The hopes to empower women by hosting an all-girls camp at the Sooke Community Hall this week, and world champion boxer is there to show her support.

B次元官网网址淭his camp for the women is all about believing you can do whatever you set your mind to,B次元官网网址� said Mrdjenovich. B次元官网网址淚 love boxing, so just being in the gym with the girls and seeing them have the same joy that I get from boxing. ItB次元官网网址檚 always good to see that enlightenment they get from the same thing that I do.B次元官网网址�

Ellen Connor, organizer of the event and founder of the Sooke Boxing Club, said the camp was the initiative of Boxing B.C., with hopes of getting more women involved in the sport.

B次元官网网址淔emaleB次元官网网址檚 have only been allowed to box in the last two Olympics, so itB次元官网网址檚 a sport that the doors are opening for women,B次元官网网址� said Connor.

Mrdjenovich said her biggest challenge in boxing has been trying to get people to take her seriously.

B次元官网网址淏eing a female in athletics is never easy, but now try being a female in a male dominated sport,B次元官网网址� she said.

Connor explained that getting Mrdjenovich to come to the camp was important because she is an inspiration for women in boxing.

B次元官网网址淏oxing changes you, and I want that for everyone,B次元官网网址� said Connor. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not just for fit young girls itB次元官网网址檚 for absolutely everybody.B次元官网网址�

Girls from all around the province came to participate, and all slept and ate together at the community hall throughout the camp.

B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 have anything like this growing up,B次元官网网址� said Mrdjenovich. B次元官网网址淲hen I started boxing I didnB次元官网网址檛 have that female component or someone gender related that I could look up to.B次元官网网址�

She explained that she wanted to be a part of the camp because she thinks itB次元官网网址檚 an amazing event for the girls, and wishes she had something like it when she was younger.

B次元官网网址淭his should be happening everywhere, not just Sooke. Women should be empowering each other because everyone is counting you out. Everybody is looking at you and thinking youB次元官网网址檙e going to fail, well why donB次元官网网址檛 you show them different?B次元官网网址� said Mrdjenovich.

Connor said her goal with boxing is to put together a girls team and travel around with them to compete internationally.

B次元官网网址淚 believe sport for the youth is so important because it teaches you lessons that you canB次元官网网址檛 learn at home or in school,B次元官网网址� said Mrdjenovich. B次元官网网址滻t teaches you to be competitive, but also teaches you to be respectful. It teaches you to be an opponent and also a teammate, to win and to lose. It teaches you that when you fall you need to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move forward.B次元官网网址�

To get involved with the Sooke Boxing Club, contact Ellen Connor at: ellenconnor@shaw.ca.

dawn.gibson@sookenewsmirror.com