Marcellus Baz's story is a perfect illustration of how coaches working with young people likely to be at risk of getting involved in crime must develop flexibility, empathy, patience and, crucially, understanding of the world the people who attend their sessions live in.

"I'm big on punctuality," says Marcellus, the award-winning founder of the Nottingham School of Boxing, "but when one of the lads turned up 15 minutes late for training I didn't demand to know why."

Instead, Marcellus gave him the opportunity to share. The results illustrate just how crucial it is to develop a keen awareness and understanding of the people you coach.

"I pulled him aside and he told me his mate had just been shot and a second bullet just skimmed past his own neck. I could see it had left a thin line of blood. He was late due to being questioned by police.

"Anybody else would have been traumatised but he was so desensitized to this type of violence he just walked into training as normal.

Consider

If one of the people at your sessions is consistently breaking the same rule or requirement, it's possible that there's something going on in another part of their life. Don't get frustrated or throw accusations – instead, make it clear that they can come to you without fear of judgement.

Removing barriers to participation

Marcellus' team works with young people involved in violence, gangs and drugs, many of whom have suffered Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), severe trauma, exploitation, abuse and mental health issues. 

Nearly 800 young people receive coaching in sport (principally boxing) combined with mentoring, counselling and education.

The aim is to boost:

• confidence
• self-esteem
• life skills
• social skills
• employability.

They are exposed to positive role models (for many, the first they've ever had) and guided gradually through a process of rehabilitation.

It can be delicate work. Marcellus, UK Coaching's Community Coach of the Year in 2016, stresses the importance of removing any potential barriers, easing new recruits in gently with an 'asset-based approach', and focusing on their strengths and what they are prepared to do. Open body language and constant praise are also important.

Why is this crucial?

"If a young person comes in with a reputation and kudos, you wouldn't want to put them into a situation where they feel exposed, are no good at it and lose respect. I wouldn't get someone who's smoking drugs and not living properly to do a bleep test on day one.

Understanding trauma and negative influences

Many of the young people that Marcellus coaches on his Switch Up project come from dysfunctional backgrounds. Many also don't form a primary attachment with their parents and lack good role models, so seek that bond with peer groups instead, some of which will provide negative influences.

"A lot of people who've suffered trauma repress their anger and are highly likely to snap under pressure, perhaps by picking up a knife or resorting to violence," Marcellus explains. "In my childhood that was my go-to method of dealing with things."

To combat this, he highlights that: "it's very important they are given an environment where they can express that anger and aggression in a positive way, and boxing is a fantastic tool to do that. We have to become that primary attachment and a coach is in an ideal position to achieve that."

The Gloves Not Gunz organisation

Ben Eckett concurs. Similarly to Marcellus' Switch Up project, Ben's organisation, Croydon-based Gloves Not Gunz, aims to positively impact on knife crime, gangs, county lines and exploitation in targeted local crime hotspots. 

Dealing with sensitive information

Coaches that become a confidant and 'primary attachment' take on great responsibility. By ensuring that the people at their sessions feel comfortable enough to 'open up', they may be the recipient of details that they're obliged to act upon.

UEFA 'A' licence football coach and Crime Reduction/Mentoring Manager at the multiple award-winning Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) Paul Robinson has worked with at-risk young people on the Trust's array of innovative progammes in south-east London and Kent for 11 years. The issue of disclosure is an ongoing one for him.

"The first thing I always say to the young person and their parent/carer is that if there's a disclosure it doesn't make you a grass."

It's not about betraying secrets, but about acting to keep people safe. 

"I'm upfront about saying that if I believe what I've heard means there's a genuine threat to someone, I'll act on that straight away and work with the police and other authorities. There's a reporting process that must be abided by. The majority of our young people are fine with that if you state it at the beginning."

Marcellus agrees: "I'll tell them, 'You can talk to me about absolutely anything, but if you disclose something that I think poses a risk to your or somebody else's life, ultimately I don't want you ending up in prison or dead, so I'm going to have to get you support."

As Paul says of his department of four full-time and eight part-time coach/mentors at CACT: "Everyone who's a coach is a kind of mentor already. They're both caring jobs. Whether you're teaching 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, you're moulding and developing players. Mentoring is just the same."

It's not always easy, but it's certainly rewarding.