VICTORIA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

THE VICTORIA  ATHLETIC ASSOCITION

BOXING PROGRAM -  September 1976

Coaches: Mike Caird, Brian Zelley and Lou Bujdoso

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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.

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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 years 1976 to 1979, there was much activity in the building above

with the gym for training and a dance floor for staging boxing cards and a lounge

where education courses could be conducted through the efforts of folks like

BERT LOWES.

Action in one of the bouts on a VAA hosted

boxing card.  There were some excellent 

shows and one of the top bouts of all time

was  three round ring war between

 DERRICK HOYT

            VS

JAMIE OLLENBERGER 

JUNIOR BOXERS show the crowd in the

audience how it is done with a well placed

left jab 

A Summary of the Seventies for the VAA

"Seventiss Boxing Birth Growth Commendable"

reprint from the Sportcaster, by B. Zelley, January 9, 1980

"Amateur boxing in Victoria started the Seventies in a 

decade on doubt but closes out the 1970's

with a rccord of growth and achievement.

In the early years boxing was on the ropes

with limited activity and public exposure.

In the last six years amateur boxing in Victoria

has made a strong comeback and has created

a new wave of interest.

From 1970 to 1976 boxing was kept alive

through the efforts of 

Mike Caird, Gordie McGaw and Larry Montgomery.

In 1974, three veteran boxers joined the activity

With the help of Dan Wright, Ian Weir and Brian Zelley

the boxing program was able to expand.

The first local boxer to receive National attention 

was WAYNE CROWE

he was a silver medalist in the Nationals in '74 and '76.

In 1975, the boxing program received  a boost when the

London Boxing Club helped with financial assistance

to aid in the increased cost of of travelling to 

tournaments and club shows.

On June 6, 1976, the club hosted an 

English schoolboy 

vs

BC select junior boxers

Tournament.

On August 31, 1976, the Victoria Athletic Association

was formed and took over sponsorship of the

boxing program.

The top three junior boxers to emerge in 

the last several years include

Gary Robinson, Cliff Ballendine and Matt Montgomery.

Boxing expanded in 1978 when LOU BUJDOSO

received the support of the Victoria Jaycees

to form the Lakehill Boxing Club which would

come to be known as the Victoria Jaycees Boxing Club.

The combined boxing clubs with join together

in 1980 to sponsor the 

1980 British Columbia Diamond Belt Championships

in February."