Maverick Campaign for Boxing Club Defibs

Posted on by Dominic McGuinness

Maverick Campaign for Boxing Club Defibs

Maverick Stars Trust has launched a nationwide initiative to provide vital defibrillators and CPR awareness for England Boxing member clubs. Sudden cardiac arrest in young people – including high-profile athletes – has increasingly been making headlines in recent years.

April Hunter

Helping to educate and enable people to act when an incident occurs is a cause close to the heart of Maverick ambassador April Hunter, whose family has established the charity PGCPR, which has set up a free app that assists in delivering CPR.

The Geordie boxer’s cousin, Paul Gardner, died on his 24th birthday while on holiday in 2018 and April has campaigned for better CPR awareness ever since.

“He (Paul) was in Ibiza with his friends and he got into difficulty in the water,” April explained. “He was the only one who knew CPR. He was still breathing; his heart was still beating when he was out of the water.

“Even if someone knew CPR, you never know, but it would have been nice if someone there had given him the best chance. I want to highlight the importance of CPR and defibs.”

April’s friend and training partner Savannah Marshall has also pledged her support to the Maverick Stars defib campaign. The middleweight world champion attended a recent meeting to launch the campaign alongside football legend and Maverick ambassador Shay Given.

Each year in the UK there are more than 30,000 ‘out-of-hospital’ cardiac arrests. The survival rate is less than one in 10. In some cases, performing CPR can more than double the chances of survival.

Maverick Stars Trust is now committed to providing 50 defibrillators to amateur boxing clubs most in need. It will help meet the requirement that every England Boxing member club will need to have access to and know how to use a life-saving defibrillator by 1st June 2022.

 

Final Push for Timperley

Posted on by Dominic McGuinness

Final Push for Timperley

Timperley ABC has launched a campaign to raise extra funds needed for a vital gym extension. Local MP Sir Graham Brady has thrown his weight behind the cause following years of red tape and rising costs.

It’s been four years of frustration for head coach Mark Davidson, who’s been working with Maverick Stars Trust founder Charlotte Gilley to secure the refurb which would allow more children from the Broomwood estate to train.

The tiny space can only accommodate 14 young boxers for each session and Mark has been forced to turn young people away and back onto the streets as a result. So far, with Maverick’s financial support, funding from sports bodies, club fundraising and local donations, Timperley ABC has managed to raise £450,000 for the extension. After overcoming planning and lease hurdles, the club has now been hit by increased building costs.

Sir Graham, MP for Altrincham and Sale West said: “It’s a very small space, a very crowded and tightly packed boxing gym. The club is achieving a huge amount. With the better facilities they’re working to raise money for, they can do so much more and I’m certainly happy to support that.”

The club is calling on local businesses or individuals to support this vital community hub and help raise the final funds it needs to complete the project. If you'd like to get involved, please contact: enquiries@maverickstars.co.uk

Bright Future for Female Coaches

Posted on by Dominic McGuinness

Maverick Stars Trust is supporting ten female boxing coaches to deliver bespoke activities at their respective gyms. 

The latest initiative, where each coach receives £2,500 to create a programme based on their community’s specific needs, follows on from the residential weekend which took place at the home of GB Boxing in Sheffield earlier this year. Maverick Stars also supported that project – designed to help support and upskill female boxing coaches.

The coaches who took part in the residential course and have benefited from the extra Maverick funding, are:

Kate Newton – Rathbone (London), Igne Vaitkunaite – High Wycombe (Home Counties), Naadrah Hafeez – Gladiators (Yorkshire), Kara Mikolajczyk – Mikey’s (Midlands), Claire Salisbury – Jewellery Quarter (Midlands), Donna Harvey-Arnell – Ipswich (Eastern Counties), Louise Vidor – Bright Star (Midlands), Sally Webb – Priory Park (Midlands), Kerry Norfolk – Norwich City (Eastern Counties) and Samantha Fawcett – Warrington (Merseyside and Cheshire).

 

DJ’s Chance to Shine

Posted on by Dominic McGuinness

DJ's Chance to Shine

Delicious Orie will take his place at the World Boxing Championships in Serbia alongside fighters from 105 countries. The GB super-heavyweight and Maverick Stars ambassador has been selected to take part in the tournament which starts in Belgrade on October 24.

DJ at South Wye ABC

It has been an eventful year for ‘DJ’ who travelled to Japan as chief sparring partner for eventual Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke. The Wolverhampton fighter - born in Moscow to a Russian mother and Nigerian father – now has the chance to impose himself on the world scene.

