Young emerging boxers on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia have received a timely boost to their training, courtesy of the US-based Pompey Foundation, which officially handed over a shipment of essential boxing equipment to the Saint Lucia Boxing Association earlier this week. The donation, which includes new pairs of boxing gloves, hand wraps and protective training pads, aims to lift barriers for emerging talent and expand grassroots boxing development across the island.
The handover ceremony was led by Serieana Pompey, daughter of former Saint Lucian boxer and coach John Pompey, the founder of the foundation. For years, Pompey’s organization has prioritized supporting local athletic groups in his home country, having previously delivered sports gear to multiple clubs across Saint Lucia. This past summer, the foundation also organized the popular Pompey Mile Run community event to encourage local recreational fitness.
Conrad Fredericks, the national head coach of Saint Lucia’s boxing program, accepted the donation at the National Boxing Gym located in Vigie, Castries. In an interview with local outlet St Lucia Times, Fredericks expressed deep gratitude for the ongoing commitment Pompey has shown to the island’s boxing community — a connection that stretches back more than 20 years, when Fredericks first coached a young Pompey at the gym.
Fredericks emphasized that Pompey’s generosity stems from his long-held gratitude for the foundation the local gym laid for his career. “He remembered what the gym has done for him,” Fredericks said. “He remembered how far he has come from, even though he reached America, and now he ended up donating. We appreciate what he sent. I thank him so much for the things that he sent for the boxing gym. He didn’t just think of himself, he invested in the next generation of boxers coming up in the gym, and he showed his gratitude for what we’ve done for him.”
Today’s National Boxing Gym looks drastically different from the space Pompey trained in at the turn of the century. The current facility spans more than 2,000 square feet, features a full-size competition ring, and holds tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment sourced through the International Boxing Association (IBA). Looking back, Fredericks recalled the modest conditions of the early 2000s, when Pompey was an active trainee.
“Back in around 2000 when Pompey was a member, we had a very small gym,” he said. “From the time he moved on, the gym has moved to another level. We have more boxers, we have a bigger gym. In his time, we had four bags, two big bags and two small ones. And now we have over 12 bags in the gym. We have a male and a female washroom. Everything is different from his time. Boxing has grown, and a lot of it came from what he did in his time.”
For his part, Pompey said his commitment to giving back grows from a core personal belief: staying rooted in the community that shaped you. “I never forget where I came from,” Pompey said. “It feels great to be able to give back. My foundation was able to make a donation to Saint Lucia boxing. To God be the Glory.”
In a public statement following the donation, the Saint Lucia Boxing Association confirmed that the newly received equipment will be integrated into existing training and youth development programs, with a specific focus on expanding access for school-aged boxers. The federation officially extended its sincere thanks to Pompey and his entire family for their consistent, long-standing support of growing the sport of boxing across Saint Lucia.