Positive Impact Stories
Celebrating the inspiring stories of our clubs making a positive difference in their communities every day.
Hackney Laces
Player X, 14 joined Hackney Laces four seasons ago with a personal goal: to get better at football. Since then, she has become one of the most dedicated and passionate members of the team. Her commitment is unmatched — she has the highest attendance rate in the group and consistently shows up to training and tournaments. Her reliability and dedication have earned her the respect of her peers, even being voted “Players’ Player of the Match” — a testament to both her skills and her positive attitude. When she first arrived at Hackney Laces, she rarely spoke up or asked questions. However, through consistent one-to-one development time and a supportive environment, she has grown in confidence — not just on the pitch, but off it too. She now tackles challenges head on and has become a vocal, self-assured presence in the group. She credits this personal growth to the time, attention, and encouragement she received at Laces.
The Laces had 5 players who had informal conversations relating to exclusions, suspensions, mental health breaks and overall disengagement in schools. Majority mentioned feeling disengaged at school due to a lack of support and continuing to attend training sessions gives them a safe space to feel heard and supported. In this current 2024/25 season, the Laces have seen higher attendance in school and training sessions for 3/5 players who were the most challenged last season.
West Ham Boxing Club
From player X, aged 14: "Boxing has helped me more than I can explain. I felt really lost and angry all the time. When I joined the boxing club, everything started to change. The coaches believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. They didn’t just teach me how to fight they helped me understand my emotions, control my anger, and stay focused on something positive. Winning the London Championships, the Three Nations, and the Nationals felt amazing, but it’s not just about the medals. It’s about how strong I feel now in my mind and in my body. This club helped me find myself again. I’m proud to be part of it, and I want to go even further. They’ve always told me I can and now I believe it too.”
Hackney Jedis
Player X, aged 11, joined Hackney Jedis a year and half ago. As an autistic child, he had struggled to find an extracurricular club where he fit in and enjoyed the activities sustainably. To begin with, he was shy and at times hesitant to get involved but with the attention and care from the youth coaches, his confidence grew and he quickly became an integral member at training. He then played in his first competitive game for the Mixed U10s B team – again, although shy initially, he consistently showed up to games to earn a starting spot, as well as making appearances for the Mixed U12s B squad. We are super proud.
Together with his older brother, who plays for the Boys U16s team, the family are now very involved with the club, supporting many older squad games also – we are lucky to have them. On truancy, we have no access to data. However, we have qualitative confirmation that school attendance of the Jedis at Oasis Academy improves each year through being involved with the basketball activities of the club.
Laburnum Boat Club
Player X is the third of three siblings, who live with their single parent in a two-bedroom council estate property with no garden. He has ADHD and has struggled at secondary school and to engage consistently with any activities outside of school. His two older siblings attended Laburnum and brought him down to join in. Straight away, he felt at home on the water and expressed joy at being able to take part in physical activity, which gave him a “freedom” that he didn’t have anywhere else in his life. Player X started to attend regularly and this year he has passed his Paddlesport Safety and Rescue Course, learning to look after himself and others on the water, a first aid course and a Paddlesport Instructor course. After struggling to engage with exams at school, he is now volunteering as a Paddlesport Instructor assistant with us over the summer at Laburnum and doing well at leading others and taking on responsibilities.
His mum has said that this is the only place that he feels safe, welcome and that he has finally found somewhere and something that he can achieve in. Later this week, he is going to Christ Church University with Laburnum and YES. None of his siblings have gone to university and no-one he knows goes to Ox-bridge or Russell group universities, but sport science interests him in a way that no other subject does and he now sees the sky as the limit for his ambitions in the future.
Edmonton Eagles Amateur Boxing Club
From player X, aged 15: “I first found out about the club from my friend who used to come here right before lockdown. I came to a few sessions with him but never took it seriously. Then lockdown hit and I stopped exercising. A couple years passed by and I became really obese. I had really low self esteem due to my weight but didn’t have the discipline to change it. That’s when I decided to come back to boxing in order to lose weight because it was not only a sport I was interested in but it would help me lose weight.
A few months went by and I was seeing more and more progress. This gave me the confidence to try to have an amateur bout. However, my mum was worried about my behaviour at school and so along with my boxing coaches we spoke about how I can be better at school and attend the boxing sessions. When we sorted this out I began training harder than ever and eating clean as well (which I had neglected up until this point). I was excited to showcase my skills but then I caught the flu and the bout was cancelled. I still managed to attend the show with my dad, who for the first time showed interest in my boxing. I was also able to help support the boxers from our club.
