 |
Press Releases
Radio Wales: boxing clever with disaffected youth
|
While leading politicians in Westminster are talking about
getting boxing into schools to help turn around disaffected
youth, a school in Monmouth has already proved that boxing can
change some young lives for the better, with one former pupil
saying that boxing has saved his life.
Ìý
In the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Wales documentary Boxing Is Fighting Back on Saturday 31 May (1.30 and 6.30pm), Sarah Dickins learns how
one of Wales' up-and-coming boxers, the Commonwealth Bronze
medallist Mo Nasir from Newport, helped change the lives of
teenage boys who were out of control.
Ìý
Seventeen-year-old Ieuan Evans, from Monmouth, has kicked
his drugs habit and is working as a labourer.
Ìý
He says it was
the school getting him involved in boxing that helped him kick
the drug habit.
Ìý
Ieuan admits he was out of control before taking up boxing,
smoking cannabis by the age of 12 and drinking by the age of 13.
Ìý
"I was quite drunk all the time and stoned and constantly smoking
fags. I must admit I've done some stupid things, walked up the
town with blow and people thought it was a cigar. I was a mess by
the time I reached the top of the town," he says.
Ìý
Andy Williams, the Deputy Head of Monmouth Comprehensive,
discovered that Ieuan had a passion for boxing and took him to St
Josephs Boxing Gym in Pill in Newport – arranging for him and a
group of other pupils to train with Mo Nasir.
Ìý
Ieuan started to
get involved in boxing training, gave up drugs and cigarettes and
says that boxing saved his life.
Ìý
Andy Williams says: "We don't give up on young people and that's very important to
me.
Ìý
"I believe that behaviours can be changed and
that's the starting point. If you don't think behaviours can be
changed you might as well give up."
Ìý
He explains: "Lots of people take drugs because they don't value themselves,
they don't see that they're worth anything, so drugs take them to
a different place.
Ìý
"But for Ieuan there was that
slight glimmer of hope that his self-respect and self-esteem
could be developed if he just concentrated and focused on that
sport."
Ìý
Monmouth Comprehensive has now set up a boxing club at the school
and twice a week Mo Nasir trains pupils with a whole range of
backgrounds.
Ìý
The boxer believes many more young people can be turned away from a
life of drugs or violence by boxing.
Ìý
He says: "You see a lot of people on the streets, they're drinking, taking
drugs, causing problems, problems with the police and I think
when you bring them to the gym it changes them completely because
it's a discipline."
Ìý
Boxing Is Fighting Back is the story of how the lives of Ieuan
Evans and other teenagers in Monmouth have already been changed
by boxing being brought into school.
Ìý
Notes to Editors
Ìý
Pictures available on request.
Ìý
´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Press Office
Ìý
|
Printable version