Getting your priorities straight

Obviously I am a great believer in the things that can be achieved with Martial Arts. Not just through physical  training, but through the qualities that are inherent within its teachings: discipline, respect and humanity. One of the greatest exports that Britain has is its pugilistic merits. " The British have always been handy with their fists" to quote a book from the turn of the century that's title escapes me!
Boxing has been removed from the school curriculum in the UK since 1962, but there has been a serious campaign in recent years to get it back up there.

"Chairman of the Amateur Boxing Association Keith Walters said boxing in schools could benefit children by boosting their overall fitness, reaching out to disengaged young people and improving their self-esteem, discipline and self confidence."

I couldn't agree more but boxing is stuck with the label of violence, but only to those who do not practice it. If you are a martial artist of any discipline/style I think that you too would see that this label is unfair! It is often equated that cultivating a healthy sense of competition is damaging to our youth. Well I say that is the biggest pile of bullshit I've heard. To send your children off into the world with no real sense of the hardship or unfairness of life is irresponsible. Yet here, whilst in school, we can cement values in our primary kids that will take them through life, standing them in good stead for adulthood. Teach them that the world owes them nothing but does not hold it against them if they try their hardest. Sometimes no matter how hard you try it may not be enough, but respect is earned from oneself and from ones peers by trying. Compete in safety against someone who holds the same principles as you and you will find a true friend not an enemy. I digress, my true point here is that the combat arts have never received the true backing of the people that can make a difference:the ones who hold the purse strings. It's all about the bandwagon for UK Sport and Sport Scotland. I've been there looking for funding in previous years-no chance, despite some of our brightest talent emerging from the field of contact sport. I hold up any amateur practitioner of fight sports over that of a professional Football player as a role model any day. We train hard and juggle more things for less reward to be labelled as thugs. I know fighters I've been around them, in various countries, to know they are the nicest group of people you could meet. Why? because they have discipline, respect and humanity. In Britain amateur boxing engenders those qualities. No one cared until the Olympics of 2012 where we cleaned up. Support was suddenly very forthcoming from the government. Sports Minister Hugh Robertson has recently warned of government intervention as the sport is in serious danger of losing £10 million of IOC(International Olympic Committee) funding over a battle between governing bodies.What is more important Hugh? the lack of development in the sport or the financial investment? So what is today's message? Stay true to what you love and stay in love with what is true to you.