TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 1
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 23, 2020
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By Viv Posselt
N ar •
A man who is improving the lives of Te Awamutu’s young people through friendship, discipline and boxing has become Te Awamutu News’ Person of the Year for 2020. Chris Graham founded and started the Te Awamutu Boxing Academy about 18 months ago under the umbrella of the Te Awamutu Youth Development Trust. The long-time teacher and youth worker knew the positive impact boxing could have on young lives; he had trained in the sport as a boy, and his brother Billy Graham is the former Australasian boxing champion who started a boxing academy in Naenae as one of several now run nationwide through the Billy Graham Youth Talking about ‘the best stuff he’s ever done’ is Te Awamutu News’ Person of the Year, Chris Graham.
Foundation. Chris knew boxing could benefit the kids of Te Awamutu. When he opened the academy he wanted to help youngsters foster friendships and build selfesteem in such a way that it created pathways to a more positive future. They started with 10 in mid-2019, and now have over 100 boys and girls between the ages of nine and 18. They come from around the region, and many, said Chris, have made real strides in improving their lives – something he puts down to accepting each other on a level playing field, and the messages of respect that are central to training sessions where kids are noticed and successes are rewarded. He also offers help on school issues and has helped steer young adults into the workplace. “I’ve definitely seen a change to some of the kids. They’re not just members, they are friends. They greet you differently when you see them around town,” said Chris. The community knows it, too. Police are right behind what the academy does, as are a growing number of businesses offering support. The numbers of individuals and school groups has grown to the point where Chris has moved from part-time to full-time head coach, sharing the weekly programme of classes with co-coaches, Quentin Wallace and the academy’s manager and female coach, Erinna Lane. Erinna is also Chris’s daughter. She is equally driven to promote better outcomes for young people and is involved across other projects intended to raise awareness around their wellbeing. She leads the thriving girls’ programme at the academy, something she started at the beginning of 2020. Continued on page 6
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