Inner-city boxing club refuge for kids

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/07/2002 (8462 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Like a lot of siblings, Stormy and Damien Roach fight often in toe-to-toe tilts that sometimes turn vicious.

In fact, each has had their nose broken at least twice during particularly nasty clashes.

But the Roachs don’t fight each other.

The brother and sister are boxers who hope to win medals when they compete for Manitoba at the North American Indigenous Games later this month.

“Gold, for sure,” predicted Damien, 16, ducking under a punching bag at the Alliance Boxing Club on Sherbrook Street. “That’s what I’m aiming for.”

Damien and 17-year-old Stormy — both of whom are repeat Canadian champions in their weight classes — are just two of a dozen boxers from the club who will compete at the Games.

All but one of the 12 fighters from the club competing at the Games has been a medallist at Canadian championships.

But what’s even more impressive is the fact that all of the 20-odd boxers who train at the free inner-city gym come from economic and social backgrounds, which can best be described as difficult.

Most of the young people who drop into the gym to spar, skip and train come from families who rely on social assistance or have been scarred by crime, drugs and violence.

“It’s about so much more than just boxing,” said Mark Collins, who runs the gym when he’s not at work at Via Rail. “Boxing introduces these kids to more in life than the gangs and problems they see. It teaches discipline and self-control and commitment.”

Collins lives that lesson of commitment nearly every day. For the last 18 years, Collins has dedicated all his free time to helping impoverished kids make a better way for themselves through boxing.

He has two rules. To be allowed in the gym, kids need to be in school and can’t be getting into trouble on the streets. If they break those rules, boxers — no matter how good — are out.

Inside the loud, sweaty confines of the gym, Collins runs a tight ship. He knows the budding fighters well and acts as coach, father and teacher to each of them. As boxers skip or spar, Collins stands watch, yelling instructions or correcting rambunctious behaviour.

Along with boxing training, Collins operates a stay-in-school program and a mentorship program out of the gym. Some of the athletes receive cash — about $10 a week — if they attend school each day and complete their training requirements. Young boxers have to finish their homework before they can turn their attention to the ring.

“These kids can’t do anything on the streets without me hearing about it,” laughed Collins. “I come from a similar background, I know what they’re going through.”

Last month, Collins recognized Stormy couldn’t afford all the trappings necessary for her graduation from Elmwood High School. So he gave the girl money to get her hair and nails done and rushed to a florist to buy her a corsage.

“I don’t honestly think I even would have graduated from high school at all if it wasn’t for this place and boxing,” said Stormy. “Instead of going out to party (Damien) and I are coming to the gym. This has made us a lot closer as brother and sister, too.”

Raymond Mousseau, an ex-boxer who now coaches at Alliance, said he expects the Alliance boxers to bring home at least six gold medals from NAIG. But he said it’s not the hardware that really counts.

“Boxing helps the kids believe in themselves and realize they can accomplish great things,” he said, while a pint-sized fighter threw right hooks at a much larger sparring partner in the ring. “That’s really what it’s about.”

Over the last two years, Canadian Heritage has provided nearly $60,000 in funding to the Alliance club through the department’s Urban Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Centres Initiative.

“This is an organization that’s overcoming inequalities of income and access by empowering young people with not only athletic skills, but life skills as well,” said federal Heritage Minister Sheila Copps. “It’s exciting to see an organization doing so much for young Canadians. I’m very proud of the support the Government of Canada has given, not only to Alliance Boxing, but also to the North American Indigenous Games, where so many of the club’s members will compete with pride and determination.”

leah.janzen@freepress.mb.ca