Cass Act: Teenager Henderson hoping to follow in father’s sporting footsteps

LURGAN teenager Cassie Henderson is a young woman with the world at her feet – and her fists.

It’s been a little over a year and a half since the 14-year-old first walked through the doors of Gilford Boxing Club and even then, competitive glove lacing wasn’t remotely on the radar.

She believed the training would complement, and hopefully enhance, the work already being done in pursuit of her passion – Gaelic football, where Henderson’s powerful performances are regularly noticed by the under-14s of Clann Eireann and Armagh, whilst previously they were in the books of the Irish League giants stood Linfield before football took a back seat.

“My dad wanted me to try boxing,” she says, “he thought it would help…”

Here it becomes clear how much Henderson deviates from the old block.

Father Ryan played football for Armagh before turning to football full-time, swapping basketball hoops from Lurgan Celtic for Donegal Celtic in the late noughties and quickly attaining cult hero status as his goal tally increased by the week.

This led to a move to Linfield in 2012, although Henderson admits he regrets the decision not to take up Cliftonville’s offer given Tommy Breslin’s remarkable Reds side clinched back-to-back titles.

“Nobody could have predicted that,” he says, “and it probably would have meant more to win with Cliftonville because they hadn’t seen anything big in a couple of years.”

Still playing football and GAA at 38, Henderson was part of the Clann Eireann side that ended a 58-year wait for the Armagh crown two years ago. But while he’s finding it hard to stay away, Henderson insists the end of his own playing days is near.

Instead, he’s keeping an eye on his children’s careers – son Cohen was just 16 when he made his Irish League debut from Glenavon in April, while Cassie played ABC Antrim, Ulster and Irish in her first full season with Phoenix won title.

In fact, she has been called up to Ireland’s high performance unit since winning the national junior cadet crown three weeks ago.

Even the youngest daughter Lyla wants to follow in her siblings’ footsteps. The nine-year-old enjoyed a warm-up in Phoenix last Wednesday night before weighing her chances of surpassing Cassie’s performances in the ring.

“I’m better,” came the emphatic reply.

Henderson sits on the ring apron while his daughters are put through their paces while Cassie bangs the pads just yards away. It’s an environment that, based on personal experience, he was thrilled they embraced.

“Years ago there would have been a club in Clann Eireann and if we didn’t train with the Gaelic we would have gone under. We were just cannon fodder!

“When we were full, it was back to Gaelic. It always helped you, that’s why I always encouraged boxing because I could see the benefits in it. I would be a good buddy [former professional boxer] Stephen Haughian, he was best man at my wedding and it’s always a really good atmosphere and it complements the Gaelic really well.”

A bit like Cliftonville’s rise to the top all those years ago, however, Henderson couldn’t have predicted how well things would go for Cassie.

“I thought she would do well – honestly, I didn’t think she would get to where she is so quickly.

“At the same time, I’m not surprised that she’s so ambitious.”

In just her third fight, Henderson took the 60kg crown at the Junior National Cadet Championships in Dublin, proving too strong for Crumlin’s Niamh Smith in the final at the National Stadium.

“It’s a bit nerve-wracking – my first fight was in the stadium,” she says.

“But over time I got used to it and luckily I had more fights there.”

That success led to Henderson being called up to the Ireland team that traveled to Turkey for last year’s European Schools Championships. Although she was not doing too well in the ring, the experience was invaluable – the fact that she was named co-captain is a testament to the impression she has made in such a short space of time.

“It was the first time that I was traveling alone. It’s intimidating to go anywhere and see the big stadium and see all the other teams. At first it hit me like a rockfall.

“But it was great to be captain – I don’t know why, I was really surprised. There were a few tears because I was so excited.”

The titles progressed and Henderson’s recent success last month put her back in the European selection should Ireland field a team – the current political impasse at the top of the sport is leaving young boxers in no man’s land for the time being.

Phoenix coach Marty Toland is hoping this will give her some international exposure – and he has little doubt that Henderson has the tools to go far in the fighting game.

“She is very goal oriented and very ambitious.

“Being so young, Cassie lives her life, her whole world revolves around Gaelic and boxing – Ryan is extremely knowledgeable about exercise and nutrition and Cassie knows what she needs to do.”

“Obviously it’s very early days, she’s had very few fights and nobody’s even close at that age. There’s a lot more to it than that and there’s still a long way to go, but overall I think it’s very advanced.

“Since the beginning of the year the aim has been to allow as much sparring as possible for them and some of the other young players at the club.

“We traveled all over the country wherever we could. Sparring can be difficult to find at her age, but we knew we had to up the ante and you’re seeing the improvements now. It really gets you going.

“The European Championship was their goal for this year, we’re not sure what’s happening on that front yet, although it will be great for them to be included in the top flight. Hopefully they have something in the pipeline for the coming months.

“Cassie would probably look at the big picture every year, that’s just the way it is. Because of her skills and the way she’s improved, it really makes you look further afield every year, be it Europe, the World Cup or whatever.

“She has the talent and attitude to go far.”

And while Gaelic football remains Cassie’s first love, father Ryan senses the gap narrowing, especially given the potential opportunities that lie between the ropes.

“I’ve noticed a slight change in her over the past few weeks,” he said.

“She really believes in boxing, I don’t even have conversations with her about things like food or weight anymore – she does all of that and that’s what I wanted.”

“Before, she wouldn’t have missed a single league game at the club, even if she had a boxing final across Ireland on Saturday…maybe slowly but surely she’s starting to see the benefits of boxing.

“Of course it’s good to win something at her age, but I would love it if she was still boxing at 16, 17. That’s what we’re working towards.”

“I’ve always had a ball in my hand since I was little,” says Cassie.

“I would always have played football or Gaelic but now I see football and boxing go together. It’s good that this break flows into the next so you don’t rack your brains too much just seeing one of them at a time.

“I enjoy the mix.”

And Toland insists that from his perspective, Phoenix will always work with other stakeholders to ensure Cassie is able to balance the two for as long as possible.

“We would never pressure them like that,” he says.

“Even when I got to the All-Irelands or the Cadets, Cassie called me about an important game and I will always work with them. We have a lot of children in the club who we place around Gaelic – we try to be flexible.

“All the coaches at the club play their part. Some can come during the day when the kids are not in school so we can always work with Cassie and others. But the moment it works hand in hand, there were no problems.”

“As in any household, there are a few tears, a few arguments, but the beautiful days outside make it worth it,” adds Ryan.

“I’m lucky that there’s a really good team around her … it’s just about sharing the load with the right people and she has that. Everyone knows their place, nobody steps on each other’s toes, so I’m very grateful.

“Now I enjoy watching them a lot more than playing them myself.”

At the moment everyone involved is enjoying the journey – the fighter, the father and the club coaches who continue to accompany them on their journey.

Marty Toland hopes she can have a great future, Ryan will support her on the other side of the ropes all the way, while the poster of Katie Taylor hanging on the wall behind the Phoenix ring is a constant reminder , how far hard work and the will to win can go.

One day, she hopes, she might be.

“I just want to keep trying to box for Ireland, get to the European Championships and World Championships and eventually get to the Olympics.

“Look at Kellie Harrington, someone like Michaela Walsh and what she’s done, a local girl who has qualified for her second Olympics and is competing in every other major competition.

“It’s what I want to do.”