The second Junior to join the Sandee Academy Programme is Maddie 'The Baddie' Mitchell, a 16 year old girls who's journey into Muay Thai happened purely by chance as it was recommended by a service Maddie was using at the time to help with her autism and Tourette's.
Maddie struggled massively emotionally, socially and even eye contact was something she just couldn't do
Maddie started at the Griphouse in Glasgow 5 years ago her coach and SANDEE Ambassador, Keith Mclachlan, was, and still is a pivotal figure in Maddies life, and her team mates have now became a 2nd family to her and always look out for her
Through lockdown her tourettes became so severe that she took a break and had to be medicated due to the severity of her vocal tics and she was to embarrassed to train so a family friend and coach of the colosseum in our home town Greenock, Mark Waddel who also coaches kids with additional support needs took Maddie to his gym and helped Maddie build her confidence up again. She's since came back slowly but surely getting herself back to the Maddie the baddie we all know and love.
Her family are forever thankful Maddie has great people and an outlet where she's confident and happy enough to just be her
Maddie currently has 15 fights under her belt, with 8 wins and lost 7, but I am sure you will agree, her own personal journey shows that Muay Thai is more than just a combat sport!
Maddie joins Tommy Lowe and Tommy Gore in the first to become part of the 2022 Sandee Academy
