Morning Star Boxing and Fitness Academy gets new lease of life

Members of Morning Star Boxing and Fitness Academy in Grootfontein are entering an exciting new chapter following a major refit of the club’s training facility by patron and coach Tim Wolstenholme.

The club has received a significant upgrade to its training room, creating a more professional and fully equipped environment for boxers and fitness enthusiasts in the Grootfontein community.

The improvements have been made possible with the support of community development officer Henry Munyama and the Grootfontein Municipality, which has provided the space from which the academy operates. Morning Star Boxing and Fitness Academy expressed its sincere thanks to Munyama and the Grootfontein Municipality for their assistance and for making the facility available to the club.

As part of the refit, Wolstenholme spent the weekend transforming the room, with the help of junior national champion Johannes Ndeiyta, into a well-equipped boxing gym, featuring hook and uppercut bags, floor-to-ceiling balls and six additional punching bags. The centrepiece of the upgraded facility is a four-metre boxing ring specially made and supplied by Wolstenholme with the support of local company Carbo Namibia and two good friends from England, Richard and Jenny Bugg.

The new equipment gives local boxers access to a broader range of training opportunities, allowing them to develop their punching technique, movement, timing, fitness and ring skills in a properly equipped environment.

The academy’s head coach and chairman, Johannes Shilimedimo, has recently moved to Ondangwa for work. While his move represents a change for the Grootfontein club, it also presents an exciting opportunity for Morning Star to expand its presence in northern Namibia.

The club is currently looking for suitable premises in Ondangwa and has reached out to the local municipality for support with the intention of establishing an additional Morning Star Boxing and Fitness Academy in the town. The aim is to replicate the same high standards of coaching, training and facilities that have been developed in Grootfontein.

Morning Star hopes that the new Ondangwa gym under the guidance of head coach Shilimedimo will provide another valuable platform for young people and boxing enthusiasts to become involved in the sport, improve their fitness and develop the discipline and confidence that boxing can offer.

The academy’s progress in Grootfontein demonstrates what can be achieved when people work together for a common goal. With Shilimedimo’s vision, the municipality providing the space, and Wolstenholme supplying and installing professional boxing equipment, Morning Star now has a facility capable of supporting the continued development of local boxing talent for many years to come.

Wolstenholme said: “The gym is busy, every training session is full, and we are lucky to have coach Thomas Shipanga, who we are looking to develop through the Level 1 coaching course taking place in Windhoek in the coming months. We could do with a few additional coaches to help, but we are all volunteers so it’s difficult to find people who want to. The training sessions are free for the young aspiring athletes to attend.”

“For us, it’s about so much more than boxing. If we can give them a safe place to train, someone to believe in them and the opportunity to discover what they are capable of, then every hour we give is worthwhile. Seeing young people grow in confidence, discipline and self-belief is what makes all the hard work worthwhile. They are the future of Namibia, and if we can play even a small part in helping them reach their potential, that means everything to us.”

The club now looks forward to building on this strong foundation, expanding the Morning Star name to Ondangwa while maintaining the same commitment to quality coaching, professional facilities, and the development of young people through boxing.

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