Mansoor EsmailThe Calgary Boxing Club (CBC) was originally established in 1979 as the National Boxing Club by Mansoor Esmail. Mansour and his family left Uganda in the early seventies to escape the military coup lead by President Idi Amin.
I was first introduced to Mansoor in 1978 through Peter Devine, a former Scottish Junior Boxing champion while playing soccer. Always having a keen interest in boxing, I followed Peter Devine to the Bob Bahan swimming complex where Mansoor was training a number of amateur boxers. Mansoor had studied physical fitness in Copenhagen and Denmark and had a background in boxing. Being a fitness enthusiast, Mansoor always had a desire to open his own gym/fitness establishment, and in 1978 he retired from the City of Calgary and opened his own fitness club at 8th Avenue and 5th Street.. For the next 3-4 months, Peter Devine, Brad Bevan, others and myself were trained by Mansoor, while we continued to build what would become the National Fitness Centre. The first athlete to sign-up for boxing lessons was Nathan Horseman. Mansoor was quickly recognized as an innovator and leader in the fitness industry, having been one of the first fitness instructors to introduce circuit and interval training which he had learned while in Uganda and Europe. The National Fitness Centre soon became known as the place to train if you were a serious athlete or desired a high level of fitness. Mansoor became notorious for his Saturday morning circuit training session. It wouldn’t be uncommon to see a number of men wilt in exhaustion while trying to follow the lady in front of them through a one hour high intensity circuit training session. These Saturday morning sessions continue today. Mansoor passed in 2008 but left a lasting legacy that lives on. Over the past 40 years the Club has changed locations and eventually became known as Calgary Boxing Club (1993). Although the Club has had many successful athletes, more important have been the enduring friendships and life lessons that have been taught to our youth through the sport of boxing. I would like to thank all the members of Calgary Boxing Club, both past and present, for their contribution in what has become one of the most celebrated and formidable Clubs in Canada. - Kevin McDermott, Head Coach |
The 'M' and 'E' in our logo pays homage to our first coach, Mansoor Esmail
The following article was published in
The Calgary Herald, October 13th 2005
Get connected: Find time to share your feelings with those you care about
I thought of him often, but didn't talk to him much. We enjoyed each other's company and yet saw each other rarely.
He was a man whose dedication to his avocation had a profound effect on me.
He was the first of two mentors who defined what I am and helped shape me into a true fitness guy.
He was the first man I met whose job was fitness, who showed me there was a calling and an art to making others more physically capable.
I have modelled many of my techniques after his and hope to someday inspire others, as he has inspired me, to live a life more physical, a life more impassioned.
We hadn't spoken in almost a year. He had dropped into a boxing circuit class I was teaching and immediately took up position behind the heavy bag and began to coach. He dispensed advice to my weekday boxers with no less intensity than he had when working with Canadian champions.
He was there to share in the beauty that is a good workout, and when all was said and done, he shook my hand and said, "Peter, I am very proud of you."
Class finished. We shared a hug, shook hands and spoke of getting together soon.
And then, just like busy men everywhere, we fell right back into our lives.
Legendary Calgary boxing trainer Mansoor Esmail passed away last Thursday. I hope he knew what a difference he made in so many lives. I should have called him more often. I should have told him how much he meant to me.
What Is It?
It is the act of being emotionally connected.
It is letting those who you care about, those people who contribute emotionally to your life, recognize your appreciation.
Who Would This Appeal To?
Anyone with the genetic makeup of a human will be gratified being at either end of a real connection.
To connect with another is to stimulate the limbic system, that part of our primitive brain that drew us together as tribes to protect us, to share between us and to make our lives as a group more pleasurable.
Who Would Hate It?
Men, as a rule, dislike the intimacy of an emotional connection with another man.
It robs us of our illusion of independence and entails revealing us as not always the men we imagine ourselves to be.
It is difficult, it may be embarrassing and you may hate it -- but get over it. It is that important.
The Klutz Factor
The klutz factor is huge. Trying to say what you mean to say in the beginning will be very much like speaking with a foot in your mouth. Add to that the fact misinterpretation of what you are saying may well result in a kick in the ass.
