Boxing Legend Smokin Joe Frazier’s apprentice looks set to make women’s Boxing flourish with major London event

Joanne Roque

@JoanneSilva10

Boxing: Golden Girl Marston prepares for upcoming fight

British pro Boxer, and coach at the TRAD TKO gym in Canning Town, Marianne ‘Golden Girl’ Marston may just prove to be the White Knight that women’s professional Boxing has been waiting for.

Formally known as the ‘Golden Girl’ of boxing Marston was unable to make her dreams come true at the Olympics, as she was over the age limit of 35. However even though her dream to compete didn’t become a reality she still took part in the games as she joined BBC as a female expert for the coverage of Women’s boxing.   

Marston, 40, was discovered by legendary Heavyweight Champion Smokin’ Joe Frazier, and trained by Joe and his son Marvis Frazier at their gym in Philadelphia until it closed in 2008, but the middle-class blonde girl who grew up in Norfolk is determined to make her name in the professional ranks.

Her own ambitions remain and as soon the problem with acquiring a visa to fight in the United States is sorted, she will make her professional debut in the paid ranks in Philadelphia.

The Golden-Girl, trained with Terry Edwards, the former coach to the Great Britain men’s squad said: ‘The success of women’s boxing at the games will help people recognize that women have the strength, toughness and technique to take part in the sport.

“Some people look down on women boxing, but it has given me so much. I’m just glad that its higher profile will lead to more women gaining the benefits that I have.’

In 1999, she became the first woman in the UK to win a professional boxing title, while her worldwide debut has been put on hold, she is already well-known for her campaigning for the women’s boxing cause through the media, as well as encouraging women into the sport through her highly successful London based boxing classes.

Women's amateur boxing is on the rise in Britain, with the sport comes medical risks, including broken bones and brain damage and the British Medical Association would like to see it banned for men and women.

"Boxing is a blood sport, but amateur boxing is completely different. It's about outscoring and outclassing your opponent. It's a physical game of chess, a noble art," says Marston.

^'”I have had a bleeding brain, broken ribs, hands and nose, black eyes, split lips and a torn calf muscle,"

"I've been injured quite badly – but you expect it as a boxer, don't you?" Indeed, boxing is often considered a bloodthirsty and dangerous sport and there have been several attempts to ban it. Women's boxing divides opinion more than other sports. Yet more and more women are taking it up.

The London Olympics has been a triumph for women's sporting achievement in general, it has been a defining moment for boxing in particular - the games where women demonstrated they could not only complete in a sport seen as quintessentially male, but also do it with real class.

Nicola Adams - with her trademark copy of the ‘Ali shuffle’ employed between lightning-quick combinations - looked completely at home in the ring. Alongside Ireland's Katie Taylor, the four-times world champion, the women have silenced doubters with convincing displays of skillful and entertaining boxing.

Boxing was banned for females in this country less than 20 years ago and has found its Pied Piper and the Olympic legacy, the sport which was banned in the UK until 1996, with the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) denying women a license to fight until 1998 on the grounds that premenstrual syndrome made them too unstable to box.

Even after being given the green light by the Amateur Boxing Association of England, getting a competitive fight was difficult and even finding a gym to train in could be a struggle, with girls regularly turned away because of a lack of ‘facilities’.

As soon as you enter the gym, the first thing you notice is the discipline involved, all the women are eager to follow Marston’s instructions executing each move with precision.

Heather Christian, who’s a regular at the classes, believes that boxing suited her lifestyle as a mum - and that the physicality of the sport shouldn't put other women off. "I don't think it's any more dangerous than a lot of other sports - cycling you can easily get knocked off by a car. Boxing is very well moderated and there's a safety protocol in place."

Marston believes that getting girls into the sport is not enough: the far bigger challenge is retaining them through their teenage years. “As girls bodies change, they become more self-conscious about their appearance and as different interests compete for their time teenage girls tend to drop of sport at a considerably faster rate then boys”

It is vital to enable grassroots sport participation and highlight role models across all levels of sport. Being able to see the steps it might take to get to the top, and that success is possible at all levels is also likely to help girls stay in sport through their teens.

“Women’s boxing is taken better in the USA and Europe. It just needs time here, the women in the Olympics were on a par with their male counterparts,”

Before 2012, the attitude towards women’s boxing was skeptical and less than positive, due to the belief that premenstrual syndrome made women too ‘unstable’ to compete the sport was thought to be ‘unfeminine’.

