Dartmouth boxing club sending 5 fighters to national championships

A Dartmouth, N.S., boxing club is sending five of its fighters to the Canadian Boxing Championships this spring.

Tribal Boxing Club's owner and head coach, Bridget Stevens, is excited to see some familiar faces make the competition in Victoria in late April.

The boxers headed to the championships are Renae Cowal, Natali Fagan, Eddie James, Holly McDonald and Mohamed Milad.

Stevens said her career as a coach began after she was injured.

"My dream was to become a world champion and to be representing myself coming from poverty on the reservation," said Stevens, who is from the Eskasoni First Nation in Cape Breton. 

"When my dream shattered because I hurt my jaw, I was in depression, in bed. It was traumatizing. I didn't even want to live on."

Stevens found her footing again after she was asked to help train a fellow boxer.

"He fought his heart out, he had a heart of gold, he just needed some skills," said Stevens. "He's a Canadian champion right now."

Stevens said she tries to make Tribal Boxing a positive and safe space for youth. 

"I'm bringing them up as warriors with a lot of love," she said. "It's always positive influence.

"They'll go to war for me if they love me."