“We’ve got really good people here and they all want to help each other and they’re all kind of on the same team.”
That is from Rick Duff, owner of the Lethbridge Boxing Club.
Duff, who also serves as a coach at the gym, said the club has programs for people of all ages and all walks of life, with a focus on building community and self-defense skills.
He adds that going to the gym can also benefit your mental health.
“I believe that right now, there’s so much going on in our world that [there’s] a lot of frustration and anger, and I’ve got the equipment so people can smash it,” Duff said with a laugh. “You can just come in, get sweaty, and learn to defend yourself. I think that everybody should have some skills to defend themselves.”
Duff said he has been involved with the LBC since the late 1970s, but the club’s history goes back to 1937, when it operated out of a Quonset by the Lethbridge Airport.
Now, those interested in stepping into the ring can stop by the club at 110 22 Street North.
“We provide a service to all ages to come down and enjoy a gym that requires a lot of work and [helps] get rid of some of the burden of life and stress and builds some good relationships and builds some good mental health [habits],” Duff told My Lethbridge Now.
HELPING KIDS
Duff said his team includes about five to six volunteer coaches, with one of the club’s main goals being to steer youth in the ‘right direction’ and keep them off the streets or involved in any unruly activity.
“It’s easy to get enticed by ‘problematic stuff’, you know, with some people that you interact with. We’ve got really good people here and they all want to help each other and they’re all kind of on the same team,” he said. “That’s the team part of the boxing club – is being together, working out together as a team.”
He hopes students learn resilience and skills that can help them outside the gym.
“If I’m going to teach you the skill, you have to respect me, and the gym and yourselves not to look for fights,” Duff remarked.
He said he has worked with some local youth who were looking to improve their circumstances in life and is very proud of the success that athletes have seen.
One of his standout students is Kyle Oliver.
Some of Oliver’s accomplishments include a gold medal at the 2016 Alberta Winter Games, five provincial championships and selection to the 2022-2023 Canadian National Team for the Boxing Canada High Performance Program.
Oliver has also been named the recipient of the Lethbridge Sport Council’s Senior Male Athlete 2025 title, as part of the council’s annual Achievement Awards program.
“I work with people, and I can see that, ‘wow, they’re a success’. They were going through tough times and turbulence but are now quite successful,” Duff stated.
He added that he is always looking for more coaches or volunteers to come in and supervise lessons.
Those interested in learning more can visit the Lethbridge Boxing Club website.
