It’s gritty yet homely, which seems contradictory when describing a boxing gym.
But Victory Boxing, on the fringes of Nelson’s central business district, is precisely that โ a place of nurturing and support for some and a place to indulge in the serious science of pugilism for others.
Either way, Victory and its founder Paul Hampton have won the fight for respect in Nelson to the point where they are now considered community champions.
Hampton’s journey started 13 years ago with only 20 school students on the books. Now, up to 500 primary and secondary students pass through the doors each year, learning the gym’s core values of respect, determination, responsibility and caring.
Those attributes shine through in senior students leading classes for children half their age through to volunteers providing both fitness and fellowship to those living with Parkinson’s Disease.
“Victory Boxing is a place where you can be yourself, and you can grow,” said Hampton, a former deputy principal of nearby Victory Primary School.
“Finding out who you can be, what you can be and the barriers you can push through to hit your potential.”
Sixteen-year-old “Macca” Miles-Wearing described the boxing gym as “like a second family”.
“It’s raised my confidence like heaps and given me direction. [I’ve] grown a lot from this place.”
During these school holidays, Macca and three of his boxing buddies have received the surprise of their lives โ a fully-funded trip to Kenya to carry out community work in impoverished areas in Nairobi and surrounding districts.
“This is going to help them grow and just open up their whole horizons as to what they can achieve themselves; make them appreciate what they have,” said Hampton.
But the trip is no glamorous junket โ they will be carrying out community work in Kibera, Africa’s largest urban slum in Nairobi, and spending time at a provincial school, where they will present teachers and pupils with solar panels, a new copying machine and stationery for dozens of students.
For Awatini Dooley, aged 16, it’s her first trip out of New Zealand.|
“It’s unreal. I’m nervous, but I’m really, really excited. I’ve never left the country before, and the first place I’m going is Africa. It’s crazy.”
Seventeen-year-old Magnus Fraser said: “Victory just gives so many opportunities to people.”
Meanwhile, fellow traveller Sophie O’Neill spoke of the gym’s “amazing community” and her pride in the esteem it holds in Nelson.
Their African adventure is funded by high-end travel company Celestielle, whose two American founders reside in Nelson.
Soon after their arrival, Doug Easton and John Ziegler set up the Celestielle Charitable Trust to sponsor international travel for young people from the Tasman region.
So far, 40 students have travelled to exotic destinations around the world.
For Hampton, the trip to Africa represents “an unbelievable opportunity for our young people and shows the standing in which Victory Boxing is held.
“We are all incredibly grateful.”