However, I was still devasted as I had never worked so hard in my life towards something and I had nothing to show for it. This sent me down a spiral of inconsistency and laziness. I didn’t stop training completely as I would pop in here and there but it wasn’t how I was before. This was until I started my work experience at the club as it made me appreciate the sport of boxing so much more. I am now back in training again for an amateur bout. I want to thank eagles not only for the amazing work experience
Left Hook Boxing Club
‘Started boxing at 13/14 on and off across various gyms, was getting into trouble at school for misbehaving and fighting. He lives with his nan and grandad from birth as his parents didn’t want him. He was heading down the wrong path and mixing with street kids/gangs so he was put in a school for troubled kids who like boxing, he there met one of our coaches and started at Left Hook at the age of 16. He’s been with us just over a year and we managed to take him to Sweden last year where he won Gold… he is such a nice polite young man who is now looking to do some sport courses at college. He doesn’t see his life without boxing.’
‘Started training at Left Hook at the age of 14, was keen to learn and get fitter/stronger through boxing. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to compete due to school commitments. In his last year of school he lost his mother, we gave him the support we could, a few weeks later he lost his father. We told him to stay in the gym as he was part of our family now, we gave him free membership and unlimited use of our gym. We just wanted to keep him around good people as we know only to well how boxing helps people in hard times. We supported him as well as we could and this young man became an inspiration to me. He went on to ace his GCSEs and further education. He is now doing really well and is a qualified football coach himself. I am still in touch with him and am proud of this young man.’
Lea Rowing Club
Player X, aged 17: “I joined the Lea about two years ago, and it quickly became an important part of my life. When I first started, rowing was more of a hobby than a sport. I quickly fell in love with it and have been determined to always do better. Early mornings and training programs have disciplined me in every part of my life. It also gave me a chance to relieve stress from my academics and social life. The Lea has taught me teamwork, resilience, leadership, focus, self-belief, and accountability within the boat.
The coaches have always been there to give that final push whenever we need it. On land and on the water. The Lea isn’t just a place to train. With the hours we train, it almost becomes a second home. The relationships we build with everyone make us almost a family. They’re there with you every step of the way to make sure you improve as well, because at the end of the day, we all move as one in the boat. Rowing is a tough sport. Early mornings, hard ergs, pushing boundaries, outworking others, and constant competition all push our mental boundaries. The friends I’ve made and the constant support from our coaches have shaped us into who we are now, I was even nominated and won a Jack Petchy award thanks to the club!”
Islington Boxing Club
Players X and Y were twin brothers, aged 14, who joined our Junior academy section, they fitted in well, although they were a little reserved. After a few months of regularly attending the Club, their Mother , made an appointment to see our CEO to discuss an issue that had risen at home, it transpired that their Father had been arrested, and due to the seriousness of the crime (drug related) he would not be given bail, he was eventually sentenced to twelve years imprisonment.
Understandably this had an adverse effect on both boys, they took their Fathers absence took this very badly and started to ‘play up’ at home, acting up at school and refusing to do their homework, they also refused to return to the Club, preferring to sit in their bedrooms playing computer, which worried their mother considerably. Our CEO, LH, asked for her to bring the boys to the Club so he could speak to them, this chat resulted in them both returning to training. Both boys excelled, attending training on a regular basis which resulted in them both winning many titles, including London Champion, National Finalists, as well as winning a couple of Box Cups on behalf of the Club. They were both awarded Bursaries from Power Day Foundation, enabling them to purchase their own gloves, headguards etc.
Pedro Youth Club
Player X, aged 6: “ I enjoy the boxing and have new friends. People are nice to me and I love camp.” Player X’s mum has been bringing him to Pedro for the past two years three times a week. If it wasn’t for the boxing that he enjoys so much, he would be at home drawing. He is more active, and the boxing has strengthened his mind as gives great discipline. He now works as a team and is kind to all. As a young black boy he needs self-defence as it is vital. The club has brought him out of his shyness.
Player Y, aged 17: “ I’ve been back at the club for two years now having taken a break due to covid. The club means community and 100% family. I’ve built my own discipline mindset from here - this is my get away.” He stated he wouldn’t be as strong physically and can’t imagine a life without Pedro. He has just finished school and wants to take a gap year as his last years of school were intense. He is looking for work experience, whilst figuring out what he wants to study. He’d love to possible travel a bit.