Martial arts helps boy grow
Gavin turns life around with sport
SUFFERING ADHD, out-ofcontrol and quickly heading off the rails, 12-year-old Gavin Conroy needed direction and it came from an unlikely source.
Living in Karara at the time, battling behavioural issues and a bad temper, Mr Conroy heard about taekwondo lessons starting in his town and signed up immediately.
Now 23 and working night shift at John Dee, Mr Conroy is not only a second Dan black belt but he teaches the martial art as well.
“It changed my life and gave me purpose,” he said.
“It was the right thing to happen at the right time.”
Mr Conroy said when he started those first lessons he couldn’t sit still.
“I learned over time to focus my mind,” he said.
“I began to focus on nothing by the craft of taekwondo.
“I learned control and patience, strict discipline and a greater respect for others.”
Mr Conroy said without the sport he would not be where he was today.
With help from instructor Merv Coleman, Mr Conroy learned to become a teacher himself.
“I knew it was something I wanted to do,” he said.
“For 11 years I’ve been training with Merv and my dad and learning the martial art as well as how to pass the skills I’ve learned onto others.”
For the past three years Mr Conroy has been teaching Warwick residents the finer points of taekwondo.
Last weekend, Mr Conroy began a self-defence only class, running out of Voyage Fitness in Palmerin St.
For more information phone Mr Conroy on
0428 575 742.