BILLERICAY Boxing Club is hoping to produce a fresh bunch of champions after setting up an academy.

The club has produced two national champions and five national finalists since Brad Davis and Les Cooke started running the club six years ago.

The academy has been set up to give the club’s future competition squad members a good footing in the sport.

New boxers under the age of 14 will complete a six-month training plan aimed at giving them the highest level of skills possible.

And following their first eight-week assessment the signs are promising as all 11 academy boxers passed.

“I was very proud to watch them and see just how much they have learned during the last seven weeks, with every single one of them meeting the very strict grade to pass the assessment,” said Cooke.

“We are very lucky to have some great coaches at the club, with our latest addition being Errol Jacobs who has taken charge of the Academy and spent a lot of time ensuring that the kids receive the correct instructions to get them through the very tough assessments.

“We have a very strong youth squad coming through as well as a very experienced senior group, so with the newbies in the academy, we have a very firm foundation for many years to come.”

The academy trains on Monday nights with the club’s 10 coaches meeting monthly to discuss training methods and progress.

Based at Lake Meadows, the club takes new members every two months and the next starting date is Monday, November 4.

Would-be new members can contact Les Cooke on 07867 305155 or e-mail billericayboxingclub@fsmail.net for more details.