Nick McGarry has stepped into the role of Head Coach for the Royal Navy Boxing Association.
Nick McGarry is a retired amateur boxer, coach, and former Royal Marine. Currently serving in the Royal Navy as a Petty officer in the Catering Services Branch at Field Catering Troop CLR.
Born in Doncaster, on 7 November 1981, Nick grew up in the city and boxed for Doncaster Plant Works ABC Boxer between 1994-2005. The club has produced many champions and boasted some of Amateur boxings finest coaches. Nick boxed 70+ bouts with the club, and was consistently ranked within the top 10, competing against some of the best boxers in the country.
In 2001 Nick won the national novice championship in the 91kg+ class B under 20 bouts at the National Novice Championships.
Joining the Royal Marines in 2005, Nick served 12 years before transferring to the Royal Navy in 2017 and has served 18 years. From 2006 to 2009, Nick was selected every season to represent the Royal Navy team under Head Coach Graham Alderson, now a GB team coach.
In 2009 he was part of a strong Royal Navy Team who just fell short of beating the Army for the UKAF team title. Nevertheless, he won the combined service boxing title at 86kg for the Royal Navy. He went on to represent the UKAF team at the quarter-final stages of the national championships.
Upon stepping back from the team, Nick was promoted to Corporal, where he continued to go to local boxing gyms to train and help boxers with sparring before attaining his level 1 coaching badge in 2012 and level 2 in 2014.
In 2017, Nick’s career moved over to the Royal Navy Catering Services branch as a Petty Officer (CS), where he continued coaching boxing in his spare time for the Royal Marines and at Royal Navy establishments. During this time, Nick helped to prepare a team from the Royal Marines to compete against the USMC in a boxing event at CTCRM.
Nick said, “My coaching experience at the grassroots level includes working with boxers at units and ships around the Royal Marines and Royal Navy, helping to mentor fighters for training and competitions.
“I also enjoy helping to develop the sport of boxing and supporting people who just want to train to improve fitness levels through the benefits of boxing.”
Nick is also a certified Advanced Boxercise Instructor.
In 2021, post covid, he spent time as the Royal Navy assistant head coach, mentoring team boxers to success in fixtures and helping to produce Corps Boxing and Combined Service champions.
Currently the CLR head boxing coach, Nick has consistently run popular training sessions and prepared boxers to box for the corps championships, keeping them ready to compete on the RNRMBA Fixture list throughout the season.
Regularly, Nick takes the CLR team to Barum Boxing Club in Barnstaple for sparring sessions and training.
Nick recently qualified as a Grade C judge in his spare time and is part of the North Devon Officials, actively officiating and encouraging local boxing talent.
Nick said, “I feel honoured to be offered the Royal Navy boxing head coach role. I look forward to the new season and working with the many talented boxers.
“I am keen to seek out new boxing talent from around the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, and I am extremely optimistic about success for the team within HM forces and at a national level.”
If you want to learn more about boxing training with Nick or join the team, get in touch to find out more.
