Mathias Colomb Cree Nation welcomes boxing and survival training

Mathias Colomb Cree Nation residents squared up against some physically challenging training earlier this month.

The community worked with Winnipeg's Pan Am Boxing and Ringers Safety to bring boxing and wilderness programming to the community also known as Pukatawagan, about 820 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, Feb 5-9.

Ashley Charlette, executive director of Wahkotowin Wellness and Prevention and a band member, said kids and adults enjoyed it.

"The program took off and we're looking at expanding and exploring new options," she said.

"We're looking to build self esteem in these children and have programming that aren't normally accessible on the reserve. I think there's only going to be great things that come out of this relationship."

Glen Ringrose, co-founder of Ringers Safety with his wife, a member of Black Lake Denesuline First Nation in northern Saskatchewan, boxed with the Pan Am Boxing Club during the 1990s. 

Ringrose lived in northern Manitoba for nearly 30 years and has done work safety training and wilderness survival programs in communities in northern Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario. But the former fighter says boxing has never left him.

"Pan Am was my home for several years. I know Dylan Martin because of that. My connection's with the club," he said.

Martin, the manager and head coach of Pan Am Boxing, says the club tried to establish camps in northern communities for a number of years. 

"While it isn't a boxing club, it was a chance to get up there to try and bring intro boxing in the community for basically everyone there, the youth, teenagers, adults, it didn't matter. We wanted to work with everybody," Martin said.

Ringrose and Martin split the group into halves and each day had participants go through a half-hour introduction to boxing workout then the group would move into emergency and wilderness survival training.

Ringrose said he was able to share stories on both sides of the camp. His boxing prowess led to injuries that needed first aid and his wilderness adventures led to stories about finding the desire and passion to continue on when times were tough. 

Martin estimated 130 people from the community participated. 

"Several of the youth were with me every day. I was able to work with the same youth over and over. Most of the kids we worked with were 15 or under. I think the youngest we worked with was 4 years old," Martin said.

Ringrose and Martin said they look forward to making more of these trips happen to northern communities including the possibility of a six-week boot camp.