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Free kickboxing classes for 12 to 18-year-olds funded by Rodney Youth Project are back for a second year in Snells Beach and Wellsford.
The continuation of the classes, not to mention their popularity with young people in the community, is testament to their success.
Noble Fight Systems founder and head coach Eddie Jensen teaches his free class at the Wellsford Community Centre on Tuesdays, from 7pm to 8pm, and says there’s a huge internal, physical and emotional change for the kids when they train hard.
“It’s about tough core workouts and repeating really difficult things. It doesn’t feel glamorous when you’re doing it, it feels hard. But when you do it for a while, you start to build up belief inside of yourself,” he says.
“I just train them up so they’re fit and conditioned. I encourage and motivate them.
“I want to teach them that they have the internal resources to not only achieve difficult goals in kickboxing, but also outside of the class.”
Connect Striking founder Daniel Ruka, known as ‘Matua Dan’ by his students, teaches his free class at his gym in Snells Beach on Fridays, from 4.30pm to 6pm, and says it allows many of the kids to do something they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do.
“They learn Muay Thai fighting skills which translates to self-confidence,” he says.
“Some of the kids come in on their heels with their heads down, but after a while they’re up on their toes with their heads up. It can take one class, or for the super-shy kids it might take three or four.
“They also get a free feed after – Māori-style food like chowders and hangis. We eat together and if anyone wants to talk, I’ll talk with them.”
Ruka says his students learn about respect, discipline and friendship.
Rodney Youth Project youth coordinator Priscilla McClintock says the project was established last year by the Rodney Local Board to provide more things for young people in the area to do.
“Basically, it’s a year-long pilot and we’ve been trying different activities,” she says.
“Kickboxing provides opportunities for kids to connect positively with the community and builds skills such as mental health, resilience, and fitness, plus it promotes wellbeing.
“Dan’s free kickboxing class at Snells Beach was one of the first ones we funded. It’s basically a drop-in class, so you don’t have to commit, and it’s been really popular.
“Then they heard about it in Wellsford and requested free classes so we asked Eddie to do the same thing up there.”
McClintock says accessibility for the kids was key and that’s why central locations were chosen for the classes, which begin and end with each school term.
Fully funding them so that they were free for participants was also important and has been working really well.
The Rodney Youth Project will be reviewed at the end of Term 1, which will determine whether the classes continue.
“All the feedback has been very positive so I’d be surprised if it didn’t keep going.”
The free kickboxing classes are held at the Wellsford Community Centre on Tuesdays, from 7pm to 8pm (finishing April 15) and at the Connect Striking gym in Snells Beach on Fridays, from 4.30pm to 6pm (finishing April 11).
