TRENTON, N.S. – Walter Linthorne has come full circle.
Linthorne, who started his amateur (and later, professional) boxing career with the Albion Boxing Club almost 30 years ago, is the new head coach at the club, replacing Al Archibald, who stepped down after four-plus seasons as head coach.
“I first walked into the club in 1992 and now I’m the head coach,” said the 39-year-old Linthorne.
“I never thought that would ever happen. It’s kind of surreal.”
Linthorne had been an assistant coach at the club for the past few years, and said he believes the transition will be relatively seamless, due to his experience and familiarity with the boxers.
“I’m going to coach the same,” he said. “I think everything will fall into place. The club’s been going for 32 years I don’t think it’s going anywhere.”
He is just the third coach in the club’s 32-year history.
Club president Jim Worthen, who called Linthorne “the perfect candidate of the job,” said Archibald will still be involved with the club, instructing the women’s fitness class three times per week.
“He’s still going to be helping out with the club, running the ladies’ program. Al’s been with us for 10 years and four of those as a head coach,” Worthen added.
“He’s had national champions, had boxers win a lot of medals, so he’s a had a very successful run.”
Archibald was named Boxing Nova Scotia (BNS) Coach of the Year two seasons ago and has also garnered Volunteer of the Year honours from BNS.
Some Albion fighters will take part in a fight card on Sept. 21 at Northumberland Regional High School in Alma. That card will be hosted by the Westville Boxing Club.
In addition, the Albion Boxing Club has a card lined up for Nov. 16. This year, it will be at the NSCC campus in Stellarton. For the past several years, the club has staged cards at Summer Street Industries.
“Summer Street was always a good venue for us, but our cards have been so popular that we needed more space,” Worthen stated.
