It’s not everyday you get the chance to be trained by an Olympian. That’s exactly what the youth of the Burdekin Shire Council are lucky enough to have the opportunity to do through the Move It NQ program. Emma Lawson, a Burdekin local and youth Olympian who placed 4th in Girls Lightweight Division at the 2018 Buenos Aires has been running weekly Boxfit sessions out of the Burdekin PCYC, with the help of Sargent Andrew Sherrington.
The Boxfit program allowed many children to opportunity to try something new and learn new skills. “Boxing classes at PCYC in Ayr for kids a great idea and a great alternative to what already available in the town”. The 15 week program was targeted towards all young people in the Burdekin district and included a range of cardio stations with boxing as a core component of all exercises.
The program was extremely popular across the 3 classes (5-12 Mixed, 13+ Males, 13+ Females) often booking out with many kids going on waitlists. The success of the Boxfit program has further supported the need for a permanent space for Boxfit. The council and PCYC have now created a permanent Boxfit space that will be utilised by the community for years to come.
The program encourages youth of all ages and ability to come and give boxing a go in a friendly and supportive environment. Parents of the children had nothing but rave reviews for the program run by Andrew and Emma. “I have 2 children involved in this. It’s great for their fitness, team bonding, and learning new skills. They both really enjoy the sessions.”
For the kids to be able to learn from someone of the calibre of Emma in the same PCYC that she once learnt her craft in at a young age. It’s provides them great inspiration and belief that they too, one day could reach the heights she did and that they are not bound by their rural location. It is clear to see that Emma and Andrew’s program is a big impact on the community in the Burdekin, inspiring the next generation of boxers. “Nash has enjoyed every minute even coming early to practice skipping. He loves it!”
