Boxing club in plea for new home
THEY have produced some of the finest boxers around in recent years, but Ballinacarrow Boxing Club are struggling to find a new home.
The club was originally based at the rear of Stephen Reynolds’ house in Ballinacarrow, but the recent sale of the house has left the club without a base to train.
They are currently training in a temporary facility in St. Joseph’s Parish Hall, Ballytivnan, which they are very grateful for.
But, with this being used by many other groups, they cannot erect a ring and therefore are restricted in how they can train.
Among the members of Ballinacarrow Boxing Club are Dean Clancy, who is preparing to travel to Buenos Aires in the Youth Olympics, and Aaron Gethins who is in the process of turning professional.
This has been an issue for the club for over a year now, and having recently thought they found a place to train, they were told they could not train there as the building was condemned.
“Sligo is winning medals in boxing right now, we have some fantastic boxers coming through our club,” said Glenn Gethins, coach with Ballinacarrow Boxing Club.
“These boxers cannot do any sparring right now because we can’t put a ring up anywhere. I’ve 30 kids on a Tuesday and a Thursday and we can only teach them the basics of boxing at the minute, they can’t really do much when there’s no ring,” he told The Sligo Champion.
There is a concern among coaches at the boxing club that this could stop the huge progress that has been made my their boxers, and the medals could eventually stop coming.
There is the added concern that if this situation were to continue for a much longer period, that the boxing club would eventually have to close.
But that is much further down the line. But right now, coaches feel as though the children are suffering as they cannot practice their skills fully.
Other sports such as curling are held in the hall in Ballytivnan too, and therefore the ring cannot be erected.
It is hoped that Sligo County Council will step in to help find a location for Ballinacarrow Boxing Club to base themselves.
The club has approximately 60 members and caters for boxers ranging in age from seven to adult.
It is essentially the same as a football team training without a pitch - the basic skills cannot be practiced.
Club members are hopeful that the issue will be resolved sooner rather than later.
Sligo County Council was contacted for a response.