I, like many men, do not practice staying connected to people outside my immediate family, for fear of seeming dependent or emotionally bereft.
Failing to negotiate those fears robbed me of a chance to let a man most important in my life know the value he brought me.
That is a trip, a stumble and a failure that we should consider unacceptable.
What Do You Need?
You don't need anything. If the feelings are there, what you need are the words to express them.
Remember, this does not have to be a soliloquy deserving of Shakespeare.
It is just a representation of how you feel. If you are hesitant about the process, as we all are, write down what you want to say.
Practice in front of the mirror a few times and make eye contact when you say it.
Simply mean what you say and say what you mean.
What Does It Cost?
The cost of trying to connect may be momentary embarrassment, whereas the cost of missing the opportunity will have you kicking yourself for a long, long time.
Bottom Line
Mansoor Esmail made my life richer and the lives of many boxers and fitness participants better. My kind thoughts and best wishes are with his family.
Pete Estabrooks is a personal trainer plying his trade at Probodies Gym and [email protected].
© (c) CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc.
The Calgary Herald, October 13th 2005
Get connected: Find time to share your feelings with those you care about
I thought of him often, but didn't talk to him much. We enjoyed each other's company and yet saw each other rarely.
He was a man whose dedication to his avocation had a profound effect on me.
He was the first of two mentors who defined what I am and helped shape me into a true fitness guy.
He was the first man I met whose job was fitness, who showed me there was a calling and an art to making others more physically capable.
I have modelled many of my techniques after his and hope to someday inspire others, as he has inspired me, to live a life more physical, a life more impassioned.
We hadn't spoken in almost a year. He had dropped into a boxing circuit class I was teaching and immediately took up position behind the heavy bag and began to coach. He dispensed advice to my weekday boxers with no less intensity than he had when working with Canadian champions.
He was there to share in the beauty that is a good workout, and when all was said and done, he shook my hand and said, "Peter, I am very proud of you."
Class finished. We shared a hug, shook hands and spoke of getting together soon.
And then, just like busy men everywhere, we fell right back into our lives.
Legendary Calgary boxing trainer Mansoor Esmail passed away last Thursday. I hope he knew what a difference he made in so many lives. I should have called him more often. I should have told him how much he meant to me.
What Is It?
It is the act of being emotionally connected.
It is letting those who you care about, those people who contribute emotionally to your life, recognize your appreciation.
Who Would This Appeal To?
Anyone with the genetic makeup of a human will be gratified being at either end of a real connection.
To connect with another is to stimulate the limbic system, that part of our primitive brain that drew us together as tribes to protect us, to share between us and to make our lives as a group more pleasurable.
Who Would Hate It?
Men, as a rule, dislike the intimacy of an emotional connection with another man.
It robs us of our illusion of independence and entails revealing us as not always the men we imagine ourselves to be.
It is difficult, it may be embarrassing and you may hate it -- but get over it. It is that important.
The Klutz Factor
The klutz factor is huge. Trying to say what you mean to say in the beginning will be very much like speaking with a foot in your mouth. Add to that the fact misinterpretation of what you are saying may well result in a kick in the ass.
I, like many men, do not practice staying connected to people outside my immediate family, for fear of seeming dependent or emotionally bereft.
Failing to negotiate those fears robbed me of a chance to let a man most important in my life know the value he brought me.
That is a trip, a stumble and a failure that we should consider unacceptable.
What Do You Need?
You don't need anything. If the feelings are there, what you need are the words to express them.
Remember, this does not have to be a soliloquy deserving of Shakespeare.
It is just a representation of how you feel. If you are hesitant about the process, as we all are, write down what you want to say.
Practice in front of the mirror a few times and make eye contact when you say it.
Simply mean what you say and say what you mean.
What Does It Cost?
The cost of trying to connect may be momentary embarrassment, whereas the cost of missing the opportunity will have you kicking yourself for a long, long time.
Bottom Line
Mansoor Esmail made my life richer and the lives of many boxers and fitness participants better. My kind thoughts and best wishes are with his family.
Pete Estabrooks is a personal trainer plying his trade at Probodies Gym and [email protected].
© (c) CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc.
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