Program puts police in kids’ corners

ONCE known solely for discos, Bendigo Blue Light is now focusing on building the confidence of children in the boxing ring.

Head coach at Hit Factory Boxing Daniel Boon said the partnership between the facility and the Victoria Police has brought more kids into the gym and has benefits for everyone involved.

“Boxing had such a bad name for so long, people didn’t see the positive sides and the police have been able to gloss it up and show how beneficial boxing is to everybody whether it be fitness, wellbeing, mental health,” he said.

“Whatever they need to get out of it, boxing can do it.

“People when they hear boxing, they think they’ve got to compete and get punched in the head but it’s not always about that. There’s such a strong aspect of fitness, discipline, nutrition and that’s the main focus when you first walk into a boxing gym.

“Kids come into the gym and they’re not very confident in school, what’s going on in the schoolyard, they come in and then boxing teaches confidence and awareness of your surroundings.

“Kids on the opposite end that are hyperactive and not paying much respect to people, boxing teaches them different values.”

The program has also seen Boon transform part of his gym into a “chill-out space” with a basketball ring, pool table and rock-climbing wall creating a welcoming environment for young people that is “almost like a second home to some people.”

After coming back from the statewide lockdown, Boon said the hardest thing is rebuilding relationships with the kids in the program that have not had an emotional outlet.

“The continuing zigzag of opening and closing, it really affects most of these young kids,” he said.

“The gyms are the first to close, last to open and these kids are stuck at home. Whether it’s anger, they’ve got no way of letting it out other than probably on their siblings or whoever is in their house.”

Police officers involved in the program can help by showing young participants the gym is a safe place to be and they can also extend their support financially.

“There’s opportunities to sponsor kids so any of those kids that are out there that may be struggling, or parents are struggling financially, Blue Light Bendigo can offer them membership so they can train for free,” Boon said.

He said it’s “super important” that young people have a connection to their local police members.

“I was talking to an agency, and they were stressed that the police were going to be there because the person’s had some bad interactions and I said ‘that’s one copper, that’s not every copper’.

“The police we have in the gym, they’re fantastic, you wouldn’t even know they’re police they’re usually in the ring sparring, training most nights beside someone.

“It just really shows police are human too, they make mistakes sometimes just as much as we do and they’re actually quite good to have around, they’re good people.”