“The kids that come here, they all grow up and learn things that don’t come easy, like staying in the gym. They have to train with purpose.
“I see shy kids come out of that [shyness] and start to speak up, the tough kids that might be bullies turn around to become humble people with nothing to prove. I see girls and young women grow their inner confidence.
“Everyone that walks in takes something good away the day that they leave – if they leave.
“The gym is about being a safe sporting option for our rangatahi to take on and maybe pick up a couple of life skills. It’s about learning boxing as an art, keeping it about the art of boxing and not just a fight.”
Nuki’s Boxing Gym, which caters for children and adults from ages 5 upwards, successfully applied for a $1000 Taupō District Council community sports grant recently.
The money will go towards new boxing gear that will better suit younger boxers and offer more diverse training options for elite boxers.
Community Sports Grants open again in October. Learn more about the grants here: https://www.taupodc.govt.nz/community/community-grants-and-awards.