Riverside Boxing Club has received a grant from NZCT of $20,690 towards buying new uniforms and equipment, as well as providing a salary for head coach, trainer, and manager Phil Shatford.
Having produced more than fifty New Zealand Boxing Champions, Addington's Riverside Boxing Club is one of the most successful amateur clubs in New Zealand and continues to encourage young kids who want to give boxing a go. As Phil Shatford commented, “Riverside Boxing club started up in my garage in 1999, then moved to the back of a pub called Harry's on Gloucester. Our club motto is 'work hard, stay humble' and it has shaped many of our kids who have grown to be well regarded within the local community.
“It is very important to make the sport accessible to everyone in the community, so we try wherever possible to provide equipment and training gear to limit additional costs to parents. Provision of use of gloves and boxing training equipment by the club encourages the participation of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to join the sport of amateur boxing. This grant will help ensure that all the kids are able to take part without having to worry about purchasing equipment, because we will be supplying them with safe and high-quality training gear.
“Participating and training in boxing gives kids goals and teaches them respect and discipline. It helps them feel both part of a team and the wider community. Boxing not only involves great physical fitness, but also great mental training. Having new uniforms to wear at tournaments will give the kids a sense of accomplishment and pride, as well as making them feel like they are a part of a team.
“Encouraging more kids to take part in amateur boxing will be beneficial to our sporting community and keep the sport of boxing alive during these testing times. We would like to see more kids in our gym compete in amateur boxing tournaments and we want to help everyone reach their champion potential in and out of the gym.”
As one of New Zealand's most successful amateur coaches, a former NZ Coach, and NZ Commonwealth Games & Olympic Games head coach, Phil is a huge asset to the club, as well as being an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Funding his role will mean that Phil can put more time into developing young boxers and managing the club's growth. The other trainers and probationary trainers will now be able to upskill and Phil will be able to hold more training camps, organize sparring sessions within the boxing community, and travel to and from tournaments within New Zealand.