The champions of Shamrock: Maraenui gym born from grief turning a community around

Shamrock Boxing is turning a community around in Napier.

Warning: This article is about suicide and may be distressing for some readers.

Establishing a boxing gym was something Shamrock Burton and his dad, Taka Burton, had always dreamed of.

When Shamrock, aged 20, took his life in October, Taka and the wider Burton whānau were left devastated.

With the support of his whānau and wife Amanda, Taka began counselling and at an attempt at working through his grief, he began training at home again.

Taka had fought competitively in his youth as a boxer at a gym in Auckland; this was later a skill and passion he shared with his children.

Reigniting his passion for training would be the beginning of not only his own healing journey, but the journey of healing an entire community.

“One day I was outside hitting my son’s boxing bag when two kids went past, saw me training and asked if I could teach them,” Taka said.

“I felt that was my calling from up above, my son sent me these angels.”

Taka began voluntarily training tamariki and rangatahi in his Maraenui home garage, which was soon equipped with enough bags and gloves to accommodate classes of up to 30 youth at a time.

Shamrock Boxing was born.

When asked where all the funding for start-up resources had come from, Taka smiled as his wife shook her head and said, “His bleeding heart is what paid for everything.”

It was time for his whānau to get organised. They formed a whānau trust and officially established the gym in the hopes of creating a positive environment for local rangatahi to gain a sense of belonging while exploring their potential boxing talents.

The gym has had tremendous community engagement, surpassing an astonishing 70 tamariki and rangatahi registrations after just four months of opening.

Taka said the support received in the early stages of setting up the gym, including from Toi Matarua, Chad Preston and Rick Hunt of Wee Doo Loos, needed acknowledging.

One nanny from the community commented on the mental health benefits she’s noticed in her two mokopuna who attend the daily tamariki classes.

“I’ve seen a big change in my moko, who before joining the gym had some anger issues. The classes have also helped to settle them in the evenings; before they would always come home from kura jumping off the walls.

Taka is bullish about the talent coming out of the gym. He’s seen an inspiring future.

“I don’t and never do make promises but today I promise the world and my home town — there will be world champions coming out of Maraenui Napier, and that’s real talk.”

As we approach elections, this grassroots kaupapa is a reminder that the most meaningful and effective initiatives for our communities are always those that are led by whānau.

Taka and the team at Shamrock Boxing are now looking for funding or donations for a desperately needed van to support with transporting fighters to and from fundraisers and tournaments. If you would like to support this kaupapa, contact Taka via the Shamrock Boxing Maraenui Facebook page.

* Charlizza Matehe is the founder of Toi Matarua

WHERE TO GET HELP:

If you are worried about your or someone else’s mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you are or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.

OR IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE:

• LIFELINE: 0800 543 354 or 09 5222 999 within Auckland (available 24/7)• SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)• YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat.• NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7)• KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)• WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757• SAMARITANS – 0800 726 666.