By James Bovington
Combat sports clubs throughout Leeds place themselves at the heart of their communities – and none more so than Bad Company Thai Boxing gym in Bramley.
Seventy fighters gathered for a session of drills, sparring and games led by instructors from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines as part of their Combat Sports Initiative (CSI).
Bad Company’s Richard Smith said: “Children and young people benefit from physical activity which often provides an outlet for frustration and tension allowing them to stretch themselves and prove what they’re capable of.
“The ethos of CSI encourages personal challenge with well-structured but demanding exercise routines linked to Thai Boxing or Muay Thai in fun sessions with serving forces personnel who are themselves mostly elite athletes and often in Muay Thai.
“Our sport is now a recognised sport within the British military meaning that practitioners get time to train in funded facilities. This was the second time Bad Company had welcomed CSI and the first at our new West Leeds premises.”
CSI is the brainchild of Warrant Officer Dennis Harrison. He said: “I’m from Stockton and appalled at increasing knife crime I got permission to establish CSI to promote combat sports to combat knife crime which is itself frequently linked to gang culture.
“Some young people mistakenly believe that they’ll earn the respect they crave within gangs but in fact combat sports provide a much more beneficial context in which those willing to put in the physical and mental effort required can thrive.
“Our mission is to get many more doing combat sports which build self-discipline, respect and resilience and allow athletes to show exceptional courage.
“We’ve got about ten instructors from the Navy and the Marines who give up their own time at weekends and during leave to deliver four sessions a year. We’ve visited Teesside, Manchester, Liverpool twice each and Leeds three times.”
The two-hour event in Bramley was led by Aaron Snowdon, 34, who – with 15 years’ service – is the Royal Navy’s head Muay Thai coach.
“It went well. There was a high level of enthusiasm, stoicism even,” Aaron said.
“I was immediately keen to get involved in CSI because family-oriented clubs like Bad Company share the military’s core values, such as courage, commitment, discipline, resilience, integrity and loyalty. Success is measured by the extent to which the message that there is an alternative to gang culture is embraced in target communities.”
“It was encouraging to see a good number of girls and young women taking part,” stated Petty Officer Mel Haslam, 37.
“My involvement in this scheme is an extension of my job where I mentor female sailors and marines. CSI partners the national Knives Down Gloves Up campaign. It’s particularly important that more women develop the skills and confidence knowledge of self-defence techniques brings. Everyone wants to see more females able to protect themselves, participate in combat sports and pursue a naval career.”
Harry Callaghan, 16, attended from Manchester and “enjoyed training with new people and doing the drills which will help me develop my technique.
Six-year-old Gabriel Harrison was about the youngest attendee and “liked working hard especially using my elbows in sparring.”
The journey to Leeds proved particularly worthwhile for Warwick University’s Habib Rahman, 20, judged the best performing participant by veteran Bad Company fighter Andy Howson and thus earning himself sponsorship from CSI.
- For further information about Bad Company, call 07885 270267 or e-mail rmsbadco@gmail.com.
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