Brooklands boys target more glory

The teenage duo head to Solihull’s Tudor Grange Academy on Sunday to contest the semi-finals of the NAGBC’s Championships.

They have already been crowned Midland champions and are now one fight away from a crack at the British title.

Former English middleweight champion Darren McDermott is the head coach and founder of the Woodsetton-based club and he has high hopes the pair can go all the way.

His son Kian, aged 15, faces Jibran Khan (Doncaster Plant Work BC) in the 66kg Class A category, while 16-year-old Willis will go head-to-head with Clayton ABC’s Kai Morley at 66kg Class B.

“They have done really well to get this far,” said McDermott senior. “They have been training well and look nice and sharp, now they have to stay focused.

“It’s great for the gym to have two Midland champions and it would be brilliant to have two British champions.”

Willis booked his place in the semi-finals with an impressive victory against Alfie Pidgley from Pinewood BC, while Kian will go into his contest fresh after a two-week break.

“James looked really sharp last weekend,” added McDermott.

“Pinewood are one of the best club’s in the country, so if he is beating fighters from there he shouldn’t be worrying about who he fights.

“Kian has had a break after a few tough fights, but he is fresh and ready to go. I won a British title when I was 14 and it would be nice for him to do the same. I don’t mind giving up a few bragging rights!

“It’s a strong competition, but I have got high hopes for both of them. They have got all the ability needed to win these titles. Fingers crossed they can go on and do just that.

“Their success has given the whole gym and all the other youngsters a lift. They all want to get on the bandwagon now and go chasing titles.”

The duo’s progress follows on from the news that 12-year-old Josh Homfray has been called up to attend as series of coaching sessions with England Boxing in Sheffield next month.

The club already has one established England international in Paige Goodyear, who won a bronze medal at the World Youth Championships last year.

McDermott admits the club is booming at the moment with over 100 members checking in for boxing and various fitness sessions.

The 41-year-old started the club, with a wooden-built gym in the back garden of his Woodsetton home, after he was forced to retire from the professional ranks at the age of 32.

Such has been the demand to join Brooklands, that McDermott was forced to move premises a couple of years ago to the old Mount Tabor Methodist Church on the Sedgley Road.

“When I was a pro I had a gym built in the garden,” he said. “And when I retired my wife, Claire, said ‘why don’t you open it up to local kids?’

“We had four kids off the local estate to start with and within 12 months we had 60-odd. I had to extend the gym in 2011.

“The kids had to walk down the side of my house and across the garden to the gym. We had that many coming, it was like the morning school run!

“The club was getting too big and we got the chance to move to the old methodist church down the road.

“That’s got an upstairs as well so we were able to take a few more kids on.

“We have over 100 members now. It’s not just boxing, we do various fitness classes for moms and dads as well. We do Saturday morning sessions with kids aged from three to seven and then when they reach eight they can start doing various boxing skills.

“Myself and Darren Elwell used to do all the coaching, but now there are seven coaches, including Claire.

“She has always been quite sporty and played netball at a very good standard when she was younger. With so many girls coming, she got involved and took her level one coaching.

“A few boxers who I used to train have also started coaching and some of the parents have been on judging and refereeing courses.

“It’s a community thing. The gym where I started as a kid was like one big family, and that’s what we have created here.”