Facelift for boxing gym

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 30 November 2018

The Dalmain Ebanks Boxing Gym has had upgrades done as part of a revamp and modernisation of programmes by the Cayman Islands Boxing Association (CIBA).

The CIBA said in a strategy aimed at ‘getting back to boxing’, it has been heavily investing in grassroots initiatives and collaborating with schools, with the aim of strengthening our offerings at all ability levels and encouraging participation of young adults.

Early in 2018 Second Vice President Tristan Wesenhagen worked with government’s educational counsellor Dr Stephanie Edwards to launch the ‘Fit Mind’ programme. This programme was aimed at building participant’s socio-emotional skills and confidence through sport.

Over the eight-week pilot programme, outcome data showed improvement in all areas with the largest gains noted in behaviour. On the back of this success, CIBA invested heavily in its grassroots programmes, now offering bespoke services to Fit Mind, JGHS and Hope Academy, in addition to its long-running YMCA extended afterschool programme.

CIBA’s intention is to grow these offerings further to yet more schools. These initiatives have also required increased participation from volunteers and coaches and have also led to the implementation of a ‘train the trainer’ programme whereby young Caymanian boxers including Blayze Wood, Sabien Barnes and Theodore Kelly have been trained to run sessions and are being supported to certification by CIBA.

“Grassroots are a fundamental part of our association, which has been previously overlooked. We need to cultivate boxers at younger ages to allow our national team programming to flourish with well rounded, disciplined boxers. In a move to encourage participation, we have expanded our outreach with bespoke offerings and upgraded our facility and equipment,” stated a release issued by CIBA President Leyla Jackson.

“Thanks to the Cayman Islands Government, our gymnasium is one of the best boxing training facilities in the Caribbean, but it was in need of some tender loving care.”

It added that one of the association’s corporate training partners, Broadhurst LLC, Attorneys at Law, noticed the new initiatives and volunteered to assist. Broadhurst employees worked with CIBA over five weeks to clean, pressure wash and paint the facilities and also sponsored the installation of a new sign. “We are so grateful for their assistance in creating a new more inviting place to train,” Jackson said.

“Local artists also crafted bespoke motivational artwork on the interior. As the facilities are also being used by collaborations with the Darts Association and the Special Olympics Association it was perfect timing to upgrade the equipment and design.”

Kyle Broadhurst, Managing Partner at Broadhurst LLC stated “our employees love boxing training and we have seen first-hand the great work that the team at the Boxing Association are doing with their youth programmes and certification for young trainers. Broadhurst LLC are always keen to support Caymanian youth and community initiatives, we even had one of the young national boxing team members intern with our firm. Providing sponsorship for a more welcoming training environment was something that we were delighted to do.”