Welcome
A local gym run by Volunteers providing a service to our community. Old school training by old school Trainers. Our gym is very family friendly. Come for fun, fitness, self defence or choose to box competitively as an amateur or professional boxer. We don’t train thugs.
Trainers
All our Trainers are volunteers, have Blue Cards and Boxing Trainer qualifications with at least 4 years of Boxing Technique training. There are plenty of people on site with First Aid (some of our gym members are Emergency Services personnel).
Ashley Cupitt OAM
Born into a boxing family, Ashley has harboured a passion for the sport his whole life and discovered his true calling in coaching and mentoring. Ashley has been voluntarily coaching and mentoring Atherton Tablelands’ Boxers since 1978, teaching hundreds of locals how to box.
A truly excellent coach, Ashley has taken several club members to glory at State, National and even World Competitions. He instructs people of all ages, abilities and disabilities, running regular classes that harness boxing to keep healthy and fit. We also have plenty of people that learn boxing just for fun, fitness or self defence.
Ashley is registered and qualified to teach both Amateur and Professional Boxing. A true heavyweight in local spirit, Ashley is a key part of both the history and future of Boxing on the Atherton Tablelands.
Louise Anderson-Clemence
Starting in 1993 at the Atherton Boxing Club, Louise was the first girl to join the club and started boxing training due to the bullying she was receiving at school. Ashley was good friends with Louise’s Dad Tony; and they decided that the best method would be for her to learn self defence. She trained until she left school in 1999.
Moving away from the Atherton Tablelands to find work and study, Louise travelled the world. During the 8 years Louise lived in the UK, she worked at St John’s College, in the University of Oxford for 4.5 years.
In 2013, Louise moved back home to Yungaburra and rejoined her old gym, leading her to assist with training again, as well as helping with the advertising, photos and collating Ashley’s history of boxing. Louise is registered and qualified to teach Amateur Boxing.
Boxing
Keen to address juvenile crime in the region, Ashley uses the club to mentor troubled youths in the community, helping them channel their energy into sport.
Some of Ashley’s Boxers have gone on to work at: Acting; Accounting; Administration; Agriculture; Australian Defence Force (Army, Navy, Airforce); Banks; Farmer; Fire Brigade; Fitness Trainer; Hairdresser; Hospitality & 5* Hotels in England and Europe; Life Be In It; Medical Field; Mines; Model; Muai Thai/Kickboxer; Nurse; Photographer; Police; Politician; Public Service; Trades – Boilermaker, Bricklayer, Butcher, Concreter, Electrician, Plumber, Shed Construction; Sales & Marketing; Singer; University of Oxford, England.
Ashley has run training sessions at Atherton and Malanda High Schools. Some other schools, including: Mount St Bernard’s, Ravenshoe and School for Field Studies have brought bus loads down for training sessions.
Our gym goers comment that it’s not intimidating for any gender, with a good hard workout.
Amateur Boxing
with Sunstate Amateur Boxing League Inc (SABLI). Ages 10-40yo females and males.
You need to register with SABLI and pay them a yearly fee, Ashley sends off your forms, photo, photocopy of birth certificate/driver’s licence and fee. SABLI sends back a Boxer’s Medical Book, you then need to go to your GP/Doctor and they will give you a medical and complete the book. Medicals with your GP are to be done every year. Girls and women (regardless of age) must do a pregnancy test before each tournament.
Masters
with World Boxing Foundation. Ages 40yo+ females and males. You will need to register with World Boxing Foundation and pay them fees. All participants are required to have: Current Medical from GP; Clear serology results, no longer than six months old at the dates of competition; Blue Book (medical book).
Professional Boxing
with Australian National Boxing Federation. Ages 18yo+ females and males.
Women must do a pregnancy test before each tournament.
Tournaments
Everyone is welcome to attend boxing tournaments to watch. At amateur and masters tournaments there are whole families and people with prams. There is usually some food on sale.
At the Academy, we like to have our competition boxers do 3 months of training before stepping into the ring for sparring; and 1 year of training before competing at a tournament. This does vary person to person. Decisions are made by Ashley, our Head Trainer.
