Junior Mma Fighter Wanted For Cage Gladiators

[Bruce]

Jack McGann at Cage Gladiators last year

[Ozzie]

I think this needs to be put in perspective. These lads are fighting under good supervision wearing shin guards with no head contact allowed and if a submission is on then they tap out before injury occurs and they are experienced enough to know when to tap.

Here in the Uk we already have School Boy Boxing which allows full contact blows to the head and we have Junior Kick Boxing with both Punches and Kicks allowed to the head and have no issues with the safety of these events. In fact there are Junior Olympics for boxing.

Junior Muay Thai is similar to the MMA were head contact is not allowed and leg protection is worn and there are many hundreds of events going on every year.

My personal experience comes from Muay Thai and over the last 20+ years we have seen the junior ranks produce most of the top fighters of today. Probably the UK`s best Muay Thai fighter at present is Liam Harrison from Leeds who had many bouts as a junior and at the age of 14 was fighting adults on adult shows and winning easily.

I currently have a lad "Kamen" who is aged 13. Two weeks ago he won his 2nd fight in Thailand under "Full rules", his first one was last year aged 12. This was only possible due to him gaining experience as a junior from the age of 6 until today. There are many lads this age from the Uk`s top Thai gyms fighting out in Thailand under "Full Rules" with no protection that are not getting hurt due to their vast experiences as UK juniors.

These lads are being looked after by pro coaches and aren`t exactly lambs to the slaughter. They are doing it because they want to and are good enough to.


Kamen in Thailand December 2006

Bruce I am not against the boys fighting at that age, just a bit concerned that it should be done at the same time as adults fighting pro, and in a night club at that. There are some who might use this as amunition to attack MMA. Also fighting in Thailand as a child is something that is accepted in that culture. MMA in the UK is an emerging sport that the general public sadly have a distorted view of. So kids fighting in the cage does not create as much sensation as a kid fighting in Thailand.

[Bruce]

Jack McGann warming up with Steve Clarke

[dirty dick]

I thought I’d chip in at this point as the parent of a fighter who started MMA training at 13, kicked off his Amateur MMA career with his first ‘event’ fight at 15, and now just turned 17 is four fights in with another two lined up over the next couple of months.

I do think that junior contests at events are a good opportunity and a valuable learning experience for youngsters. However, I do believe that they need to have some level of experience and had a good training regime prior to a well assessed match up.

Personally I’ve never had a problem with my son training or competing in MMA, it’s want he really wants to do and to say he enjoys it is an understatement. Both his Mother (a senior social worker!) and I wholeheartedly support him in his ambition to make it in the sport. We are grateful to and confident that the trainers at his club have and continue to do a very professional job regarding all aspects of his chosen ‘career’. This latter comment about professionalism is IMHO key to both the mitigation of potential injury scenarios at senior and junior levels during training and events, and also to the success or failure of MMA as a publicly acceptable mainstream sport in the UK.

Over the last few years we have seen an explosion in the number of ‘organisations’ and ‘level’ of MMA events taking place in the UK. We have also witnessed many new fighters getting involved in the sport. Some more cynical than I may see many of these new organisations as bandwagon jumpers financially feeding on fighters desires to compete, they may also perceive that some organisations may not have the fighters interest at heart when it comes to insurance and purses.

Although I’ve been happy with the organisations and events my son has fought at so far I am becoming concerned about the rapid development of MMA in the UK. As an outsider one gets the impression that the MMA fight scene in the UK is becoming akin to the wild-west frontier of old.

I think it is right to start asking questions about insurance, rules (which I have seen vary at different events), fighter welfare, and about standards in the sport generally. Hopefully these sorts of questions will be answered because it’s in the sports and promoters own interest to do so.

I’ll end on a question, where can the public, press and those who want to get involved in MMA seek out information about how well the sport is run? The answer should literally fit on the back of a stamp, nowhere. Like it or loath it the sport needs some form of umbrella organisation to field its interests, promote good practice and give it credibility in the face of continuing public criticism.

Paul (an interested partial outsider who is now off to put on a flame suit)

What an excellent post, definately no need for a flame suit.

I would like to know how many mma coaches & promoters,that are involved with the promotion and coaching of children have any level of child protection awareness training? Many of the olympic sports now DEMAND that any coach of their sport must at least complete training in relation to child protection or they are not allowed to coach the sport at any level.

