After a difficult few months, the Sooke Boxing Club is back and in a much stronger position than ever to grow and prepare for its first overseas event in two years.
Since December, the non-profit has been without a place to call home after a rent hike made it too expensive to remain in its previous space.
B次元官网网址淲e got a hold of TB次元官网网址橲ou-ke First Nation because they have the old Lazzar Building, which is an old Catholic Church across from (Edward Milne Community School), and so they said they were interested in us using that space,B次元官网网址� said Ellen Connor, the clubB次元官网网址檚 coach. B次元官网网址淲e were pretty tight in our location, and this is a bigger place B次元官网网址� so we can offer more, which is great.B次元官网网址�
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Connor said the new space is already providing benefits, even though it is expected to take until March 1 for the club to set up and resume classes. The clubB次元官网网址檚 long-standing partnership with Edward Milne Community School will only be strengthened now that the club is across the street.
More importantly, the new space is larger and more cost-effective. Combined with the strong community support the club has received, Connor said she has high hopes membership and volunteer rosters will grow.
B次元官网网址淭he community rallied around us, and they didnB次元官网网址檛 want us to leave,B次元官网网址� said Connor.
B次元官网网址淲e are so appreciative of that, and now we cannot only continue to have the club, but we are in a position where we can grow it, which is pretty cool. Three months ago, we thought it was the end of it.B次元官网网址�
In the short term, however, the new space will provide more consistent training opportunities for the clubB次元官网网址檚 West Coast Wonder Woman travel team, which is set to compete in a friendly all-female match in Mexico at the end of March.
The friendlies will be the first time in two years the team B次元官网网址� made up of women from B.C., Alberta and Nova Scotia B次元官网网址� has been able to travel.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 awesome. It will be my first fight,B次元官网网址� said member Kriss Snelling. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 taking my daughter Lake with me, and she is going to fight too. ItB次元官网网址檚 pretty exciting.B次元官网网址�
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 26, the club will hold a bottle drive to help raise funds for the trip. Drop off bottles at the teamB次元官网网址檚 table near the SEAPARC Leisure Complex sign on Sooke Road, or contact the team and arrange for members to pick up donations via the Sooke Boxing Club Facebook page, email at sookeboxing@gmail.com or phone at 250-634-4941.
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justin.samanski-langille@goldstreamgazette.com
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