THE BRIAN ZELLEY BOXING JOURNEY

BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME From Idea To Reality, A 25 year journey: by brian zelley The idea of a BC Amateur boxing hall of fame was raised by me in one of  the "Boxing News" articles that I wrote  in the "Boxing Annual" that was released in September 1984 in  time for distribution at the AGM of the  BCABA, it appeared on page 8 of the 16 page annual that was filled with all the highlights of  1983/1984 boxing  season along with some "Flashback"  stories such as the Golden Gloves from 1939 to 1950 It also inlcuded a series of photos on page 7 with the  caption "Annual Round-up".  It had the title: " Wishes, Hopes & Dreams.  Wishes, Hopes and Dreams (September 1984) (from the "BC Amateur Boxing Annual of 1984" by brian zelley "There are many past and present members ...who are worthy of permanent recognition for their outstandin

MORE FLASHBACKS and MEMORIES: b zelley BC AMATEUR BOXING NEWS: February 1984 *The Feb. '84 issue was the fourth issue of a series of news articles, and by now there had been some national awareness with folks such as Jerry Shears, the founding president of the Canadian Amateur Boxing Association. The Tributes: *Jerry Shears speaks out about the boxing news as follows: "The Fall and December 1983 editions of the BV Amateur Boxing News do more than print news and photographs! They convey what is happening , and most of all the spirit and future  of amateur boxing  in British Columbia...I must congratulate Brian Zelley, editor of the "BC Amateur Boxing News.   This is what I believe ever Provincial  Association and our National body must do.   * Bill McAllister, area recreational consultant, recreation and sports branch Province of British Columbia: "...It is obvious you have embarked upon providing an excellent  publication which de

BC AMATEUR BOXING NEWS THE FIRST ISSUE: November 1983, editor Brian Zelley It was the beginning of the 1983/1984 boxing season, so the debut issue did not have a lot of current activity, but it opened the door for the coaches' Rep to give his opening address to the members of the BCABA. In summary, Dave Thompson said, "he was honoured to be  the  'coaches representative' to the BCABA." At the start of the season, the following were elected to the Board: George Armson, Bill Long, William Wescott, Ron Inglis,  Shirley Knopp, Bob Decker, Bert Lowes, Glynn jones, Dave Thompson and Brian Zelley.   Boxing Reports: The only tournament that could be reported at this early stage in the boxing season was the  Senior and Intermediate Novice Boxing Tournament staged  on October 22, 1983.   The best intermediate boxer was JASON TROTTIER and the best senior boxer was ISAAC GOCK. Ring officials: Bert Lowes, Fred Fuller, Sid Knopp,  Rudy Bianco,

V I AMATEUR BOXING NEWS: by brian zelley The Second Issue: The Fall of 1983 The issue would cover boxing shows in Campbell River, Gold River and Parksville between March 12th to May 7th, 1983. Flashbacks or Golden Memories: Two key flashback topics included the 1954 Vancouver Island Golden Gloves and a brief history of  Nanaimo's Newcastle Boxing Club (1963 to 1968) Photo Parade: On the front cover was a parade of boxers including Bruce Ronald, Cliff Ballendine, Andrew Swim, Scott Cessford and Allan Brown and a Victoria Day Parade float with the Nanaimo Boxing Club and one of the coaches on the float  was Clark MacLellan. Page 2 included Mike Caird holding the bag for Wayne Crowe, and a action photo of Brian Zelley in the ring. (photo April 1, 1972, Nanaimo fight card) *The Nanaimo story included photos of  George Nepper, Brian Zelley and Dan Wright. *Current fight reports of 1983 included photos of  Fre

BC AMATEUR BOXING NEWS: by brian zelley The back page of one of the old issues of the boxing news: Taking it all the way from 1983 to 1986 Back in September 1982, there were no great big plans to get involved in any news reports for the the provincial boxing association.   It just happened due to the initial meetings  with officials and coaches of Vancouver Island at some of our meetings at the home of Rick Brough when he was  living in Esquimalt and later when he was living in the Ladysmith region.  What went from a regionsl news for Vancouver Island expanded to the BC Amateur Boxing News after Bert Lowes had an opportunity to get copies of the 1983 spring and fall issues of the Vancouver Island  Amateur Boxing News.   That led to a trip to the 1983 Annual General Meeting of    the BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING ASSOCIATION. I was elected to the board as the news editor and so began a trip to the past, present and future.   One of the

