Boxers converge for Corner Inlet Cup 5

CORNER Inlet Cup 5 was battled out at Leongatha’s Memorial Hall on Sunday.

A Boxing Victoria recognised event, the annual tournament is a major fundraiser for the Corner Inlet Boxing Club and was once again well received.

“It’s all about showcasing what we do, showcasing our gym to the community and getting the locals behind us,” coach Brad Anderson said.

“As everyone knows, we’re a non-for-profit organisation, so the money we raise goes towards things like our rent, insurance and buying gear. It’s been great to have the community’s support.”

With 19 bouts and boxers travelling interstate to compete, Sunday’s event also featured local elite female boxer Jemima Geitz, and junior boxers Max Woodham, Gabriel Saulwick and Ash Olden.

This was a debut bout for Gabriel and Ash.

Anderson said involvement with the club had helped many young athletes come out of their shells and step into the ring.

“We’ve had kids start to ooze confidence without being arrogant and become more social. It helps kids feel like they are a part of something. Not every boy or girl wants to play footy, cricket, netball or tennis. Some kids want to try something else and we’ve had some kids who have found an itch and found ‘wow, I really enjoy this’,” he said.

Ten years of hard work has gone into Corner Inlet Boxing Club, which is now 60-70 members strong across two gyms in Leongatha and Foster.

However, it is almost time for the club to vacate its current Leongatha Holt Street premises, and it’s now struggling to find a new home.

“We’ve had a look at few venues, but the prices are astronomical. It’s been difficult. We are waiting to hear back from one place at the moment, but it’s getting to the crunch time now,” Anderson said.

South Gippsland Shire Council has offered ideas to the clubs, but options are still limited.

“I’ve spoken to council on numerous occasions. They’ve offered suggestions, which has been fantastic, but they’ve got no real venues themselves that could be used, and nothing has eventuated,” Anderson said.

“We’re happy to share with another sporting or community group. We’ll do whatever it takes. 

“We used to share our facility with Leongatha Taekwondo, which was awesome at the time.”

The loss of the boxing club would be a blow for its members and the community.

“(Scott Bindloss) and I have created something different here. It’s about mental health as well as physical wellbeing. If it were to cease, it would be difficult to pick back up again, and a lot of work has gone into it. It would go to waste, and that would be a shame,” Anderson said. 

“We have a huge demographic of ages, both male and female – we cater for everyone. We’ve got some kids with learning disabilities who we have helped get into sports. We are open to everyone, and we love seeing everyone become part of something.”

The club has also seen great success over the years, bringing home numerous Australian titles and competing overseas.

“We have done very well on the competitive scene at national level,” Anderson said.

“However, our success is not judged just on these titles, it’s judged by how everyone gets involved and how they feel. Not everyone competes at our gym. We are open to people who just want to come and train and learn the art of boxing. Everyone trains together so they can all feel part of it.” 

The club is open to venue suggestions from the community, and those with ideas are encouraged to get in contact via the Facebook page.

“If someone could reach out, that would be fantastic. We are open to any sort of discussion about what we could do to find a venue, no matter what,” Anderson said.

Anderson thanked the volunteers who helped bring Corner Inlet Cup 5 together, with special mention of fellow coach Scott Bindloss who took on the massive task of coordinating the boxers.