Following the successful hosting of a school coaching clinic last month, leading northern-based MTC Kilimanjaro Boxing Academy will continue its initiative this month by taking the clinic to more schools. 

Last month, the academy staged a coaching clinic at Iipumbu Senior Secondary School in the Oshana region, which attracted over 100 schoolteachers and students eager to learn basic boxing skills. 

The country’s leading amateur boxing stable will expand the initiative by taking the coaching clinic to two schools in the Oshikoto region. 

Joseph Bernhard, the founder and coach at the boxing club said last month’s event exceeded their expectations and prompted them to organise another one. “We didn’t expect such a huge turnout at our last event. We were blown away by how interested school-going children and teachers were in the programme. We registered more participants than we anticipated, which was an overwhelming number.” 

“Looking at the turnout, we thought about including more schools because we had pupils from other regions travelling to Oshana, just to participate in the clinic. Seeing that allowed us to take the training to more schools,” he said. 

The upcoming event will take place at Chris Junior Primary School in Ondangwa, Oshikoto region, on 24 May. The event is set to attract participants from the four ‘O’ regions (Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati and Oshikoto). 

“Boxing isn’t just about fighting, but brings a lot of positive things to society. This is a space where we teach them (kids) about being disciplined and learning about a good career pathway. We are going to talk about the problem of using drugs as teenagers or school-going kids,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Simasiku Thomas, a teacher at the school, said, “I am excited about this initiative; boxing is one of the biggest sporting disciplines in the region, and us having this will be a game-changer. I would like to thank Bernhard and his team for reaching out to us to ensure a project like this is done.” 

This is not the first time the stable has staged a coaching clinic at a school, as they have held them before at schools in various regions such as Kavango East and West, Zambezi and Oshana. 

– mkambukwe@nepc.com.na