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The 2011 C.M.A.P Coach of the year award was presented to Mr. Martin Horgan, of Siam Warriors Muay Thai Gym, Nicholas Well Lane, Blarney Street, Cork City. On Saturday 14th of January 2012 the Cork Martial Arts Promotions (C.M.A.P.) team, of Conleth O Connor, Trevor Fradgley, and myself, Leonard Coughlan, were making our way to Blarney Street, for the Coach of the Year award ceremony. When we got close to our destination I stopped into a local shop to ask for directions to Nicholas Well Lane. The young lady behind the counter had never heard of it. "I'm looking Siam Warriors, it's a Muay Thai…. and before I could finish my sentence, "Oh Martin's place, it's just around the corner" she interrupted, as she pointed up the street. It seems Martin is known better around here than the street names. A few minutes later we pulled into the car park, and, as we stepped out of the our car and looked around, there were no signs to direct us to the club, but the three of us where in no doubt that we were at the right place. We recognised the sounds of pads being hit, and the hum and buzz of accompanying grunts, so we followed the sounds of training right to the door of the gym. When we stepped through the door it was as if we had stepped off a plane into a different country. The training session was in full flight, there was a raised boxing ring to our left with two sets of training partners hard at work, one of the fighters unleashed a volley of kicks to his partner's pads that felt like it shook the room. In front of the ring was a fully matted training area with two walls of punch bags; all active with men punching, kicking and kneeing them powerfully. In the middle of the mats were a number of fighters working individually on their techniques; elbows twisting down, jumping knees getting to heights that pro basketball player would be proud of. I could not help but think back to my childhood, those movies I watched as a young boy, Kick boxer and Blood sport, because to me this felt like we had stepped on the set of a movie, and this movie was being filmed on location in Thailand. This, however, was no movie, better yet, this was not even a big international fight night, this was a Saturday afternoon training session in Cork City. Just then the man we were there to see, Martin Horgan, called a break to the training session, and walked over to welcome us to his gym. The team set up the CMAP banners for the presentation, and I took the time to explain to the gym members, why we were there, and why I was interrupting their training. I explained that we were there to present Martin with the CMAP coach of the year award, and such a presentation was only possible because of the hard work from all competitors, and other coaches, from Siam Warriors throughout the year, and so this was also a club award. After the official presentation, on behalf of Cork Martial Arts Promotions, of the 2011 C.M.A.P Coach of the year award to Mr. Martin Horgan, we spoke again to Martin about the history of his gym and his fighters. He told us that a number of his guys were in Thailand training and fighting with some of the sports best people, among them, his own nephew Aaron O Callaghan who recently won a number of high profile fights. During our conversation Martin said something that I think will stay with me for ever, as not only a perfect summation of Martin Horgan, a coach who wants to train to the highest level and not just pick up titles, but as a great quote for the sport. "Fighters must sometimes lose, to know they are fighting the best." We thanked Martin and his guys for their time, and wished them all the best for 2012, as we stepped back through that door, and the echo of pads being hit, resumed. Report by Mr. Leonard Coughlan P.R.O Cork Martial Arts Promotion