“Women’s boxing does not get the coverage and profile that the men’s event does,” said a frustrated Marston.

The sport is no longer seen as controversial and it has greatly encouraged women to participate for fitness as well as competitive reasons. What a lot of people don’t know is that Marston has also been highly active in her attempts to bring a world significant women’s Boxing event to the UK.

The Event 

It hasn’t been an easy journey, in mid 2011 Marston, along with her father and daughter promoting team Steve and Olivia Goodwin, proposed an all female event to BBBofC.

Not to be deterred she continued in her quest, and as she explains it finally seems set to happen early in 2013.

“The women fought brilliantly, they did the sport proud, as did all the girls that took part, now it’s time to truly establish women’s boxing in the UK, 100 years ago they said women couldn’t be doctors, or lawyers, or vote, and 30 years ago they said women weren’t capable of running a marathon”

Last year, the female boxers proved the critics wrong who said women couldn’t box. Adams, Taylor and all the female boxers at London 2012 proved to the world that women can fight just as well as the men, and, just as important that there is an appetite and an audience for women’s boxing.

“Now we’re coming for all those in the world of professional boxing who have tried to stop women from competing here in the UK. You know who you are, and you have no excuses left.”

With her frustrations well and truly vented Marston then continued, “After the board (BBBofC) refused to sanction the event, I had no intention of giving up, I’m not a quitter.

“First I contacted World Boxing Federation President, Howard Goldberg. I particularly wanted to work with the WBF after noticing on BoxRec that most of the #1 ranked girls, people like Zita Zatyko, Christina Hammer, Anne Sophie Mathis, were all WBF Champions”

“I then had a chat with promoter Miranda Carter to see if she would be interested in promoting the event. She’s always been a big supporter of Women’s Boxing and regularly has a female fight on her shows”

“Once Howard and Carter were on board I contacted another big supporter of Women’s Boxing, Bruce Baker, Chairman of the PBPA (Professional Boxing Promoters Association).”

Despite the surge in popularity she recognizes that the sport is in desperate needs of investors and sponsors, “The meeting went well, however after discussions with potential sponsors earlier this year, it soon became clear that we would be better off aiming at late 2013, as many of the companies we approached said that their current budget had been decimated by the Olympics.

This delay actually may have done her a big favor, the original concept was to promote an all female show headlined by a World title or two, but what we have now is a totally different concept.

“Because of the success of last summers games we decided to make this a truly world significant annual event, and created the WBF women’s world boxing championships”.

WBF European coordinator Olaf Schroeder already has the basis of a provisional card in place, there will be a minimum of four world championship bouts, supported by a WBF International title fight, an International Masters title fight and two special challenge cup bouts.

The anticipated event will see German pair Christina Hammer and Ramona Kuehne, as well as Hungary’s Zita Zatyko defending their world titles. Marston’s gym mate former world #2 Amateur, Areti Mastrodouka will fight Kristine Shergold for the International Masters Super Featherweight title, last time these pair met they bought the house down, it was the fight of the night.

“With such a lineup I’m sure we’ll easily fill the Excel to capacity, just as the girls did during the Olympics, it will be electric, I can’t wait.”

Indeed it doesn’t, but female boxing clearly needs a grassroots base before it can rise up and rival its male counterparts, and only time will tell whether London 2012 and Nicola Adams have provided a springboard for success.

Could CM Futsal Academy help England as they look to produce the next superstar?

Joanne Roque  
@JoanneSilva10 

Team Photo: CM Futsal Academy after playing Leyton Orient 

Just how far away is England from producing their very own Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi?

With the lack of inspiring talent coming through the English ranks, could the prospect of a player in the Three Lions shirt, exhibiting the skills and intelligence currently associated with the world's most talented footballers is a mouth-watering one.

But is a player with these attributes merely a dream or a real possibility?

For years, the youth systems in England have suffered, with coaches at grassroots level struggling with poor facilities, uneven pitches and lack of finance, undoubtedly hindering efforts to improve the technical ability of the next generation of English footballers.

However, in Leyton, East London CM Futsal Academy are training the next generation of players between the ages of 8 and 14 years old. The Academy may have only been running for four months but they surely have the right people for the job the staff range from FA coaches to qualified youth, sports and fitness workers from the fields of school education and sports management, It is that knowledge that has enabled them to offer a realistic opportunity to youngsters from all backgrounds into the system.

“Because of the similarities between Futsal and football, players who have followed both during their development have been the ones found to go on and do really well in the game.

