By Ron Lane
Despite some people being surprised and even shocked, it is really nothing new, women have been fighting for centuries; ever since way back in 58AD when a swinging Pommie chick named Boudicca climbed on to her trusty chariot and went head-hunting Romans.
But as I sat and talked with Ella Boot, this very attractive 17-year-old young lady with long blond hair and a quite pleasant smile, I still found it hard to believe that she was indeed the newly-crowned amateur boxing champion on the Youth Commonwealth Games; Bahamas July 2017.
Mark Evans, her coach and mentor at the Cooroy Amateur Impact Boxing Academy, calls her the Smiling Assassin.
With a record of 22 fights for 21 wins, the nickname is I think, quite appropriate.
“I have always believed that girls should be allowed to do what they want. And not only that, we should also receive the same opportunities. Just look at what Rugby 7s has done for women’s contact sport.”
This was the answer she gave when I asked the obvious question, “Why boxing?”
Born in Essex, she had her first introduction to the world of sport when at three years of age her parents took her to a local gym, where she started in gymnastics.
“Turned out she was extremely flexible,” her mother Michelle said. “But most important of all it was a very friendly gym, so despite her age she started learning to mix with other children.”
Ella was just seven when her family migrated to Australia and settled in Cooroibah.
Once settled they enrolled Ella in the Noosa Nippers as an Under 8. ‘
“We wanted her doing something that was typically Australian and at the same time give her the opportunity to start learning some of the Aussie traditions,” her father Jeff said. “What could be more typical than the Nippers in a lifesaving club?”
However, during the three years that she was to be a part of the Nippers, she had occasion to go along to the Noosaville Budokan Karate club with a friend; this is what can only be described as the start of a total love affair with the combat sports of karate and boxing.
After several years of hard training and discipline, she had been up-graded to Black Belt 2nd Dan.
In competition she was also successful winning three Queensland titles, two National as well as two National bronze medals.
Then of course there was the travel. “While attending karate tournaments I had the opportunity to travel all over Australia; learning all about the country and competing – that was great.
When I started my boxing career the karate training definitely gave me a head start,” Ella said.
“At the Dojo I learnt to accept discipline and to meditate; in competition the meditation taught me to clear my mind and concentrate on the bouts that lay ahead. It is the same principal in boxing; a clear mind and the ability to focus on what my coach Mark Evans tells me.”
After her years in karate, Ella started to feel she needed a change.
Also, she had started to think about boxing. Regarding her time at the Budokan her Sensei (teacher) Rick Hislop said, “Despite her youth she really had it here (tapping his head with his fingers) she was incredibly tough and her concentration was unreal.”
“Deciding to step away from the Budokan I took a break. Because I was getting interested in boxing my dad used to take me out in the backyard to show me some of the basic differences between karate and boxing.”
“If she was going to change,’’ Jeff said, “I wanted her to understand that things were different in boxing. In karate the stance is wider, the hands are lower and the punch is different. However I emphasised that there were two very important things that were the same – focus and discipline.
“If she could accept that then well and good. I had some gear so we started to do some basic punching and it went from there.”
Once the decision to change to amateur boxing was made, she joined coach Mark Evans at the Cooroy Impact Boxing Academy and very quickly fitted in. “I could see right from the start that she was a very determined young lady,” Evans said, “but as to be expected it took some six months to adjust her footwork, punching and most important her balance.”
At the end of this time she was allowed to compete in her first tournament; she won – and this was the start of big things to come.
“I was very worried because she was a girl,” her mother said. “I knew she was very tough but most important, it was what she wanted to do. However the first time as a parent you really feel it.”
In a short period of time she won her first title that of Queensland Novice Champion.
By January of this year, with a string of titles to her credit and an undefeated record, she was picked in an Australian Podium Team for a two week development training camp in the Philippines.
Then in June, along with clubmate Chloe Halley, she was chosen for a three-week tour of the UK and Hungary as a member of the Boxing Australia Future Team (Female).
On this tour she had three fights for three wins – all against National Champions.
In the UK she won both the Hull and Haringey Cups and crossed over to Europe where she won the Wild Cats Hungarian Tournament. Two of these three wins were by TKO.
On returning home she fought for the ultimate, the right to represent her country at the July Youth Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas; she won and this gave her the biggest thrill of all, the rite to wear her country’s colours.
“Oh to wear those colours at the Commonwealth Games was the biggest thrill ever. This was really something; we had great coaches – Kevin Smith – head coach, Shara Romer – female coach and Kel Bryant. I owe those people so much.”
Her next major tournament will be the Female Youth World Championships. These will be held in Doha India in November and will indeed be tough on the family as they are self-funded.
“Fighting for Australia in the World titles, it would be good if a sponsorship deal came available,” her father said.
Now eighteen months into her boxing career her life is definitely full on. Her day starts with morning road work, then off to school as a student in Year 12 at Sunshine Beach High, then five nights it’s into the gym.
Also having finished her Certificate 3 in Fitness, she has now moved on to Certificate 4. Despite all this she still manages to fit in a part-time job in a coffee lounge. With great family support anything is possible.
What lies ahead after the boxing career I asked?
“Who knows – however I can always go back into Martial Arts – that’s something I could spend a lifetime perfecting.”
“Regarding her future,” her mother said, “Ella is not one to sit back and wait for handouts; she has set up her own website and for those wishing to know her better she is contactable on sportsbrand.com.au. Like all young girls she likes making new friends.”
Despite her success at local, national and international level, this young lady is still relatively unknown within the shire of Noosa.
However with continued good coaching, family support and management, there should be no reason for this well-mannered young athlete to remain unknown.
