Just two years ago, the boxing program at Bulli PCYC was on the verge of extinction. It had no active members, no dedicated coach, and no scheduled classes, leaving a space with a rich boxing history virtually abandoned.
Coaches Step In to Revive a Legacy
Peter Morrison, along with Adam Jones and John Gillet, decided to take action to breathe new life into the program. "It was pretty dead, to be honest," Morrison recalled. "There'd been a few people come in and out of the club, but they hadn't really lasted. It was really just an underutilised space and I thought it was quite sad, being a club with such a rich history in boxing. There'd been champions come out of there, so we decided to jump in and see what we could do with it."
The trio's primary focus from the outset was to develop a program specifically targeting youth participants. "Boxing has always been a strong sport within the PCYC system, so we thought we'd bring it back down into the Illawarra," he explained. "For a while there, Bulli was the only PCYC in the northern Illawarra, other than Lake Illawarra, offering boxing."
Community Focus and Rapid Growth
All the coaches are deeply involved in the community, and supporting PCYC boxing allows them to give back to youth programs. "All of us coaches are very active in the community and supporting PCYC boxing gives back to the youth programs that the club offers. [It's] something we are very passionate about," Morrison said.
Once classes began, interest surged. "Once we started offering classes, it was on for young and old. Over the last couple of years, we've packed every kid's class and a lot of them who started with us are still here," he noted. "We get new members in all the time ... kids from all walks of life. Our door is always open." Kids classes are available for those aged eight to sixteen, with progression to adult classes for ready members.
Expanding the Program with New Classes
Following rapid growth since taking over in 2024, Morrison, Jones, and Gillet are now expanding the program to leverage their individual coaching strengths. "Part of what we're trying to do, is grow the program to have more classes available and put a bit more focus on fitness boxing," Morrison said. "Adam is also going to put a woman's class on, while I continue using my background with the competitive stuff."
He added, "There are obviously people from all walks of life who don't want to compete and would rather just keep fit. We want to offer them some opportunity as well."
The current schedule includes weekly kids classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons, followed by adult sessions. The expanded timetable, set to begin the week of February 9, will introduce Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evening classes, with women's classes likely on Tuesdays. "It just opens up people's schedules and hopefully we're able to appeal to a different market too," Morrison explained. "Not everyone wants to get punched in the face, so let's work on providing new opportunities for fitness ... non-contact, lots of high cardio and strength work boxing."
The Benefits of Boxing for Youth
Morrison highlighted the appeal and benefits of boxing, especially for young people. "Boxing is one of those ones that I think a lot of kids, especially a lot of young boys, gravitate towards," he said. "Yes it's a combat sport, but it does also teach them a lot of discipline. You find kids that get involved with it, and it sets them on a different path because they change their lifestyle, they change their eating habits, they're not going out at night or causing trouble. They get a bit more respect for their peers, and those they see around the streets."
Olympic Influence and Community Impact
Adding prestige to the gym is two-time Papua New Guinean Olympian John Ume, who trains there while extending his unbeaten professional career. Morrison, who served as the national coach of PNG at the Paris Olympic Games with Ume, emphasised the value of his presence. "Having a two-time Olympian in with the kids, holding pads for them and helping out, is an experience you can't buy," Morrison said.
Reflecting on Ume's journey, Morrison shared, "If you knew where this kid came from, the poverty and the violence ... first came here and couldn't afford running shoes, couldn't afford three meals a day on the table. For a kid like that to have made it to two Olympic Games is pretty remarkable. And, that's what the Olympics are about, right? Providing opportunity for not just the richest athletes from the countries with the most money."
The pair has travelled globally for events like the Commonwealth Games and world qualifiers, and this relationship greatly benefits Bulli PCYC. "We are very lucky to have him with us here in Bulli," Morrison concluded.
