Jim’s boxing
clever with new Birmingham academy
 BY Elaine Sheridan
YOUNG people in Birmingham are finding a way off the streets and channelling
their energies elsewhere — boxing.
And it’s all thanks to Irishman Jim Ryan.
The road back onto the straight and narrow is being paved by a pioneering
initiative which sees youngsters gain a certificate in the noble art.
The scheme is especially designed for children who have been expelled
from school or come from troubled backgrounds. And it is being run by
Tipperary man Jim who also spearheads the Archway Academy — a training
and education initiative based in Bordesley Green.
The boxing programme was set up as part of the government’s Every
Child Matters initiative which works on five basic principles —healthy
eating, lifestyle, training, financial independence and positive thinking.
The youngsters are now learning self-discipline and picking up new skills
every day.
More importantly they are learning to have respect for themselves and
for others around them.
Jim who is a councillor for Bickenhill in Solihull said: “I’ve
been working with the local council, schools, probation and social services
for many years and just love to see the results at the end of the day.
“Schemes like this one give youngsters a chance to shine and help
them find a sound path for the future. Some of them were written off by
society and in my eyes no child should ever be written off. Everyone deserves
a chance.”
The boxing club has been running for the past six months in the Small
Heath Boxing Club and has seen as many as 60 youngsters join since opening.
Girls and boys from 14 to 19 have passed through the doors and come out
different people.
Shaun Harrison is one of the teenagers who joined the boxing club. He
said: “I’ve made real progress since starting the boxing classes.
I really enjoy the sparring and the training because it keeps me out of
trouble. I’ve learned to live a healthier lifestyle that keeps me
fit.”
The 16-year-old added: “The whole training course at the academy
is teaching me new skills every day. My idols are Amir Khan and Frankie
Gavin — I hope one day that I’ll become as famous as them
in the ring.”
In the near future Jim hopes that the Irish Government might look at the
model running in Birmingham and pilot it over there in some of the small
towns and cities.
- For more information on the Archway Academy call 0121 772 8844. | 