Poole calls for more boxing coaches, referees

Amateur boxing hopes to continue blossoming in Guyana, and Technical Director of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Terrence Poole, MS, is not only hoping to strengthen the country’s stable of boxers, but also the coaching staff and resources.
While Guyana has never been short of boxing talent, and the production of energetic young boxers continues year after year, there seems to be a void in other facets of the sport hampering its all-round development.
On the occasion of International Boxing Day, Technical Director of the GBA, Terrence Poole, made the call for more coaches and referees to steer these talents in the right direction.
“We would try to talk about the development of boxing in Guyana, our plans for our short-term, long-term and mid-term period. We are looking into developing our coaches, where we could have more coaches being starred by the International Boxing Association. Our referees and judges, more stars by AIBA, and have more ITOs (International Technical Officers) in our pool,” the three-star Coach stated.
While voicing his concerns about the need for more leaders, Poole simultaneously shared some of the goals that the GBA has set, especially in regard to international competition.
The most prominent of these goals is bringing back an Olympic medal from Paris in 2024.
Poole disclosed, “In terms of our short-term goals, at present (they) would be the AMBC Continental Championships scheduled for September, and we have the AIBA World Boxing Championships scheduled for October-November in Belgrave.
“Our mid-term (goal) would be looking at the Commonwealth Games in 2022, and our long- term (goal is) we look at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
That’s where we’ll try to find more than one Guyanese boxer qualifying to attend those Games, and within that same group, somebody to emulate the history of Mr. Michael Paris, who would have been there for over 40 years as the only boxing medalist in the entire English- speaking Caribbean,” Poole said with optimism.
As he concluded his part in the GBA’s International Boxing Day message, Poole emphasized the need for more support, especially from the International Boxing Association (AIBA), in order to level up the sport.
“Guyana is not a country with much resources in boxing, but we have proven ourselves beyond doubt that, with that little resource, we were the dominant force and still are in the entire English- speaking Caribbean. And if AIBA could just give us a little bit more support in terms of resources, Guyana could move to a next level when it comes to international Boxing,” Poole posited.
International Boxing Day was celebrated on Friday last, as Guyana participated therein for the first time.