Judy Murray's ITV show encouraging girls into sport packed a punch in Manchester
| Published date | 22 January 2022 |
| Publication title | Manchester Evening News: Web Edition Articles (England) |
The show is about levelling up the playing field and introducing girls and young women to sport as a career, and in this case boxing.
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The team delivered a masterclass for 31 young women and girls from Manchester, including 11 students of The Joe Gallagher Academy.
Judy, renowned tennis coach and mother of two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, said: "We are running this series of masterclasses to showcase our own sports and encourage people to get involved in taking part or delivering it.
"We need more women in the workforce and more mums to get involved locally at clubs.
"This is about raising awareness and doing something about it beyond the series.”
One of the participants Paige Howarth said: “I want to be the best. I started quite late, I have only been boxing two years, so I started later than my opponents.
"But it's that drive, when you find something that you are good at and that you are passionate about, you just want to give it your all, and have no regrets."
And Millie Backhouse said: "My driving force is making my family proud, doing myself proud, and proving the people who told me I can’t wrong.
"My inspiration in Natasha Jonas and Tyson Fury, their story’s are amazing and I’d like to be just like them."
The second series of Driving Force aired this week on ITV4, ITV and ITV Hub.
In the show Judy, a campaigner for equality in sport, meets seven top female sport stars including former track and field athlete Denise Lewis OBE and Commonwealth Games-winning former England netball head coach Tracey Neville, and learns of their trials and tribulations as well as their moments of glory.
The women share their tips for reaching the top and also introduce the 'driving forces' who have helped them along the way.
Series creator and director Rosemary Reed said about taking the show on the road: “It has been an incredible day talking tennis at a school in Liverpool with Judy, and now boxing at Joe Gallagher’s Academy here in Manchester.
"We have talked to young girls about all sorts of opportunities in sport, helping them if they want to be a professional athlete, want to be...
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