Hobbema champ first for Samson Cree Nation Boxing Club

Page 30

Fifteen-year-old Junior Louis was the first to win a national title for the Samson Cree Nation Boxing Club at Hobbema.

"Junior's got a great future in boxing," said Stan Crane, the club's general manager and coach. "He used to be a slugger to start with but he realizes now he has to acquire those boxing skills to get to the top."

Junior started boxing three years ago, but after some really tough fights and six straight losses, he took 18 months off. When he went back in the ring, it was with a more serious attitude. He had five straight wins and now boasts a national championship.

About half of the club's 54 registered youngsters are active right now, said Crane. Kids can take part from about age eight up, but they can't compete until they're 11.

"Our main objective is to get some of the kids off the street--they don[t have to compete," Crane added.

Louis is the club's first national champ, but Keith Baptiste was the Alberta Golden Gloves champion in 1989, another first for Hobbema. Crane is particularly proud of the fact the club is churning out champs using local Native people as coaches and trainers.

"We've proved it can be done," said the former boxer. "As long as you know the basics, you can pick up from there. You don't need expensive outside help to start."

The club's two trainers, Stan Cardinal and John Martinez, came up through the Hobbema ranks.

"There's no barrier there at all - they can communicate with them. They know how they feel," Crane explained.

The Hobbema club is hosting an international tournament on May 2 at the Howard Buffalo Memorial Centre The United States Golden Gloves team will fight the Alberta team and eight other clubs from the U.S., along with a number of Alberta teams, are also taking part. Bouts begin at 1 p.m.