Exciting times for R’fontein boxing

The Randgate Boxing Club has proven to be one of the most sought-after clubs on the West Rand.

After extensive talks with the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG), the club will now act as the base of the newly formed West Rand Boxing Academy. West Rand junior and youth boxers from the ages of 12 to 18 will be eligible to be part of the team.

The academy’s base will be at the Randgate Club but its training facility will be at the Simunye Sports Complex in what was previously known as Westonaria. A number of sports scientists and physiotherapists will be based there to treat the academy’s boxers. Transport will be provided for academy members who live far away.

On Sunday, 14 August, the GPG, the University of Johannesburg and a number of boxing professionals such as Hedda Wolmarans, South Africa’s female welterweight champion, visited the club to start the first phase of the academy. All the boxers present were physically tested to see what their shortfalls are and what they need to work on. Their general fitness level was tested as well as their overall muscle strength, flexibility and agility. Each boxer who received an overall assessment will be assigned to a coach who works on a specific problem area, in order for those areas to be developed individually.

It’s not just the boxers who will benefit and develop as a result of the academy – coaches will too. Willie Consalves, the head coach, explained that every time a coach becomes proficient at fixing a specific problem, he or she will be moved on to master another problem.

The programme is the result of the GPG’s 2020 vision. Dumisani Mqolomba from the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation said the department had been looking at setting up regional academies in order to strengthen provincial teams. This will ultimately strengthen national sporting structures.

Dumisani also said that since South Africa’s boxers failed to qualify for this year’s Olympics, they have their set their sights on the 2020 Olympics.

The Boxing Academy has been referred to as a pilot project by the department, which has a mandate to properly develop a minimum of 10 sporting codes per region.

It is an exciting time for boxing in Randfontein and an equally exciting time for Coach Consalves who has worked tirelessly to improve the town’s boxing.

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 693 3671.

Also read:

Randgate boxers to compete at SA’s

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