SEASON RECAP – LOCHABER PHOENIX
After another memorable season in 2024-25, Boxing Scotland caught up with Iain Ferguson from Lochaber Phoenix to reflect on the season past, and look ahead to what is in store for 2025-26.
What is a memorable moment/achievement for the club from the 2024/25 season?
“A simple thing like opening up every training night is certainly memorable and an achievement to see the Juniors flood in filled with energy, excitement and enthusiasm. Despite this they are always ready to listen and take guidance from the coaches and are often reluctant to go home when their session is over!
We have also achieved many successes in the ring with medals and trophies in a number of age and weight categories. Naturally we have to mention Connor Bodkin who gained a place on the Elite Squad and a trip to France where he brought the reign of the unbeaten French Champion to an end with a convincing win.
The pair ended up very much ‘Frères d’armes’ and we are also very proud of Connor’s naturally unassuming attitude, even in major achievements and the way he automatically helps everyone in the gym.”
What are the club members most looking forward to in the 2025/26 season?
“We closed for the summer at the end of June but due to popular demand have opened the gym twice a week for 90 minute sessions. Carded boxers and other members really wanted to keep up fitness and agility during the holiday period – even with strictly no sparring or contact allowed.
Through ongoing hard work and dedication many of our members are approaching the skill sets needed to gain carded status. They are very excited and impatient to get the new season started so they can ‘go for it’ and add their names to our list of properly trained and nationally recognised boxers.
Every single one of our members cannot wait to get back in the ring for sparring practice and then looking forward to actual bouts in both the Boxing Scotland Championships and in Home Shows across the country. ”
How important is the support of the community to the club?
“We are a small Club, tucked away in the Highlands and possibly because of this are very much part of the Lochaber community recognised and respected for the work we do, especially with young people. We were awarded a VOSCAR (Volunteering Oscar) as Voluntary Organisation of the Year by Voluntary Action Lochaber and went on to also be awarded the Highland Third Sector Interface Judges Choice as Voluntary Organisation of the Year in the whole of the Highlands, (an area with hundreds of Voluntary organisations covering from Wick in the Far North – Fort William in the South).
The Club has also been incredibly successful in the sport of boxing, even since the earliest days in 2008 and have been very lucky to give an outlet to incredible boxing talent which would otherwise have gone undiscovered. Even with a relatively small membership we have contributed several members to the Scotland National Squad and brought home many awards against much bigger urban Clubs.
As part of a UNICEF Health and Well Being programme we were invited into Lochaber High School to run several boxercise sessions with S3/S4 pupils. We also involved our own members who were in this age group in organising and teaching the classes with their peers.
Several of the pupils then joined the Club (actually mainly those who were not the ‘best’ pupils) and teachers were delighted to tell us they noticed a big improvement in behaviour during the school day.
We have also been part of a pilot programme with The Highland Council bringing a small group of disadvantaged young people (15/16 year olds) into our gym during school time accompanied by their Social Development/Social Workers. They were all very attentive and willing to participate with these sessions which were deemed to be a success. Hopefully they will be continued in the new school session.
On another note 10 year old Charlie Varley became our youngest ever carded boxer and is naturally gifted.”