"If kids are brought up on that, their ability to deal with a situation when things get tight in the penalty area in an 11-a-side game will be significally improved" Said in his Portuguese Accent.

At the same time education is a crucial part of what they do, and informing young people on how to be successful by promoting the five key points, namely: to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well being.

“I personally believe that the youth development in this country have favoured physical over technical characteristics, but the football in the country is evolving. Small skillful players like Juan Mata and Theo Walcott are now excelling in the Premier League, whilst midfield enforcers or husky center forwards are not so much the backbone of teams in the top flight.”

Academy director and co-founder Carlos Santos created his center of excellence to deliver two agendas according to their official ‘manifesto’, firstly to help and support young and gifted players by pushing them to bridge the gap between amateur and professional football, as well as promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Essentially they want to help players who have the potential make it into the pro academies of excellence by giving them the experience of working in an academy or centre of excellence environment from a young age, and thereby giving them a better chance of making it.

“The emphasis is on improvisation, creativity and technique - you are unlikely to hear calls of ‘get stuck in’ or ‘get rid of it’ at a futsal match.”

Futsal, a small-sided variant of football played between two teams of five players in an indoor arena, is something that has been played for decades in countries like Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Portugal - countries who have won seven of the previous eight World Cups between them, and are also the top sides in Futsal.

In these countries, Futsal is part of a development programme where children play the sport up until the ages of 10 or 14 before deciding whether to focus on football or stay with futsal.

And that’s exactly what Santos is trying to do at CMFA, standing in the middle of 45 young boys discussing their latest project; the youngsters are enthusiastic with the potential coming through the academy.

Even though his own bright future at East Thurrock was cut short due to a persistent ankel problem that caused a lack of stability in his left leg, which flared up regularly.

In this type of situation a footballer either grows up with a cynical outlook towards life, the game or his determination to make it in any capacity is so strong he finds his own way to get to the top.

So what kept the Portuguese coach, who looks smaller and stronger than his five-feet-eleven frame motivated to stay in football even though he never made the grade at top level?

“I guess it comes down to motivation and how much you want something,”

“I’m motivated by my failures I know some of the aspects of the game that I should have avoided and if I don’t pass it on to the boys than I’m not doing my job right.” he says, his eyes twinkling, his enthusiasm undimmed.

The 34-year old is really flourishing as a coach and mentor to the next generation of footballers. He has gained top qualifications currently holding an FA Level 2 Coaching Certificate and will aim to sit the UEFA 'B' License this year, which would allow him to manage a professional club.

Santos, has already been named Amateur Football Alliance County coach (AFA) and FA London Regional coach of the year after some fine results and went on to be shortlisted as one of eight coaches for National "Coach of the Year " award in September.

Change

With The Football Association (FA) already recognizing the value of the sport to the next generation and realizing that the sport needs an overhaul, the FA have pledged to invest £150m over the next three years to improve facilities around the country.

“Futsal is a platform that allows players to use invention and game understanding to develop their abilities.”

He continued: “Its finally good to see that the FA are recognizing this and investing in the game, this will defiantly help England find their own Ronaldo or Messi,”

The FA’s technical guide for their latest edition ‘The Future Game’ for young player development includes a recommendation for a sport that the likes of Messi and Ronaldo grew up on.

“With the information that two of the world’s greatest players were involved in futsal during their childhood is a very useful promotional tool, it will show kids that if they can do it so can you.”

But while Santos and his coaches work hard is beginning to payoff he does not want to rest on his laurels. “We remain level-headed and have a strong base in the grassroots, that is something we won’t forget.”




If you are interested in joining CM Futsal Academy 
Contact Carlos Santos:

Tele: 07956304149

Email: csantos@cmfutsalacademy.com

Website: www.cmfutsalacademy.com 

Why aren’t Women taken seriously in Sports Conversations and what we can do about it?

Joanne Roque
@JoanneSilva10

Gabby Logan at Twickenham 

A woman walks into a bar on a Saturday afternoon; she isn’t there to meet friends, her boyfriend or to drink the night away. Rather, it’s the Premier League weekend and her favourite team is playing. There are flat screens broadcasting the game and soon she finds herself surrounded by men, strangers to one another but yet cordial and comfortable with each other enough to agree and disagree about the game when necessary.

When a team scores some yell while others groan, after key plays and during commercial breaks, these fans become amateur sports analysts as some argue against the decision of the coaches and others for the brilliance of the players. Emotions are high and football jargon and assumed expertise is being thrown around.