“Having Big Frazier there and learning from him has been very, very valuable for me,” DJ explained. “Not just the Olympics but competing for GB in Lithuania and just the training and the GB life I’ve been having for the past year and a half. It’s led nicely to the Worlds.

“Qualification is just on a selection basis. If the Heads [coaches] at GB think you can medal and you’re good enough, then they’ll enter you for it at that weight class. I’m glad I’ve been given the opportunity and grateful that the coaches know I’m ready for it. All I have to do now is go in there and do it! It’s that easy!

“The whole aim really is to get the experience and to raise my profile and let the other boxers and the world know that I’m here, I’m working hard, I’m going to be here for a good few years as an amateur until the Olympics. This is like a good first entrance into the real, proper international world stage.”

For the first time, tournament organisers AIBA are putting up significant prize money with gold medalists in each category receiving $100,000, silver medalists $50,000, and both bronze medalists awarded $25,000.

“It’s a good little bonus, extra incentive to get up in the morning and train!” DJ laughed.

Along with his busy GB commitments, DJ also finds time to support Maverick Stars initiatives at South Wye ABC in Hereford.

“I’ve been trying to go down there every week. When I’m done here in Sheffield, I drive down to Hereford to support the kids. I wouldn’t call myself a coach, but I go there to give advice about boxing, not just the technical side, but how to cope with pressure of competitions, the diet, how to train, stuff like that. The coaches say I’m a positive role model and that’s the aim, what I’m trying to achieve.”

 

 

Coaching Masterclass

Posted on by Dominic McGuinness

Coaching Masterclass

The English Institute of Sport was the venue for a hugely successful female coaching development programme. The residential weekend in Sheffield, supported by Maverick Stars Trust, hosted trainers from across the country.

Ten selected coaches made the trip to the home of England Boxing and GB Boxing.  Under the guidance of Laura Sargeant and Amanda Coulson,  coaches took part in practical and reflection sessions covering all aspects of development and learning.  Maverick Stars was happy to cover the cost of accommodation which allowed all coaches to get the most out of the two day course.

Laura said: "Amanda and myself would once again like to thank Maverick Stars Trust for their support in this truly amazing programme.

“Extended thank yous also go out to Talent Pathway Coach Phil Knight and his boxers from Lionheart Boxing Academy, who helped with the practical elements of the sessions and Chris Porter, England Boxing’s Coaching Consultant, for delivering a great session on boxer-coach relationships.

“Finally, we’d like to thank Lorna Moser, Rachel Bower, Caroline Dent and Vicky Connor for their continued fantastic mentorship to the coaches during this programme.”

Coaches on the 2021 FCDP programme:  Kate Newton – Rathbone (London), Igne Vaitkunaite – High Wycombe (Home Counties), Naadrah Hafeez – Gladiators (Yorkshire), Kara Mikolajczyk – Mikey’s (Midlands), Claire Salisbury – Jewellery Quarter (Midlands), Donna Harvey-Arnell – Ipswich (Eastern Counties), Louise Vidor – Bright Star (Midlands), Sally Webb – Priory Park (Midlands), Kerry Norfolk – Norwich City (Eastern Counties) and Samantha Fawcett – Warrington (Merseyside and Cheshire).

 

Vets March On

Posted on by Dominic McGuinness

Vets March On

Maverick Stars is extending its ‘Operation Warrior’ programme to several new UK regions. The initiative has proved an outstanding success in supporting armed forces veterans.

Maverick Ambassador and GB boxer Delicious Orie at a South Wye Vets session

Following an inaugural veterans project on Merseyside, eight-week courses - featuring boxing sessions, team building days, guest speakers and mental health first aid - are up and running throughout Greater Manchester, Lancashire (in partnership with Burnley FC), and Tyne & Wear. Plans are in place to extend the initiative to the midlands, and the south-east.

Tony Gilley, head of Maverick’s veterans programmes, said:

“It’s no secret that many vets encounter problems when they leave the forces. There can be problems with addiction, isolation and poor physical and mental health. Our work is based at boxing clubs and the courses help raise self-esteem through improved fitness and other opportunities.”

Maverick Stars have now directly engaged with more than 800 veterans by working with ten veterans organisations across the regions.

