(Photo taken at the beginning of the year of the senior Lae kickboxing team)
Those of you that have been keeping your finger on the pulse would be aware that since the beginning of the year I have been giving some of my time and support to the Lae kickboxing clubs. Some of the things that I have helped with to date are:
- Organised a donation of some training equipment from CCK Academy in Sydney. This equipment is currently being used by the club that meets in Lae town.
- At the beginning of the year I began to sponsor three boys from West Taraka to attend three classes
per week. Since then two have dropped out but one (“Mai”), is still going strong and really enjoys the sport.
- Arranged premises at the Telikom Training College for the Tent Siti club to train at. This was done through my friend Mr. Sidia Pokopia whom is the Executive Director of the College.
- Have put together a number of advertising flyers and pamphlets.
- Periodically drop into one of the classes and bring along cold drinks or fruit which I give to the students for after the class.
As yet I have not participated in any of the classes (…slacko…) although this was my intention when I first heard of the clubs. On my list of “things to do” for some months I had : “Go to kickboxing and start training”. After shuffling this ToDo item for months and months I have since crossed it off the list and all but given up on the idea.
Nevertheless… I great honour has fallen into my lap!
Late last week I was approached by a Patrick (a professional fighter) – and also an associate of Mr. Stanley Nandex – the kickboxing schools go by the name of “Nandex Kickboxing” and classes are taught all over PNG. Stanley Nandex won a kickboxing world title back in 2001. He is revered by the PNG local boys and has achieved an almost iconic status around these parts. I was asked by Patrick if I would accept the position as Patron for all the kickboxing schools in the Momase Region (PNG is divided into four regions) and to come along to the Saturday class to be introduced to the students as such.
What an honour!!
I accepted this position and went along to the Saturday class in Lae town and was formally introduced to the students as their new “Patron” at which time I was asked by Patrick to say a few words to the students. I probably spoke for about 10 mins. PNG men love public speaking and the speeches at times seem to go and on and on… Now that I have been here for 18 months and having been given the opportunity to speak in public on a number of occasions – it seems that the length of my speeches seems to be increasing the longer I’m here in PNG. Stranger things have happened!!
Truthfully, I’m not sure what being a Patron is all about but I am more than happy to continue helping the club as I have been for the past six months. I believe that there is some tournament happening in the Highlands sometime in October and there is talk of sending half a dozen boys from Lae to compete. Looks like some fundraising might be on the cards.
I did manage to take some photos at yesterday’s class and will post these to the blog as soon as this f*&^in internet stops thinking that it’s a turtle. Previous photos on the kickboxing thing can be viewed in
the “Kickboxing” photo album.
Gooday!!
Good on you for helping these young Papua New Guineans. It's just unfortunate that their hero, Stanley Nandex, is a womaniser. He has a number of women around the country and it seems as if he just doesn't use his fists in the ring. Just a shame the youth don't have a better role model.
take more photos about them, I like these super kickboxing model. where is their training center?
More kickboxing photos are available in the Kickboxing album. Currently there are regular classes held in most of PNG town centers. In Goroka – there is training three times a week at the National Sports Institute (NSI) at the western part of town.
R