Inspiration comes to us in many ways.  Many times it will come from positive role models in our own communities, often it will come from our parents who want the best for our futures.  It also comes from school teachers who show us the value of education and how education can help shape a better future.  Many of us are inspired by our heroes. I was inspire by my father to become a boxer and also by watching boxers like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard. My friends at school were inspired by footballers and all wanted to play for their favourite football teams.  Our inspirations and what influences us can shape our lives.

I recently wrote a blog about a friend of mine who I have known for many years. His name was Phillip Panadher and he had recently started to help out at the gym with the young lads who aspired to be boxers.  He had recently successfully come through rehab after 7 years of drug abuse and was looking and sounding brilliant.  He was lorry driving through a temping agency and told them he couldn't work on Tuesdays or Thursdays as he needed to be here at Spit n Sawdust to help train the children.. During his short time here Phil had a massive influence on the children and had a certain uncomplicated way of getting them to train.  It was like turning back the clock listening to him talk to the lads.  People these days seem to tip-toe around children so as not to offend them where as Phil was to the point and couldn't understand why they came boxing training but didn't seem to want to work hard.  It wasn't that he was strict he just would laugh at their excuses for not putting the effort in and tell them in the simplest of ways why it was important.  I remember doing the same thing to Phil when he was a child.  He reminded that I had laughed at him when he told me he lost his fight after winning the first round easily because he got too tired and had no energy left.  I had told him it was because he was unfit and should have trained harder.  He trained harder after that and won his next eight fight before discovering 'wine and women' and packing it all in.  His experience was helping him to inspire the boys at the gym to train harder.

On Thursday of last week Phil didn't turn up to training.  I knew that he had started to drink again but it was not on a regular basis and seemed to have it under control.  At the end of the Thursday's class My step Brother came into the gym to see me asking what I was doing after training so I told him I was going home.  He the asked if I could go with him to see my sister because Phil had just died at her house and she was distraught.  I can't go into the details of what happened as there has to be an autopsy but on getting there, there were police both inside and outside the house.  My sister was inconsolable and there was a lot of emotion in the air.  Phil's body was still in my sisters house and rumours of what had taken place were spreading like wild fire.  It was a terrible evening.  Many of us had lost a close friend who seemed to be on the road to recovery.

This blog is about inspiration and what influences us.  Phil was starting to influence the lives of others in a positive way but at the same time was clearly dealing with demons in his own head.  2 days after Phil had died The Olympic torch arrived in England.  The Olympics will hopefully inspire future generations to take up sports and sport will become a focus that will lead them on the a successful life.  Phil knew the dangers that were out there and joined the boxing club to ensure others didn't go down the wrong road.......