Community ‘Startbox’ Initiative – Dublin

STARTBOX – A UNIQUE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE

The Start Box Initiative, a partnership between the IABA and Dublin City Council represents an ideal way to first engage with amateur boxing through the communities of Dublin. 2,500 young people engage in StartBox each year with another 1,500 engaging in the Summer Aviva StartBox experience.

Startbox Winners 2015
Pictured above is Olympic Gold Medallist Katie Taylor  who was on hand to award the Michael Carruth Perpetual cup to the students of NDNSP who participated in the innovative  2015 StartBox Programme. The decision to award NDNSP was based on participation levels both in and out of the boxing ring. It is recognition of not only the thirteen weeks training from the boxers, but also of the supporters who make the final phase of StartBox – The Showcase Exhibitions – a truly memorable experience for all.

Underpinning community structures and providing a new platform for people to engage with Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport, Boxing in the Community further proves that our sport has a lot to offer a lot of different people.

The vast majority of participants have little or no previous experience of amateur  boxing, yet many of them have gone to represent their schools in the first week of each December in one of five separate showcase exhibitions in the National Stadium, Dublin 8.

The Community Development Boxing team which includes Olympic Gold Medal Winner, Michael Carruth is currently facilitating the Gold Phase of the StartBox Programme. This initiative is taking place in the High Performance Gym of the National Stadium and currently engages 348 young people (10-17 years of age) from thirty different schools across the Dublin region.

Carruth 3

The showcase exhibitions represent thirteen weeks of hard work by participants who have been engaging with their local Development Officer. In fact, the Development Team has recently  been recognised by Chambers Ireland where they have been shortlisted at the Excellence in Local Government Awards in the category of ‘Supporting Active Communities’.

Vast numbers of young school children, both boys and girls continue to participate in Startbox and it is clear to see that the Boxing initiative in the Community is proving to be very popular with both kids and schools alike.

Michael Carruth 5

Anyone who wishes to engage with StartBox should contact their local Development Officer or the National Stadium on 01 453 3371.

Pictured below are students from Drimnagh Castle who were winners of the 2014 Michael Carruth Perpetual Trophy for best school participation.

Drimnagh Castle - Winners 1