Guyana needs boxing coaching programme
- British coach
By Michael DaSilva
Stabroek News
May 15, 2002
English boxing coach Brian Hinkley is calling for the setting up of a national boxing programme to fully develop Guyana's talented boxers.
Delivering the feature address at the closing ceremony at Olympic House, of the two-week Olympic Solidarity coaching course he conducted, Hinkley said a structure could be developed along the lines of the English model where three categories are given special attention by a panel of government appointed coaches.
According to Hinkley who trains and identifies British boxers for national teams, there are three programmes in England for the country's boxers, there is a cadet programme for boxers age 15-17 years, an Under-19 programme for boxers 17-19 years and a programme for seniors.
Touching on the course, the Englishman said he was pleased with the enthusiasm shown by the 20 coaches who successfully completed the two-week course.
"They all worked very hard and were very enthusiastic. I'm pleased with their performance," he stated.
Hinkley was high in praise for the raw talent he spotted here, but cautioned "unless that talent is nurtured, the boxer would not reach international level".
He advised the 20 coaches to stay together as a team and work together.
Hinkley who used to be an amateur boxer until he injured his right arm in an accident when he was 20 years old said, the coaches need to go out to clubs and bring youngsters through. "They need to identify talented boxers from each club and bring them together from time to time at the national level' He said, adding "This is needed because its no sense you have one good guy in a gym sparring with persons that cannot lift his level. They need to do glove work with persons of a higher standard, that's the only way they will improve" Hinkley who left for home yesterday said in another few days he would be taking an English team to Copenhagen to participate in a European all nations tournament.
Asked about his success rate since becoming a senior coach, Hinkley said "over the past 24 months English teams have brought back more medals than ever before".
Guest speaker Jean Guillaumot, general manager of Le Meridien, Pegasus hotel, stressed the importance of discipline, using his personal experience in the field of sports and once as a cook, Guillaumot drove home his point.
Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) secretary Howard Cox spoke on the state of amateur boxing in Guyana, stating that the sport needs more assistance from the government and the private sector.
Cox opined that other disciplines get more attention and coverage in the media, and made mention of Michael Parris being the only Guyanese to date to win an Olympic medal..."yet other sports get more assistance" Cox bemoaned.
Cox mused that the association (GABA) is not begging enough. He however promised that the GABA will start a begging campaign.
He disclosed that several local competitions are slated for the remainder of the year.
The official challenged the 20 coaches to go out and bring at least 15 new boxers into the sport. He also challenged them to compete against each other in scouting new talent.