LAC LA BICHE - A young Lac La Biche Boxing Club athlete is an Alberta champ after coming home from Provincials in Calgary with a gold medal in the Junior B Flyweight division.
Zander Lavallee, 15, will now have a shot at being on Team Alberta, representing the province at the upcoming National Amateur Championships.
Lavalle was one of two Lac La Biche boxers who made the trip to Provincials, held inside Calgary’s Deerfoot Inn over the Oct. 27 weekend.
Cameron Laviolette and Zander Lavallee are members of the Lac La Biche Boxing Club. Laviolette, aged 16, competed in the Light heavyweight Junior C Division, losing for is three-round bout for the championship. Lavallee, age 15, won Gold in in Flyweight (48kg class) Junior B Division to be crowned provincial champ.
Lavallee, who beat Calgary Boxing Club’s Brock Klimosko in the 48kg battle, says it feels good to be provincial champion. But it wasn’t all about the final fight.
“I had to work hard for it,” he said.
Lac La Biche Boxing Club co-coach Jeremy Trimble says Lavallee has been boxing for about three years and has become a very technical fighter. In Calgary he matched a technical offensive attack with a “stellar” defensive performance, said Trimble.
“We’re really happy with his counter-punches, his timing … he just looks natural with good combinations, “said Trimble, adding that as far as stamina — Lavalee was still throwing big punches to the final bell of the third round. “They were tired, but he was throwing as many punches as he could at the end.”
Lavalee is now waiting for his invitation to attend the Team Alberta Selection Camp held in the coming weeks. There is no date scheduled yet for the National Amateur Boxing Championships.
Learning experience
Even though Laviolette lost his last fight in the 80kg weight class, he took lessons away from the experience, including learning to protect himself a little more, and that there are other really good, young boxers out there.
“I learned to be more defensive, because other people might be as tough as you think you are,” he said with a laugh.
Laviolette has been boxing for a year and a half with the Lac La Biche Boxing Club.
Both of the medal-winners are students at JA Williams High School (JAWS) in Lac La Biche.
Both teens enjoy the hard work and challenges that come with boxing training. A typical workout includes plenty of lightweight training, running, sprints, footwork and then sparring.
Laviolette said he likes to get there very early in the morning when almost everyone else is still in bed.
“It’s just nice when other people are sleeping and it’s like six and I’m working out,” he said.
Currently, the Lac La Biche Boxing Club has 38 members. Not all the members are fighters, says Trimble, with about 15 people just coming to train and exercise.
The youngest club member is just seven years old and the oldest is in their mid 30s, but Trimble says any adults of any age can register for either a drop-in session or for the boxing season which generally runs from September to May or June. There is a $20 per session cost and a year’s membership for training-only is $350.
The club is upstairs at the Bold Center in the workout area. Anyone looking for more information on the club can contact Trimble or co-coach Ken Scullion through the club's social media pages.