DJ Throwing Shapes

Posted on by Dominic McGuinness

DJ Throwing Shapes

A special guest dropped into a recent Maverick Veterans session at a Hereford gym. GB Boxer Delicious Orie - recently returned from the Tokyo Games - used his significant talents to put participants through their paces.

The initiative at South Wye Police Boxing Club is part of Maverick Stars Trust's 'Operation Warrior' - providing support and opportunities for veterans of the British Armed Forces.  Many vets encounter mental and physical health problems upon leaving the forces - boxing has a positive effect on confidence, motivation and and stress levels.

Delicious (DJ for short) is a Maverick Stars ambassador who works across a range of projects for the charity. The Wolverhampton super-heavyweight - born in Moscow to a Russian mother and Nigerian father - is a key member of Team GB and recently returned from Japan where he helped his teammate, and eventual bronze medallist Frazer Clarke, prepare for the tournament.  The experience has made the 23year even hungrier to qualify for Paris 2024 and and ultimately take his place on the podium.

 

Boxing Education

Posted on by Dominic McGuinness

Boxing Education

Young Salfordians keen on pursuing a career in boxing, or other sports related jobs, can now follow their dreams at Walkden ABC.

From September (2021) 'The Boxing College' will open its doors to students aged 16 and over. Based at the recently launched Walkden ABC, the 'Educational Boxing Programme' will offer Level 1, 2 & 3 Diploma in Sport along with Level 4, 5 & 6 University Programmes. A classroom has been set up at the gym, allowing boxing training and study to take place all under one roof.

Walkden ABC founder and Maverick Stars ambassador Jamie Moore said: "I was grafting, delivering beer [at the start of his boxing career] and it was a pipe dream  to do boxing day in day out. This would have been my ideal scenario. That's why we've done it."

The Boxing College is holding an Open Day at Walkden ABC (Walkden Town Centre) between 12-2pm on Saturday, 31 July. All are welcome to pop in to find out more.

Sheffield Steel Stars

Posted on by Dominic McGuinness

Sheffield Steel Stars

Maverick Stars Trust has launched a new partnership using football and boxing to help change young lives. The charity is working with Sheffield Wednesday FC and the Steel City Gym to deliver a series of workshops for local schoolchildren.

Sheffield's most successful amateur boxer Dalton Smith, now a leading light in the pro ranks, will be heading up the project along with boxing coach Pearce Gudgeon. The ‘Sting Like a Bee’ programme tackles issues such as conflict and anger management whilst encouraging team building and exercise.

"I go back to my childhood days, and it's something I didn't have when I was young," Dalton said. "You don't have to be a boxer, but if I can give something back, then it's nice for me to do that."

Head of Community at Sheffield Wednesday, Marcus Brameld added: "We're working with hard-to-reach kids, to give them the opportunity to come into a gym like this will be fantastic. I can only see it growing from here. It'll be great to see kids aspire to Dalton's level.”

To celebrate the launch of the initiative, members of the Sheffield Wednesday Academy took part in a training session at the gym. Click below to see how they got on.

Love for Boxing in Lancashire

Posted on by Dominic McGuinness

Love for Boxing in Lancashire

Sport and politics  combined once again to celebrate the launch of a new partnership at a Lancashire gym. Maverick Stars Trust is working with Love ABA Police Boxing Club on a series of new initiatives.

L-R Charlotte Gilley (Maverick Stars Founder), Jake Berry MP, Paddy Connellan

The Rawtenstall gym, under the guidance of Paddy Connellan, has benefited from the charity's 'subs for clubs' initiative. All members trained for free for the first two months post-lockdown. The project gave the club a financial boost and supported the boxers' families, many of whom have struggled during the pandemic.

Maverick Stars has also secured funding for the club with help from MP for Rossendale and Darwen, Jake Berry. The award will ensure the club continues its excellent community work.

"Now we have got a couple of coaches that come through the day one day a week, that opens up avenues," said Paddy. "We want to expand, we want to open it up to kids with autism, we haven't got that available to us at the moment but people have asked us for it."

To celebrate the new partnership, Jake attended a boxing session and even pulled on the gloves - albeit briefly! He said: "It's fantastic to see the work being done with so many young people; but in fact, an ABC is a lot more than that.

"I have lived in Rossendale for over a decade and I didn't know about the community work that is being done here, the outreach work to help people get back into the workplace, learn real self-worth, discipline, fitness.

“It's just brilliant to see it. It's a facility with boxing at its heart but this place goes so far beyond that."