The Lac La Biche Boxing Club is celebrating 35 years in the community, and club founder Ken Scullion hopes more people decide to take a jab at trying the sport locally.
With sessions at the Bold Center every Tuesday and Thursday, those wanting to learn the sport can sign up for the club or participate in a couple of drop-in classes before committing. Admission for the club is $350 per year with travel costs to tournaments included, but the group also tries to fundraise as a way to help pay for any additional fees.
Currently, about half of the 30 kids in Scullion’s club are sponsored by KidSport.
Although some of the kids that join the club do not start as athletes, Scullion knows that with a little hard work and dedication, the potential for the young boxers is unlimited. He's been behind many of the local athletes who have gone on to be provincial and national champion calibre boxers. Scullion has an eye for talent, despite never being a competing boxer himself. Scullion says his knowledge came from coaching courses and paying attention to other boxers at the gyms.
“When I was in the gym, I’d pay attention, and I’d start from scratch. When I came here, I came as a young guy and started a boxing club and never looked back,” shares Scullion.
The club is currently divided into three groups that people can sign up to join. The first is the seniors or elite and features boxers who are over the age of 18. This group is mainly there for conditioning and some competitions, explains Scullion. Following them is the junior team that also competes in matches. The third group is the recreational group. These boxers use the sport as a way to stay healthy and active and do not compete in any matches.
Although club members can compete, Scullion reminds everyone that it is just a club that allows kids to be a part of something.
“It’s an individual sport, but they work as a team on lots of different things. Lots of the training is together, and we encourage the more experienced ones to help the younger ones that are not as experienced,” Scullion continues. “It’s a place for them to go a couple of nights a week to get away from whatever they need to get away from.”
Scullion has created an impressive resume for himself by training some boxers who have gone onto competing in Canadian championships as well as international tournaments.
More than just boxing
Muhammad “Hummy” Moghrabi and Maria Laboucane are just two of these rising stars.
Both athletes competed in this previous weekend's provincial match held at Spruce Grove both taking home a title.
Moghrabi won the 91-kilogram open provincial as a Bronze medalist and Laboucane won the 70-kilogram open provincial gold medalist as a walkover, meaning she won by default due to no one being in her category.
Although their boxing stories are different, both athletes are aware of how much the sport has taught them.
Moghrabi says his journey with boxing started out rough, but he’s grown to see the value in what the sport teaches.
Moghrabi’s on-and-off-again relationship with boxing began when he was 12 years old, but quit by age 17 due to a lack of motivation to keep up with the sport.
“I had a hard time staying motivated — but I was upset with myself when I quit,” said Moghrbabi who runs the family-owned Lac La Biche Stationers.
He didn't get back to the club until he was 23. Moghrabhi says that boxing has taught him a lot about self-discipline that self-reliance.
“What you give is what you get back. Regardless it’s just you in the ring. You can’t blame your teammates or your coach, and at the end of the day, what you put in is what you get out of it,” he says.
Maria Laboucane is another young boxer who has seen a lot of growth in herself through boxing. The 16 year old is currently the only open female boxer in the club, and she's fought in a dozen bouts. This year will be her last time competing as a Junior C since that group is only open to boxers age 16 and under.
Moving up to a more senior level of competitors and competitions, Laboucane says her coaching, conditioning and experience has taught her to be prepared. The young boxer is very proud to be one of the few female boxers in the club and hopes that her success will encourage more girls to try out.
“If you’re into it, you’ll stick with it if you’re not, then don’t force yourself into it,” she said.
Scullion is proud of the accomplishments his boxers have achieved and has seen the positive outcomes throughout the years. His hard work is appreciated by fighters such as Moghrabi and Laboucane.
“He’s the best coach in Canada. He’s taken boxers all over Alberta, all over Canada, and all over the world. His constant dedication to his team is what helps to push us even more,” said Moghrabi.
