A MILDURA boxing coach has overseen the most successful performance by an Australian junior team at the Oceania Championships.
Nick Wakefield, the owner and coach of Mildura’s The Boxing Cartel, was both coach and manager of 17 fighters, who all medalled at the event in Samoa.
The Aussie team came away with 11 gold, five silver and one bronze in a dominant display.
Wakefield was initially selected as the team manager, but in the days before the event, the head coach pulled out and he stepped up to coach alongside his managerial role.
He said he was pleased with how the team of “talented young fighters” performed.
“There was one kid who I was really impressed with, he was told the day he got there that he had to fight two weight classes up and he didn’t bat an eyelid,” he said.
“He made the weight eating Snickers bars, goes out there in the finals and stops the bloke in the first round.”
Wakefield said the role taught him a number of skills which he would apply to his own fighters in Mildura.
“There were little drills and training sessions that I saw the head coach running with the guys before they fight,” he said.
“One thing I like is seeing boxers just before they fight to see their mood and their mentality and most people are nervous before they fight and then they get in the ring and they flick that switch.”
Wakefield said he believed his calm demeanour made him an asset to the young boxers.
“I’m a pretty cool, calm, collected type of guy I just talked to them and let them know the guy you are about to fight feels the exact same as you, don’t let the moment get the better of you,” he said.
Wakefield will now aim to get called up to the Junior World Championship team heading to Mexico at the end of the year.
