Westville club finds new home
The Westville Boxing Club is on the move.
The club, which got its start almost a year ago, has been donated space by a Westville resident whose grandson is part of the club, club president and head coach Aaron Kinch said. The club will be working out a of a large garage at the residence until a permanent home can be found.
“Nikki Parnell, the owner (of the property) trains with us and her grandson trains for us, and she knew the struggles we were having and offered to us,” Kinch said.
About 20 youngsters show up on any given night and the club has already begun to enter fighters in amateur boxing cards; club member Evan Montgomery will have his second fight on June 22 in Dartmouth and Kinch has tentatively set up a fight for Kaleb Gordon in Membertou on June 16. Both of them fought at a card last month in Millbrook, outside Truro.
Kinch, a former amateur and professional boxer, started the club last summer as a way to encourage local youngsters to be more active. He does not charge for his services and the club’s rental costs at the Westville Community Centre – nearly $300 per month – were too prohibitive for the organization to remain there.
The first training session at the new location was scheduled to be held on Tuesday night.
“Everything we have is in there and set up, so we don’t have to set it up and tear it down and it’ll stay right there for at least the whole summer,” Kinch explained.
“We’re still looking for a permanent location — this place isn’t heated in the winter — but I can’t show enough appreciation for Nikki.”