Boxing on to teach children discipline

Boxing has been introduced at schools in Kaingaroa and Murupara as a way to provide children with skills for life.
Community leaders say there's very little for children and teenagers to do in the two towns and nobody to run sports teams, so the principals at two schools have called on the skills of champion Rotorua boxing trainer Aaron Warren from the Rotovegas Boxing Gym.
He's been to Kaingaroa Forest School and Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tawhiuau in Murupara to teach some of the students the art of boxing, a sport he says will teach them to channel aggression in a positive way.
Kaingaroa principal Mike Jones said there was nothing for young people to do in the small rural community.
"There are no sports teams, no nothing. We need to give them some things to do that can become lifelong skills.
"I know our children have a lot of talent in a range of sports but they just need the opportunity."
Mr Jones said there were very few role models in the Kaingaroa community able to look after children's sports teams.
"That's why we looked at some outside intervention to help us out. [The students] really got into it, they might learn some self control, self management and self discipline and we are hoping the lessons will continue."
Mr Jones said the school would be looking for sponsorship to pay Mr Warren to visit on a regular basis.
"We would like this to be ongoing but funding is restricting us."
Mr Warren said a lot of people might think boxing would make the children more violent, however the sport required determination, courage and a willingness to listen and learn.
"The training teaches them self discipline - they have to be able to work for themselves. We want to teach them about the science behind the sport as well.
"It's about hitting targets and scoring points. You have to be thinking all the time in the ring and it's normally the mentally tough who do well."
Mr Warren said boxing was 70 per cent mental and 30 per cent physical.
"It's also a one-on-one contest, the objective is to get through the three rounds, whether you win or lose."
Three trainers and three young champions from Rotorua visited the schools in Kaingaroa and Murupara and the reaction from students was excellent, he said.
One of the first things he told them was they must not use their boxing skills on anyone.
"Not on their brothers or sisters, any family member, friends or even their enemies. Anyone that does, would not be allowed back.
"It's not about that. We want them to get their anger out in a positive and safe way," Mr Warren said.