Bruno again .....

[Red Chilli]

He's campaigning for schools to put boxing on the National Curriculum.

He reckons teaching them how to fight at school will stop all the drugs and gang violence on the streets in innercity areas.

1) WTF?
2) What makes him think these kids are going to be in school anyway? I seriously doubt they will.

I'm not doubting that boxing and training can teach discipline, but it won't stop the criminals from becoming criminals.

[dww]

I'm not doubting that boxing and training can teach discipline, but it won't stop the criminals from becoming criminals.

So are you saying that people are born criminals?

I'm not sure that this would work but surely the idea is to instil in kids a sense of self confidence and discipline so that they do not become criminals. I think that is not such a ridiculous idea?

[Red Chilli]

So are you saying that people are born criminals?

Nope, I'm saying there are other reasons why they become criminals unrelated to boxing.

I'm not sure that this would work but surely the idea is to instil in kids a sense of self confidence and discipline so that they do not become criminals. I think that is not such a ridiculous idea?

I'm happy with the idea but at what age do you start letting kids take blows to the head, even if they are wearing a guard? And what makes you think these kids will turn up for school, I thought getting them to school was half the battle at the moment.

[Dessy]

Queensbury rules or San andreas??

[Red Chilli]

Queensbury rules or San andreas??

I doubt the debate will ever reach the stage of needing to make a choice. Hypothetically, would you let your 8 year old get repeatedly punched in the head at school as part of their education?

[Dessy]

In short no.... National Curriculum is not the place for any form of combat.... extra curricular maybe but then you open up a whole new thread to discuss teachers and committment etc..

[Doc_Piptorious]

He's campaigning for schools to put boxing on the National Curriculum.

He reckons teaching them how to fight at school will stop all the drugs and gang violence on the streets in innercity areas.

1) WTF?
2) What makes him think these kids are going to be in school anyway? I seriously doubt they will.

I'm not doubting that boxing and training can teach discipline, but it won't stop the criminals from becoming criminals.

I think it would be a bad idea myself. I can see the logic that is behind the idea, but I just do not think it would work aa part of the national curriculum. The quality of coaching would be a big issue for me, one that could lead to injuries and kids being taught how to throw a punch correctly, but not being taught why you don't throw that same punch outside of the ring.

I coach at club level and drill into the kids that they are being giving the tools to fight so that they never have to in the street. That may sound like a contradiction to some of you, but those who have ever done a combat sport will know where I am coming from.

A lot of the kids that we have join, come from what could be described as disadvantaged areas. So you have to weed out the ones who are there because they want to compete from those who want to learn how to hurt people away from the ring. I am quite hard on anyone from the club who gets into trouble away from the club. I can tolerate self defence within reason, but not a person who abuses what they have learned.

At one school that I went to as a kid, they had a boxing ring, and one teachers idea of solving disputes/fights in the schoolyard was to put the two involved into the ring against one another. Normally the two would cack themselves once they were in that situation, but sometimes they went at it, and the teacher had no training and had no idea how to monitor it, so what could have been a good idea became a dangerous practise. Another "teacher" and I use the term loosely for this guy, was a priest and an ex boxer who used to work in a correctional centre before coming to the secondary school. His approach was the one I despise the most. He came in to us kids with the attitude of "I'm a hard ******* who has no problem cuffing a kid to prove it" ******s like that would end up teaching the kids if boxing ever got in at school level, and it would cause kids to be hurt, and the sport I love to be abused and tarnished.


As an aside, that priest who fancied himself as a hardman, I managed to get into a ring with him about six years ago and he didn't recognise me as one of the kids who used to give **** to in the school. He arrived at the boxing club as he had become the parish priest in the area and started his **** talk of being a good boxer in his time etc. One of the other lads at the club twigged who he was and asked him if he wanted to get geared up and spar, saying that it would be good for the kids to see a guy like him in the ring. That played to his ego enough for him to get togged out and get in the ring. So I obliged him and got in with him. In fairness, he gave the kids at the club one of the best displays of how not to defend yourself in the ring.

[Mumsafan]

They have a boxing club at my son's school and there is a waiting list! It's really difficult to get in and once you're in if you don't give 100% then they boot you out and get someone off the list.

My son has never had any slight interest in boxing but a couple of his mates are quite good.

[Mumsafan]

The teacher used to train Amir Khan when he was a wee boy BTW so I presume he knows what he's on about

[Doc_Piptorious]

They have a boxing club at my son's school and there is a waiting list! It's really difficult to get in and once you're in if you don't give 100% then they boot you out and get someone off the list.
My son has never had any slight interest in boxing but a couple of his mates are quite good.

I would agree with the need for a strict criteria to be met befroe you are allowed to train/compete, and an even stricter code once you are admitted.

I assume that the club at the school is after school hours and at weekends?

[Doc_Piptorious]

The teacher used to train Amir Khan when he was a wee boy BTW so I presume he knows what he's on about

Is that Mick Jelly you are talking about? Or was the teacher coaching at Haliwell Boxing Club?

[Mumsafan]

I would agree with the need for a strict criteria to be met befroe you are allowed to train/compete, and an even stricter code once you are admitted.

I assume that the club at the school is after school hours and at weekends?

It's Thursday evening and Saturday morning.

[Mumsafan]

Is that Mick Jelly you are talking about? Or was the teacher coaching at Haliwell Boxing Club?

I have just asked and got the reply "Oh I can't remember, he teaches science, his name might begin with K, I'll find out tomorrow"

[Mumsafan]

His name is Mr Griffin The K bit is apparently his initial

This led onto a complete conversation about all the teachers at school and once Lasty realised that one of the female drama teachers had been in Baywatch he suddenly volunteered to do the school run

[alunevans]

Does it stop one beating one's wife? If not, how can it prevent gang violence?