Drogheda’s brilliant Boomerang Youth Club and Café goes from strength to strength with new programmes coming on board all the time.
The latest activity to take place in the Fair Street Club is a self-defence course for younger members. They are taking to it like the proverbial ducks to water but the club needs some support if it is to continue.
The idea for the self-defence course came from two of Boomerang’s most active members, Hayley (17) and Michaela (15,) who have been doing MMA training recently at the Full Power Gym in Mell, Drogheda.
Hayley and Michaela came up with the idea after participating in a self-defence mid-term camp in February, their goal is to help teach self-defence to the younger Boomerang members.
The girls organised the class themselves with the approval and support of youth work leaders in Boomerang. They arranged a presentation explaining the benefits of learning self-defence and teaching it to the young children and teens, the importance of keeping alert and active in the chance of a threatening situation, leading to building self-esteem, confidence and resilience.
The group worked with what they could, boxing equipment, the open space in the youth club cafe area and using very creative body movement drills and techniques.
The class went so well, and such was the level of interest from the younger members, that the group is considering making the self-defence class a weekly event.
However, they need support from the local community and have put out a call to anyone who could provide them with training mats possibly (12-20) 30mm thick 1 metre x 1 metre to cover the space and to help accommodate the class effectively and safely.
“If anyone has or knows MMA gyms, judo or jiu jitsu gyms willing to donate mats to the group that would be fantastic” said a club spokesperson. local support to help keep this great workshop idea going for the young youth club members all willing to learn self-defence at Boomerang.
If you can help them out, please call 041-9839916 or email Jason Eastwood at info@boomerangcafe.ie
