The Hour

Rab Bannen has been running the Barn Boxing Club in Coatbridge for more than 30 years and has dedicated his life to the sport. He is a pillar of the community and is loved by all the kids who regularly train at the club.

People say that there should be a statue erected for the man. The Hour’s Michelle McManus paid the one in a million coach a visit at the club, and he was awestruck when he received his award:

“Boxing is life. Everything is boxing to me. The club’s got a great camaraderie and they’re all like brothers in here.”

John McLaughlin, who nominated Rab for the award, said: “I nominated him for the work he’s done in the community in the last 35 years and for the amount of kids that have come through that door. The amount of champions that he has produced is unbelievable. The club gives the kids somewhere to go during the week.”

Boxing has been in Rab’s family for years. His dad was a boxer and Rab fought at amateur level when he was younger. He is strict but fair and is very big on discipline. The kids really respect him.

16-year-old Mark McKeown, who is the current amateur British champion, said: “I was 11 when I started boxing and Rab’s been my coach for nearly five years now. He’s brilliant. Even when there are times that you can’t be bothered training Rab’s always getting you down the club to go again.”

Mark is hoping to get to the 2012 Commonwealth Games and he is sure that Rab will help him to get there and to get the gold medal.

Rab doesn’t think he will ever stop being a boxing coach as it’s his life: “Every club in the country just now is cutting back and we have had sponsorship over the years from really good guys. People out there that have the money want to spend it because young people are our future.”

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