Given both the international and domestic travel restrictions that are currently in place, and constantly changing, the training and competition calendar for the BAL High Performance Program has been severely affected. It has also not been possible to arrange any activities at the AIS as the facilities have either been closed or subject to very limited access. The current environment is both challenging and unprecedented.

Continuing border closures does not allow for a great deal of domestic competition either but there are clusters of activity now taking place in WA, SA, NT and Queensland. However, there is as yet, very little interstate activity, as in most cases the requisite quarantine period is still in place and must be observed. Having said that the Head Coach was able to return to Queensland on the eve of the latest border closure in order to maintain contact with a number of the higher categorised athletes, predominantly Justis Huni, Skye Nicolson and Paulo Aokuso, in their daily training environment (DTE) together with their home coaches. The main purpose of this engagement is to have face to face meetings with the athletes and coaches to ascertain whether there is any more support that the HP program can provide and whether it will be viable to arrange group training sessions in a central location for the athletes based in Queensland. Frank Pianto at the East Side Gym, where BQLD are running tournaments for the foreseeable future, has very kindly given BAL permission to utilise the facility for HP athlete camps or training sessions.

Being based in Queensland has also given the Head Coach the opportunity to visit a great number of gyms throughout the state to drop in on athletes and their home coaches giving them encouragement and support. And although the run of very popular and well received twice-weekly technical and tactical compilation videos produced by the Head Coach and showcased on the BAL facebook page over the last 3 months has now ended, the videos can still be accessed on the BAL website at Coaches Corner in the High Performance area.

The National Futures Program continues to stay active across Australia with well planned Futures camps in NT and WA, as well as the online program staying active. Great to see so many Futures athletes active in competition in Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory and South Australia. Futures squad members have been competing against each other at state competitions. 

Futures camps coming up in September:

• ACT
• NSW
• QLD 

Boxing ACT News

BACT will be running 2 events in September:

• Level 1 Coaching Course – 12-13 September

• ACT Tournament – 26 September. Gold Creek High School Gymnasium. Residents of ACT Government designated hotspots unable to enter (currently includes Victoria and Greater Sydney).

Shop

Boxing Australia's newly developed merchandise is now available online! Head to our online store to check out our new winter range!

Get your Olympic Boxing Supporter merch at the Australian Olympic Team Online Shop.