Women behind boxing

Dorothy Möller:

Burgershoop — At 78 years old, this is one delicate lady you don’t want to mess with.

Dorothy has been in the centre of the boxing world on the West Rand decades before women were even allowed to compete in the ageless competition of strength and technique.

She married into the sport and when her husband passed away, she and her sons inherited the Protearif Boxing Club, now situated in the Harlequins Rugby Club. She currently acts as secretary for the club, with her son Pieter Möller as standing president.

Dorothy recently received the Sports Confederation Presidents Award at the West Rand Women in Sport Awards, mainly for her work as president of women’s boxing in the Gauteng West District, as well as her duties as judge and referee at tournaments for the girls divisions over the years.

She explained that boxing has always been a way of life for her family, and it isn’t something she’d ever outgrow. She now enjoys imparting her knowledge of the sport to young girls who are just starting out.

“We’re trying to lift women’s boxing from the ground up to the level where men’s boxing is at present,” Dorothy said.

Susan da Silva:

Krugersdorp West — Literally growing up in a boxing club, Susan knows more about boxing than many contenders.

My dad was here all his years,” she started. “My brothers boxed here and my son later also started boxing here. If that boxing bug bites, you’ll never get rid of it.”

When her son Richard started boxing at the Krugersdorp West Boxing Club, she became more involved than ever. She calls herself the club’s ‘jack of all trades, master of none’. In 2000 she finished her first boxing course and since has been training boxers, especially young girls.

During the West Rand Women in Sport Awards, Susan was named Administrator of the Year. “None of us expected to be chosen. This was the first year we were nominated. We received the message that they were looking for nominees and posted it on one of our groups. Later we were told that we were finalists,” she shrugged.

Susan said that she’s worried about when they’d be allowed to open, especially after clubs such as for karate have opened. If they’re not allowed to make contact during training, she argued, they should at least be able to practise the fitness portion.

Hester Schreuder:

Witpoortjie — Though her club doesn’t technically fall within the Mogale City boundaries, the Vikings Club ranges so close on its border that many Krugersdorp fighters train there.

Hester herself spends much of her time in Krugersdorp boxing clubs, working alongside Dorothy Möller and Susan da Silva and their respective clubs.

Hester’s quite new to the boxing scene, but has already worked her way well into the sport.

I was the mom at the back of the club, watching as my boys trained,” she said, adding that her two sons started boxing four years ago.

“I started helping here and there a bit, and later started coaching and judging at tournaments.” She explained that at competitions the judges write their names on a sign-up sheet. For every bout, three judges are chosen who don’t hail from the same area and club as either one of the two boxers. This usually leads to one person judging two to five fights a day. “When our kids box, we’re in their corners instructing and supporting them.”

After just four years of helping out, Hester was recently nominated by the West Rand Women in Sports Awards for the Coach of the Year award. She ultimately placed as a finalist.