There is good news and bad news for the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA).
According to president of the association, Steve Ninvalle, Chase’s Academy has agreed to grant the best local boxer competing at the Schoolboys and Juniors Championship a scholarship.
On the flip side, the GBA has only acquired one-third of the US$3300 needed to feed and accommodate its two boxers and coach at the Olympic box off in Argentina which starts on Tuesday.
Expounding on the ‘good’, Ninvalle noted that…“It is important that we combine academics with sport and if we are to more or less maximize the output of our young sportsmen. And by doing this, Chase’s Academy has shown that it is in the vanguard of sports development, more specifically of boxing.”
Ninvalle who is recuperating at home following a brief illness, opined that the move is unprecedented.
“I can’t ever remember boxers being given scholarships and it sets the tone for much better things to come in the future.
“We accept this with both hands and we want to extend gratitude to Mr. Chase
and hopefully other private institutions would look at this and see the need to help some of these young fighters.”
Ninvalle continued “Most of the fighters are from hard pressed communities and their families really can’t afford much so we look at this as the first step in a long journey and a fruitful relationship with this top local private school.”
The four-nation tournament is scheduled for April 29-30 with Guyana hosting boxers and officials from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and St. Lucia.
Said Ninvalle on the Argentina sojourn, “We are still not fully out of the woods with sending this team to Argentina. The accommodation and meals are still not been covered.
We have pleaded with several entities to no avail, the team is scheduled to leave on Tuesday for Argentina and with every day that passes, their hopes dwindles.”
The accommodation and meals is US$100 a day for each boxer (Desmond Amsterdam and Dennis Thomas) and coach. The trio is scheduled to spend 11 days in the country’s capital, Buenos Aires.
A final pitch is being made to corporate Guyana.
