A STIRLING club could top off its most successful year by landing a prestigious sportscotland Scottish Sports Award.

Jonesy’s Boxing Club was set up just three years ago by James Casey to keep youngsters in Plean off the streets by giving them an outlet through sport.

Now, the gym has been put forward for the Local Club of the Year award, following the impact it has had on the community.

James and his team renovated an old pigeon club into their boxing gym, in 2014, and are now looking to expand with membership continually growing.

Richard Welsh, whose son boxes with Jonesy’s, put the club forward to be recognised by sportscotland, the national agency for sport.

He said: “There isn’t much for the kids to do in Plean, so what James has done is give the young kids from primary-school age an avenue to get involved in after-school programmes.

“They have delivered basic introduction to boxing classes in primary schools and how it can improve their fitness and confidence, it’s grown into a community project now.

“They have a younger kids class from ages five to nine and that’s bursting at the seams now because you have all of the youngsters coming in who love it. It’s had a real positive impact on the community.

“James is strong on getting the kids off the streets and giving them something to do, he wants to keep youngsters on the straight and narrow by getting them involved in boxing.

“A big part of that is going into the primary schools to try and instil the attitude early on that you don’t get anything for free, you have to work for things. The training is full-on and hard but there are great rewards too.”

In 2017 Jonesy’s boxers have taken home seven medals from the Tri-Nations Championships, landed three gold medals at the Box Cup in Dublin and had two members, John Casey and Ryan Reekie, both 17, represent Team Scotland at the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas.

Commenting on the recent success Richard said: “There were seven boxers representing the club at the Tri-Nations and every one of them took home a medal. It was a good return and also great recognition for the club.

“The other boys look up to the two guys who went on to represent Scotland at the Youth Commonwealth Games, they train with them day in, day out. It’s not like they are hearing about the success of people at big world tournaments, it’s not pie in the sky, they are actually seeing it with their own eyes.

“They can see if they train and dedicate themselves like these guys they can follow in their footsteps. John and Ryan are brilliant with the youngsters, they push them on.

"If something is not working they give them advice, they are always coaching them. It’s not just the coaches that do it – everyone gets involved.

“Ryan and John’s attitude to training is second to none, I’ve never seen dedication like it. That’s had a massive influence on the success of the club.

“The bar is getting raised every year, but there are youngsters coming in who will bring more success to the club. They have created a conveyor belt of talent.

“I think it’s the work at the primary schools that has created that. It is only a small gym and it’s bursting at the seams now. It’s not just about focusing on the established boxers, but looking at the youngsters coming through.”

Richard’s son Lee, 13, was diagnosed with non-hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2016 and the entire boxing club rallied round him.

Lee was given the all-clear in June last year and Richard has praised boxing and everyone at Jonesy’s for helping his son during his battle with cancer.

He said: “I firmly believe that it was the boxing that got him through his chemotherapy. When he was diagnosed, everyone involved at the club shaved their heads in support and that was brilliant.

“Lee recovered from cancer and got the all-clear in June, he came back and won the district championships and has represented Scotland since then.

“Since starting boxing Lee’s confidence has gone through the roof and he’s won medals and boxed for Scotland, the whole package. It’s unbelievable.”