The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) through the National Talent Identification and Development (NTID) program has coordinated a national boxing road trip to develop and increase opportunities for Indigenous athletes.

The two-month trip began in Canberra on 9 August and continued through major metropolitan cities and regional towns in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania and Northern Territory. It concluded on 9 October in Darwin.

NTID boxing coach Paul Perkins said the purpose of the project was to upskill coaches and athletes on training practices used by the Australian Institute of Sport/NTID/Boxing Australia High Performance Program.

‘Now that the trip is over, we will re-evaluate each athlete’s performance,’ Perkins said. ‘We expect to see an improvement in their strength, movement and technique as well as seeing how they cope with the demands of training away from home.’

The six athletes involved with the project were:

• Campbell Cobbo-Riley (Queensland)
• Dylan Perkins (New South Wales)
• Brandon Ogilvie (Western Australia)
• Jayden Hanson (Western Australia)
• John Weetra (South Australia)
• Daniel Lewis (New South Wales).

The athletes are part of the NTID Centre of Excellence, a camp-based program for decentralised Indigenous athletes around Australia.

‘The boys were there to push one another to be better and to develop as boxers,’ said Perkins.

Throughout the trip, the athletes were exposed to a daily training environment as well as a variety of training partners as they engaged with local boxing communities around Australia.

The group also made time to speak to troubled teenagers in regional juvenile justice centres and drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres about the importance of healthy living.

Perkins said the number of Indigenous teenagers in rehabilitation facilities is astounding.

‘I have lived in country towns and am familiar with the pattern young teens often fall into with drugs and alcohol,’ Perkins said. ‘Our athletes are fit and healthy and great role models to those who aspire to become elite athletes.’