Spennymoor Boxing Academy are on their travels yet again, and this time they have a trip to Canada in their sights, writes CRAIG STODDART.
The globe trotting club have clocked up thousands of air miles over the last few years and via the internet superhighway have arranged a show with a club near Toronto whom they have twice visited since 1990.
Since forming over ten years ago jet-setting Spennymoor BA have provided opposition for shows in Dublin, Denmark and New Zealand while Chicago was their destination in 2002, now a third trip to Canada has been arranged with head coach, Robbie Ellis, organising the trip.
Ellis has remained in contact with Harrison Reece of Canada's Waterloo Regional Police Boxing Club since providing opposition for them in 1995 and various e-mails have led to a third trip to North America.
Spennymoor BA will compete against Waterloo Regional Police BC, based in Kitchener 70 miles form Toronto, who were Lennox Lewis's amateur club before returning to Britain a decade ago.
A team of ten Spennymoor boxers and four officials will make the trip in May and Ellis said: "For young lads to be going over to Canada at their age is tremendous for them. We're going to take them to Niagra Falls and the hotel will be excellent. It will be a real experience.
"In reality, without being a member of Spennymoor Boxing Academy a lot of these young men would not get a chance of visiting another country. Through hard work and discipline we are taking these young men from street corners away from drugs and violence and teaching them a skill which allows them to travel the world representing their country.
"In the whole of Britain we are only one of very few clubs who can achieve this because we have fantastic sponsors."
Spennymoor BA's trips to foreign parts has helped raise the profile of the club, and Ellis said: "We are noticing more and more that people from all over the country are recognising the name of Spennymoor by association with Spennymoor Boxing Academy, this is a great achievement for this club because we have worked hard to get to the top."
Secretary, Paul Hodgson, admits the club's trips to all parts of the world have become an annual feature of the club.
"We've only been going just over ten years and we have already been all over the world," he said. Adding: "But it keeps the kids off the street, keeps them out of trouble.....and it keeps me and Robbie out of trouble too!"
The club require sponsorship money to pay for flights and plan several fundraising activities over the next few months while they also welcome anybody who would like to sponsor an individual boxer with the cost of each flight being £360. Contact Robbie Ellis on 07968 205043.
Twenty supporters have already said they will be travelling to support the club, if anybody else would like to follow Spennymoor in Canada, ring Robbie Ellis.
l Spennymoor BA will prepare for the trip to Canada with their latest show on April when they host a Dublin club
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