Price
Costs in 2018:
$20 per class for casuals (no membership, still have to fill in forms)
Children 5-14 years old
$30 a year Membership Fee
$2 per class (discounted rate for Members)
Teenagers 15+ years old and Adults
$70 a year Membership Fee
$5 per class (discounted rate for Members)
Yearly Membership fees help pay for insurance, rent, equipment replacement and Admin costs.
Discounts (Per class is same price as per discount rate)
$110 Two Person Membership Fee
You and a friend or partner (normally $140)
$200 Yearly Family Membership Fee
2 Adults and 3 Children (normally $230)
Additional Children +$25 each
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Pre-Paid Class Card for Members – which allows you to purchase 20 classes in advance!
$35 Child (2.5 free classes)
$90 Teenager/Adult (2 free classes)
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Membership + 20 Class Card
$65 Child (worth $70)
$160 Teenager/Adult (worth $170)
We accept cash, direct debit and EFTPOS.
Membership is January to December each year. Same as registration with Boxing League for Boxers.
No lock in contract. We try to keep class prices and Membership as low as possible to cover our insurance, administration, rent, equipment and club registration fees. Hand wraps, club shirts, singlets, etc are optional to purchase.
There is an option to buy a Pre-Paid Class Card, which allows you to purchase 20 Classes for the price of 18 Classes in advance! This is an excellent choice for those who struggle to find cash money for each class; or those who prefer to have the classes all paid in one go for ease of use; or to make yourself a fitness commitment. It’s easy to use, buy one off Louise and then just present it at the beginning of each class you attend to get it hole punched /ticked off.
Sponsor a Boxer and Sponsor the Academy
If you are interested in being sponsored, please talk to Louise or Ashley. To become eligible for this sponsorship, you must attend the gym regularly for 3 months initially. By doing this, you are showing that you are committed to the Boxing program. You don’t have to compete and are not expected to win Titles or Medals.
Businesses and individuals may purchase membership, class cards or packages to support a Boxer in need of financial help.
Or you can help the gym provide this service to our Community through Donations, paying for Rent, Insurance, Equipment or Volunteering. We will put pictures up on Facebook, our website and send it into the Newspapers. For sizeable donations and repeat support, you will go on the Sponsor Board at the Gym. Or you may remain anonymous if you prefer.
Some tips on finding the right gym.
* Look around and find a qualified Boxing Trainer.
* Ask questions – has the gym had any boxers who have fought in the ring?
* Is it a Professional or Amateur Boxing gym? – (Professional being the ones who get paid to box and Amateur being the ones that don’t get paid.)
* You can assess the quality of the gym and Trainer by the qualities of the fighters – e.g. Have they won fights and titles (Medals, Trophies and Belts). Normally these things are displayed on the walls of the gym with posters, newspaper clippings, photos, etc. (Although this can depend on whether the venue is owned/rented).
* Another thing to look for – is punching bags, speed balls, floor to ceiling balls, mirror (for shadow boxing), ring for sparring.
* Arrogance of fighters – assess whether you like their attitudes, as quite often, it will become yours if you decide to train with them.
* It pays to look around at different gyms via online, visiting and word of mouth.
* Size of gym – the size of the gym, number of members and number of Boxers doesn’t give any indication as to the standard of the gym or how good/bad the Trainers are.
* Are new people thrown into the ring first night with experienced people? This is a BIG no-no. How can a trainer expect an inexperienced person with no knowledge, fight their prize fighter? A new person would need at least 3 months of training before considering entering sparring. At least 1 year of training before their first competition fight. Mouthguards are a must.
* Remember if this is the first time you’ve visited a gym (or the first time in a long time), you will find that your muscles hurt. It usually takes 3-4 weeks for your muscles to get used to this increased movement, in which time you should keep going to the gym or doing exercise. We also recommend regular massages and epsom salt baths (if you don’t have a bath tub, you can use a bucket with warm water and put epsom salts and your feet in it).
Ashley Cupitt OAM and Louise Anderson-Clemence
0444 550 072
Atherton Tablelands, Far North Queensland, Australia.
Donations
Please note: only give your donations to Ashley or Louise. We have not authorised anyone else to take donations on our behalf.
Ashley Cupitt Boxing Academy 