THE YEAR OF THE RETURN - 2009 *It began with communications with FABIAN IRONEAGLE who was hoping to revive boxing in Quesnel, BC. *Discussions with Fabian took me back to 1971 and 1974 with the revival of boxing in Nanaimo and helping with the reboot and growth of boxing in Victoria. *As best as I could,  I encouraged Fabian and some of his former club mates of the "2 Rivers Boxing Club" to keep on working to achieve their aim and work with their old  coach WALLY DOERN to revive and reboot. *Then in Victoria, one day I received a telephone call form an old friend by the name of JEEVAN DILLON. He mentioned to me that he was on the board of directors of the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame and that  Mike Caird was going to be inducted to the hall in the fall of 2009 and asked me if I would like to sponsor him which would mean presenting him with his award at the annual ceremony. As part of the sponsorship, I also agreed to help provide some of

From the Bright Lights to the Shadows: by brian zelley Another side of my boxing journey: Walking In The Shadows *From 1994 to 2008, I was far removed from the action. (photo: 1971 before the formation of the Nanaimo Boxing Club) * Ucluelet, BC in "He-Tin-Kish" park overlooking Terrace beach. this photo is symbolic of the years in the shadows watching and waiting for the answer.

THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES ROAD: Introduction: It was an interesting few years as we prepared for the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria. The first order of boxing   was to form a boxing   committee which took  place in 1989.  original committee members would be  Hassan Sunderani,  Brian Zelley,  Mike Sartori,  Glynn Jones.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Commonwealth_Games *The above link gives a detail of the Games in Victoria and one of the sub-headings relates to the Boxing Committee and some of the early happenings.  In 1991, I would serve as an interim boxing chairman. It was expected to be for a short time, but delays in the appointment of a full time chairman stretched the interim position to early 1992. The Inside Story of the Preparation: http://bwzboxing.blogspot.ca/2010/03/1994-commonwealth-games.html *the above blog will add some of the details of the boxing committee and the public meetings to build a body of volunteers. *There were

My Boxing Journey in the Eighties: by Brian Zelley The Victoria Jaycees Boxing Club By 1979, the Victoria Athletics boxing club had lost it's training facility, and only had a few boxers left.  By  then the two main boxers for the club were Gary Robinson and Cliff Ballendine.  Cliff's father Jim Ballendine wanted to coach so the coaching for the VAA and their couple  of boxers was left to Caird and Ballendine.  LOU BUJDOSO was now working his own club called the Victoria Jaycees Boxing Club.  Between 1979/80, I would not serve on the board of the VAA, but would serve one more year from September 1980 to September 1981 and then it was over.  During 1979, I would attend the Jaycees club and help with the training of boxers such as Kit Munro. Also, professional boxer JERRY (Mack Truck) REDDICK was trying to get a Victoria Boxing Commission, so I  helped Jerry by going to the City Hall council meetings with Jerry to work on this issue.   How

MY MANY BOXING STORIES: by Brian Zelley *Beginning in the mid-Sixties, I began writing some of  the boxing stories of Nanaimo's Newcastle Boxing Club. *In Victoria, I would mainly do boxing reports for  a sports paper called the "Sportcaster". *But between October 1983 to January 1986, I would be the  editor of the "BC Amateur Boxing News".  The following link is my attempt to summarize many of the stories: http://www.nowpublic.com/sports/b-c-boxing-news-flashbacks-and-memories It begins with a quick reference to the spring and fall 1983 issues of  "Vancouver Island Amateur Boxing News" that covered then boxing current happenings from September 1982 until the end of the 1982/1983 boxing season.  But, then gets into some of the many issues of the BC amateur boxing news.  In all copies of both publications there were many other stories titled FLASHBACKS which covered amateur  boxing in British Columbia back to about 1939 and the firs

VICTORIS ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION: by brian zelley Introduction: *The Victoria Athletic Association was an organiztion that would be formed by members of the London Boxing Club and was    incorporated on August 31, 1976. I would be involved with the association for the first five years and would serve on the board of directors for four of those  years as a treasure for the first three years and a director in year 5. The Founding Board of Directors: August 31, 1976 Denis Begley, Fred Goddard, Gerry Horne, Pam Dunmore Linda Eckess, Randy France, Brian Turnbull, Brian Zelley, Jim Walshaw, and Ian Duddy

THE VICTORIA  ATHLETIC ASSOCITION BOXING PROGRAM -  September 1976 Coaches: Mike Caird, Brian Zelley and Lou Bujdoso \ TRAINING -  FIGHTS - TOURNAMENTS The three coaches were Mike Caird, Brian Zelley and Lou Bujdoso, also helping from time to time were Bob Perry, Don Shaw and Larry Montgomery (photo - coach Brian Zelley working with Danny O'Sullivan before  the actual change from the London Boxing Club to the new name of Victoria Athletic Association  (Vitctoria Athletics) Those were interesting years in the late Seventies when the Victoria Athletic Associations was very active, and the training took place in the gym at the Quadra Recreation Cenre which would also be the site of some of our clubs shows. - Training and boxing: (photo: Mike Caird leading a shadow boxing routine with VAA director Brian Turnbull being part of the training process.  Looking on was a novice trainee following the action. Throughout the yea