INUVIK
Self defence and discipline go hand in hand in a new sport just introduced to Inuvik youth.

Liam Cardinal enjoyed a little sparring during a boxing workshop open to the public at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex on Nov. 30. The Inuvik Youth Centre, under the direction of its new executive director, Ali McConnell, is sponsoring a boxing club. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

The Inuvik Youth Centre, under the direction of its new executive director Ali McConnell, and with the help of boxing and self-defence expert John Hicks, is sponsoring a new boxing club in Inuvik.

The concept is all about teaching youth how to rough-house safely and learn discipline at the same time.

"What we're doing today is introducing the community to the basics of boxing," Hicks said as he surveyed a group of enthusiastic youngsters. "It's self-defence skills in a controlled fashion, so they learn a little bit of self defence, some discipline, teamwork and fitness."

The workshop coincided with National Sports Day in Canada, but Hicks said the plan was to leapfrog the event into an ongoing program at the youth centre.

"We've been doing a pilot program, and it turned out we've gotten a really good reaction from the boys who have been trying it, so hopefully we're going to be expanding it forward with more funding for equipment."

'Born to box'

"I was born to box," hollered Shaomek Bernhardt, interrupting Hicks briefly, who quickly directed him back to sparring.

"This is going really well," Hicks said. "We're keeping them focused, getting some energy out of them at the same time and they're learning some good sportsmanship. Part of it is getting them some controlled exercise so they're not just rolling around in a park somewhere."

Hicks said his background is in "hybrid fighting methods.

"I don't do just boxing or just wrestling. I like to do a little bit of everything. It amalgamates everything, kind of in a mixed martial arts fashion, more for street use.

"It's meant for self-protection, so the idea is to save yourself as fast as possible and get home."

"The discipline is huge," Hicks added. "You can't train to fight if you're getting hurt all the time. You have to train smart, and train so you're not hurting yourself or your training partner. It has to be a constructive thing, so you're not breaking yourself in the process, or other people."

Hicks said "it's looking very good for establishing a club."

The main funding need is to purchase youth-sized equipment, Hicks said. That's where the youth centre comes in.

McConnell said "the youth are really interested in boxing and have been asking for a program for a while.

"He's teaching them a lot of self-defence skills, and there's a lot of discipline, a lot of leadership, that comes out of boxing and any of the martial arts, and that's what we're trying to reinforce as well."

McConnell said Participaction Canada "donated a bunch of money to us to buy boxing equipment and we're looking to have enough money to run a permanent program starting in January."

While the youth centre is the main backer of the program, Hicks said he doesn't restrict his work to youngsters.

"I'll teach anyone from six to 90," he said with a smile.

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