Gulu boxing club embarks on grassroots recruitment drive

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Gulu boxing club has embarked on a grassroots drive to promote boxing and recruit young talent in Acholi sub-region.

There are currently 6 senior boxers in the club including Sarah Laker, Geoffrey Ocan, Innocent Amoko, Michael Komakech, Lucky Ogenrwot and Nelson Oyoo and more than 20 amateur players.

However recently, the club embarked on a tour within Acholi with Young Lions Boxing club at Sir Samuel Baker, Fort Patiko in Patiko sub county in Gulu district.

The club head coach, Denis Mulindra says the major purpose of the tour is to popularize boxing and promote the grassroots where people may not have the opportunity to access to the city where the sport is popular.

According to Mulindra, they intend to recruit more players to participate at the amateur level since few people are joining the sports.

He says they have so far recruited 36 new players who joined the sport at Patiko sub county after watching the game. Mulindra says their target is to recruit at least 100 players in Amuru, Nwoya Omoro and Gulu districts.

Stephen Otim, one of the new recruits to boxing says he has always wanted to join the sports but couldn’t realize his dream because of distance and the limited knowledge among players who claim to know the game in the village.

Otim says his dream is to become a professional boxer in the near future. Today, Gulu Boxing Club and Young Lions Boxing Club are in Dog Ayago trading center in Koch Goma sub county in Nwoya district where they will also promote the sport.

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