Crowley inspires boxers at Trent club
The Trent University boxing club, named the Jake Stanley Memorial Boxing Club, got a treat on Wednesday.
Professional boxer and hometown boy Cody Crowley paid the group a visit at Champlain College’s Great Hall to offer a few pointers.
The club boasts about 15 regular members who gather twice a week to train. It was named after Stanley, a former gym mate of Crowley, who died of suicide a couple of years ago. His former girlfriend Sarah Jennings was a member of the Trent club at the time.
Sarah Cumming, 18, a secondyear international development student, says the club is mostly a social gathering where students can get a good workout while meeting new people. The Whitby native says it’s helped her integrate into the Trent community. In memory of Stanley, the club is also geared to helping students maintain mental health through physical activity and social interaction.
“It’s a great outlet for stress,” Cumming said. “Boxing is a great way to get physical exercise in while also meeting people. It’s really good mentally to leave everything behind and focus on one thing. That’s part of why the club exists.”
Student Jasmine Quinn has some boxing experience and serves as head coach and lead instructor but Cumming said the gym doesn’t aspire to produce competitive boxers. There is no sparring, mostly pad work.
“We don’t have professional coaches,” she said. “We’re not at that level. If you do want to eventually get in the ring that’s great and we’ll encourage you with that but we can’t get you there.”
Itwaseye-openingtoseeCrowley train, she said. The 24-year-old Douro native, who lives and trains in Las Vegas, is 12-0 as a pro with six knockouts. He will defend his Canadian Professional Boxing Council super-welterweight international title against Jamaica’s Richard Holmes on Saturday at the Memorial Centre.
“He’s at a whole different level,” Cumming said. “He’s so fast and moves so quickly. His punches are so strong.”