REME Sport
REME Boxing is back with a bang! Scribe: Cpl Liam Jones (REME Boxing Head Coach)
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EME Boxing conducted a two-week training camp in Tidworth for Boxers across the Corps during February. The response was phenomenal as a total of 32 Boxers with varied experience from across the Units & Battalions attended. The training camp was aimed at developing personal boxing abilities and for those who were new to Boxing, to give them the fundamentals of boxing to take back to their units to practice further. This wouldn’t have been possible without having 6 Boxing Coaches who attended, who provided a wide range of knowledge and experience. The Boxers and Coaching staff had the privilege of attending the ‘Home of Army Boxing’ where they had the opportunity to be coached by the Army Head Coach, Sgt James Allen (REME). It was a great insight for the Boxers & Coaches to learn and understanding the scoring system within a contest and how they can implement certain skills into their style to get the win. Sgt James Allen (Army Head Coach) giving advice to the Boxers The first week of the training camp was for the technical session they are about to conduct focused on developing the Boxers within their own styles and develop team cohesion within REME Boxing. We towards the development and discipline that boxing demands. worked on the fundamentals through the delivery of an intense but The coaching staff were pleasantly surprised with the talent of the structured training programme. All participants had the opportunity Boxers who had never undertaken a boxing contest before, LCpl to have ‘one-to-one’ coaching with the REME Boxing Coaches which Abraham (12 Regt RA LAD) and LCpl Wolfendale (1 Yorks LAD) were was a great way to monitor their progression over the two weeks and two Boxers who have never entered a boxing contest. They both give them work on points to take away with them. impressed the coaching staff with their skills and abilities in the During the final week of the training camp the REME Boxers sessions and will be ones to watch out for in the future. 8 Field Para enjoyed the experience of ‘Engineers Hill’; especially those Boxers Coy also brought a strong team of Boxers which is a team to look out not based within the Tidworth area. It wouldn’t be a Tidworth for in the Corps Championships. training camp without running up and down a hill. The training camp The Boxers had time to give their feedback with regards to the was concluded with an evening at the First Fusiliers Boxing Gym for training camp and what they would like to see for the future of REME sparring. This was the time to put everything they have worked on Boxing. Lt Waters of 8 Para Field Coy who was the sole officer to over the training camp into practice. Within this final week all the attend the camp as a Boxer sat down with the Boxers and Coaches to Boxers showed great progress; making many improvements within gather their points for continuous improvement. These are detailed their own style. This was due to all the Boxers having a great attitude below.
The Boxers enjoying a refreshing run up Engineers hill
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Accessibility
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The majority of Boxers feel that the opportunity to box for their home unit is extremely limited. With many not knowing a POC they can easily access; they struggle to conduct any training and feel that this is why people who may have a spark of interest for the sport lose it. Response: All units should have a unit Boxing Officer who is responsible to the CO for the safe delivery of boxing within unit. If unfortunately, this is not the case then I would recommend approaching a local unit who may offer the sport on a Wednesday sports afternoon/evening. A civilian club is also a viable option.
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Some soldiers within REME Bns feel that the lack of Bn Boxing gyms do not allow them to establish themselves as legitimate teams. Real estate for a Corps gym should be considered, with Unit Boxing Officers made responsible for resourcing a suitable training area for potential Boxers. Response: With the current Army structure seeing multiple units located on a single camp it comes as no surprise that Real Estate has become sought after. The
