amateur boxing club is available after a disused cadet hut was converted into a boxing arena.
Over 90 new boxers from ages 6 to 16 of both gender already use the Llanrumney Amateur Boxing Club on Ball Lane in Llanrumney.
Ex-boxer Paul Clarke had been fighting to find the rights to build the gym for almost three years, but with some help from both the Assembly Government and Cardiff Council, his hopes of finally passing on his skills to a younger generation has become real.
Paul Clarke commented, “What I am hoping is to get the kids off the street” and “The gym is in Llanrumney, but we don’t want be looking at just that one place. You have got four different corners of Llanrumney, Rumney, Trowbridge and St Mellons and we are inviting kids from all over the area. We want everyone amalgamated together so everyone is working together.”
Commonwealth champion Nathan Cleverly recently opened the Boxing club this week, when Paul’s 7-month-old granddaughter invaded the ring. Paul is dying to teach her, but Mum Cara would rather her take ballet lessons despite boxing herself.
All of Paul’s five daughters have boxed from Naomi aged 23 to Charley aged 10, Paul said that “it is good for girls to learn as well as boys, and why should it be just a male thing.” He also said “ The girls need discipline just the same as the boys, whether it's karate, ballet dancing or whatever, they need something to focus on. The environment that end up in a boxing gym is great and the fact they can and let themselves go.”
The gym facilities and equipment were all paid for with £30,000 Cymorth grant - the children and youth support fund – and a Youth Services grant, and the Cardiff council’s Sport Cardiff scheme helped achieve training volunteers to get their coaching qualifications and also with recruiting from local schools.
Follow the link for information on boxing and other indoor sports in Cardiff
