Alberta junior team national ring kings

Page 31

Alberta's junior provincial boxing team cleaned up at the national finals in Ontario, bringing home a heavy cluster of medals and the overall team trophy.

"I thought I was going to have to hire a brink's guard to bring those precious medals back from the tournament," said Dennis Belair Jr., the Alberta Boxing Association's technical director

Out of 15 medal fights, the 13-member team picked up a total of 11 medals: six gold, three silver and two bronze. It is the first time that an Alberta team has made such a strong showing at the national level, traditionally dominated by Quebec and Ontario.

"This team is going to be the Olympic team in 1996 if these kids keep at it," Belair said. "Quebec and Ontario are strong because of their numbers. Now they're shaking their heads and saying 'What's going on in Alberta?'"

Belair and a handful of excited parents greeted the predominantly Native team at Edmonton International Airport on their return from Sarnia, Ont., the site of this year's tournament.

The small crowd erupted in hoots and cheers as the team appeared, decked out in blue gym suits and waving their group trophy.

"We went down there to kick ass and the boys went right to work," said team manager Lew Seely, adding that this year's team was the biggest ever fielded by Alberta.

Despite the cheers and popping flashes from the cameras of family photographers, the team members appeared almost low-key about their victories.

"I was thinking about family," said 15-year-old Slave Lake resident Chris Ladouceur of his gold-medal match. "I was thinking about how I might be the first to win the national.. I wanted to get recognition for my family because my dad was a boxer."

Willard Lewis, a 17-year-old from Lac la Biche, said the Alberta fighters were confident they would lead the medal count at the tournament.

"We were down there two days before the tournament boasting we would win the team trophy," said Lewis, who earned a spot on Canadian national intermediate boxing team for the worlds finals in Montreal next September.

Team coaches and managers attribute the success of the Alberta team in part to a rigorous pre-tournament training camp at Lodgepole, about 40 km west of Drayton Valley. The boxing association has a 1,500 square-foot facility at Lodgepole, where provincial teams spend at least a week before major events.

"They eat, drink and sleep boxing there. They come out really focused," Belair said. "Everybody gets along, as well. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel."

There were 58 athletes from across Canada competing in this year's junior tournament. Twenty intermediate level boxers (the 17-and 18-year-old category) also fought for spots on the national team. There is no national team at the junior level.