On a point to Bruce - have you gained permission to post those pics of the boys from BOTH their parents? I certainly wouldn't wish for my childs pics to be put on the net without my consent

[Bruce]

What an excellent post, definately no need for a flame suit.

I would like to know how many mma coaches & promoters,that are involved with the promotion and coaching of children have any level of child protection awareness training? Many of the olympic sports now DEMAND that any coach of their sport must at least complete training in relation to child protection or they are not allowed to coach the sport at any level.

On a point to Bruce - have you gained permission to post those pics of the boys from BOTH their parents? I certainly wouldn't wish for my childs pics to be put on the net without my consent

I am one of the coaches, and yes I have permission and yes I am also CRB checked etc etc.

(there are pics available of Jacks last fight at Cage Gladiators but I dont have permission from his opponents parents so i didnt post them thats why I just posted a pic of Jack warming up instead)

There are a number of points to be raised here :

1. It is not, in any way illegal to take pictures in a public place in the UK, irrespective of what is going on.
2. Children have no more right (or indeed lack of right) to privacy than an adult.

There is a scheme in place to protect children involved in clubs and schools etc., which is operated by the Criminal Records Bureau. This is intended to screen people who come into close contact with children, and will give parents confidence that those people that temporarily care for their children are honest, good people. I have no problem with this (I am CRB checked myself), but it does not make the individual 'special', or give him any rights in law above any other person.

[dirty dick]

Thanks for the response, but i'm sure you understand that i challenge for the right reasons. This type of stuff is basic CP yet quite often it doesnt enter the minds of posters with a naieve outlook

response to point 1 - Many venues (in particular sports centres) now rule that use of photography is not permitted unless with accreditation. This then begs the question in relation to a public place. (If people are buying tickets / paying for sessions is this in the eyes of the law a public place? Or does that then make it a private event which the public have access to?) - Yes i realise this is a pedantic tangent but nevertheless a ponderism.

Response to point 2- I feel that children have a right to protection from harm and if that includes their privacy then so be it
With regards to CRB's - it certainly does not make one special, in fact it is just a fishing net with VERY large wholes that on occassion fishes out those that have previous convictions that may reflect potential harm to children in the future. It is more likely that coaches etc will come into the sport to exploit & have contact with children that do not have pre-cons

[david5]

CRB just means you've not been caught yet

[bigleeroy1]

for gods sake the kid just wants to fight he is at an exeptional level for his age (jack mcgann) and he wants to fight fight on the big shows to show off his talent if his parents have not got a problem and his oppents parents have not got a problem then why stick ya nose in, ive been to pro boxing show that had amature kids on as a pre dinner warm up and nobody kicked up this much fuss about them repeatedly punching each other in the head for adults entertainment.

oh and for the record the olympia is not a nightclub its a great venue much like an oprah house with balconys and great vues

www.liverpoololympia.com

[dirty dick]

My posts Leeroy are not "sticking ma nose in" - i dont particularly care for the individuals, but what i do care about is the well being of the sport as a whole & the protection of children,

Possibly this thread has gone off on a tangent & should really have been as a new thread. However imo MMA is lightyears behind other sports in CP matters(due to its relative infancy) and people feel that quite often kids can just get in the ring and get on with it. When there are absolutely no systems in place to act as a safetynet.

[CAGE GLADIATOR]

BIG DICK.

In your expert opinion do you regard MMA as a sport?

What better way of converting ignorant MMA philistines and projecting it as a legitimate sport is there than showcasing the country's best junior talent.

Personally I can not at this moment set up a governing body for MMA in this country, but I can strive to make it accepted by educating ignorant people through the media and running professional top class events.It is not human cockfighting in a cage.

I have already converted purist boxing journalists and it should be accepted that UFC's invasion of the UK has had the most positive impact on the sport over here.

For the sport to grow kids have got to dream of being the next "Bisping", "Rampage" etc- now bear in mind the two juniors who fought on our show were cornered by Mike Bisping and Jason Tan- they were highly skilled young athletes- not two tearaway kids brawling as I have seen in tens of ammateur Boxing shows held at the Olympia.

Dont start talking about why pictures have gone up etc, that is just completely lowering the tone of this "discussion" .