The first purpose-built sensory room in an Irish boxing club has been officially opened at Dublin’s Drimnagh BC.
The club is one of the four founder clubs, along with Crumlin, Palmerstown and St. Catherine’s, of the High Five Boxing Academy for children with additional needs, which is chaired by Drimnagh’s Paddy Dingle. The Academy celebrates its first anniversary later this month, and has been expanded in the first wave through an IABA programme to another 8 clubs.
Drimnagh BC began development of the sensory room for its High Five boxers in recent weeks, and that work came to fruition on Saturday with the official opening by Sinn Fein TD, Aenghus O’Snodaigh. The room includes soft play spaces, sensory lighting and play equipment.
The IABA continues to extend its heartfelt thanks to the High Five Programme, its Chair, Paddy Dingle, Steering Committee, and participating clubs, boxers and parents, for paving the way for disability-inclusive boxing training for children throughout Ireland and for their contribution to the development of a programme available to all boxing clubs.
The IABA has developed technical guidelines for clubs wishing to deliver inclusive boxing training for children with disabilities through the High Five Boxing Academy– these include information on buddies, volunteers, and reporting.
Clubs wishing to move forward in becoming part of the High Five family were asked to confirm their adoption of principles and criteria. IABA has funded, through Sport Ireland funding, the provision of Cara Sport Inclusion Ireland Disability Inclusion Training, and the following clubs have now been DIT certified and join the High Five Boxing Academy in the First Wave: Dukes Boxing Gym, Gateway Boxing Club, Greenhills Boxing Club, Ledley Hall Boxing Club, Monivea Boxing Club, Ougherard Boxing Club, Tralee Boxing Club and Templemore BC.
The IABA will open the Second Wave of registration, education, and upskilling for clubs considering joining the High Five Boxing Academy in the coming weeks.