It is in this space that the woman feels comfortable. She loves football, watches every game of her favorite team, understands the game of football, and has enough football knowledge to offer rational opinions and to critique others' commentary. However, when she decides to join in on the conversation at the bar, she quickly notices that she is not listened to as the other men are. Instead her critique is dismissed.

Guys assume her opinions are arbitrary, only repeated information from newspapers or that she is only interested because the players are good-looking men.

“Excuse me love, this is football not Jeremy Kyle, get back to the kitchen love”

They do not take her seriously as someone who is knowledgeable about the sport and as a result they do not take her sports opinion seriously, no matter how rational it may sound. The reason is not because of what she says but because she is a woman.

Although some may disagree with my judgment and ask that I produce some statistical, empirical evidence to back this claim up, to women sports fans, this experience sounds all too familiar. As a former college football player and football fanatic who watches all 38 Premier League games excluding the FA Cup, Capital One Cup or the Champions and European League games, every season, I have had the same experience as the woman in the bar. When I go to watch and talk sports with men, I am not taken seriously initially and sometimes not at all no matter how sound my arguments are.

I find that what I say is considered more speculative than what men say. As a result, I find myself asserting myself in conversations, being extra argumentative, and quoting stats as if it was an ESPN Numbers Don't Lie episode just so I can at least be heard and sound convincing. It's annoying, and makes me feel invisible, and I always feel treated unfairly because of my gender.

So how is this sexism and not merely ignorance on the part of the men? Philosopher Miranda Fricker has a concept she refers to as ‘epistemic injustice’.

She states that, “epistemic or testimonial injustice occurs when a hearer (some men), because of prejudice, do not take a speaker (woman sports fan) as seriously as they deserve to be.”

What makes this a ‘bad’ thing is when a hearer does this they are guilty of not respecting or affirming the dignity of the speaker instead the speaker has been undermined as a knower.

As individuals we all have certain kinds of knowledge. Part of our uniqueness as people is being able to be rational and to share knowledge. Also, opinion formation is a combination of not only knowledge but also our reflection and critique embodied in what we call our perspective. This is unique to us as individuals.

When we share knowledge and are dismissed not because of what we say but because of who we are, our individuality is disrespected and dignity withheld. So when someone refuses to listen to my opinion because I am a woman, the offense is not because they did not listen to my knowledge per se, rather because they did not listen to me. This experience not only harms me, but the hearer loses out on an opportunity to hear true and useful information.

We must remember people are not knowledgeable or smart because of their gender, ethnicity, age or social group; but due to the fact we acquire knowledge through study and experience. What makes Phil McNulty a good sports journalist is the knowledge he has cultivated between his ears, not because of what's in between his legs.

So what should we do if we find ourselves dismissing the knowledge of another because of their sex? We should remind ourselves that everyone deserves the chance to be listened to.

Fricker recommends that we practice giving high levels of credibility to groups we fear. For example, if we are honest, some of us are more prone to read a sports article written by a man than one written by a woman. She suggests we try to give a higher credibility to that woman writer, since implicitly we have already given her less for no reason other than because she is a woman.

We should remember that sports are not about men but about all genders, ethnicities, social groups and ages. Knowledge of sport can be learned by anyone.

What should women do when they find they are not being taken seriously because of their gender? I would suggest keep speaking anyway. In some cases dismissals are a form of silencing. The more you continue to speak the more you fight against silencing. Also know that you have a right to be a part of the conversation, although you may not feel welcomed.

In addition, as hard as this may sound, I would not take it personally. I would not take it as a lack of your ability to know or communicate but as their lack of ability to understand because of their prejudice.

Most importantly, I would suggest you make a complaint and contest it. This is in no way to make a scene or to turn a sports event into a feminist rally. However, you should contest the act in order to put a name to the injustice and to make the hearer aware of what they are doing. The more aware they are of what they are doing perhaps they will begin to change their habits.

As far as the media is concerned, it has come a long way with women and sports. BBC has a fair amount of women's representation. Gabby Logan is my favorite. However, it’s important to have more women as sports analysts of men sports and not merely as interviewers, anchors or experts at women's tennis and women's football. What this will show is that women have knowledge and an opinion to offer about sports in general and not merely or only when it concerns women specifically.

I hope the day when ‘a woman walks into a bar’ for a sports event, it will no longer sound like the beginning of a joke but an opportunity for us to practice taking what people have to say seriously regardless of their gender, race, or social standing.