Home News North East News

Kickboxing champion Wes fights bullying

Apr 5 2009 by Neil McKay, Sunday Sun

“I feel the same sense of fear before getting into the ring, but it depends how you harness that fear.

“If you use it to your advantage it can give you that extra edge, that rush of adrenalin, but if you let fear beat you then you will simply freeze.

“I feel very strongly about raising awareness of children who are victims of bullies. Bullies are just cowards but can make life miserable.

“I am trying to get the children in my classes to be aware of bullying and not to do it. What they learn from me is how to defend themselves, and how to increase their confidence, but not to use the skills I teach unless they are backed into a corner.”

Wes is supported by his friend and local county councillor Reg Ord, who said: “Wes is a credit to his community. He is putting something back into it by giving youngsters confidence.”

Wes said his parents, Paul and Patricia, encouraged him to go to martial arts classes as a youngster.

He said: “I started out doing jujitsu but soon changed to kick boxing.

“I won my first two fights but lost my third, which did me the world of good. You need to taste defeat to know if you can handle it.”

Maab is forming a database of martial arts clubs working together to combat bullying.

Keep up to date with the news. Sign up for News Alerts

Have your say on the latest news and sport in our Forums

Site Tools