Toronto Newsgirls Boxing Club posted this on their Facebook page this morning:
“Today is our last day in the gym and we are inviting you to come down and have a turn at painting over the Newsgirls logo on the wall behind the ring. It’s a slightly dramatic ending but to us it’s more of a ritual of closing down one fort and moving towards another equally special playground for hitting things.
1pm
CBC will be in the house.
Please wear masks and practice social distancing.
Prepare to be shocked when you walk in the gym, it’s not as pretty as it used to be.
Hope to see you out,
Coach Kapow!”
You can read about the closing here: ‘Everybody was crying’: After 24 years Canada’s first all-female boxing club has closed. COVID-19 was the sucker punch.
It’s sad. It’s the end of an era. But it’s not the end of Newsgirls even though the physical space is no more.
Coach Savoy says, “It’s not the end of Newsgirls,” she said. “Newsgirls has a strong foundation and a lot of community support … we will get back on our feet.”
She’s got plenty of ideas, and a few jokes — maybe she’ll start a motorcycle gang! For now she’s teaching pay-what-you-can classes in a park and looking out for whatever might come next.
“I can always find people to help out,” she said. “When you have access to a strong community there’s so much you can do.””
I loved boxing when I gave it a try at Newsgirls during my Toronto based sabbatical four years ago. I’ve always planned to go back.
Sounds like I won’t be going back to the same location but I’ll be tracking down Coach Savoy. See you then Kapow!
