It’s hard to picture a boxing coach sketching landscapes or painting portraits, but that pretty much sums up Colin Rice, known universally as “Chalky”.

This Moree coach and mentor has an artistic side, some say a soft side. Chalky’s been painting, sketching and creating artworks for years. He’s a craftsman who works with two types of canvas – one resting atop an artist’s easel, the other beneath a boxer’s feet.

In 1970, when playing under-17s rugby league, Chalky broke his leg in two places. His cousin, Robert Rice, nicknamed him Chalky, and the moniker stuck.

After leaving school and completing a building apprenticeship with Allen and Kevin Smith, Chalky changed career paths, taking a full-time position at Assef’s Menswear.

In 1979, six years after marrying Maree Terry, he signed on as carpenter at Moree District Hospital and stayed for 44 years.

At 71, Chalky is now retired, but far from idle.

He loves his golf, loves his art and loves training boxers.

He co-coached with Danny Cheetham out of Moree Boxing Academy, where boxers the ilk of Cameron Hammond, who made the Commonwealth and Olympic teams, Tony Hall, Brent McDonald and Chalky’s grandson, Leroy Brown, pulled on gloves.

“They all won State or Australian amateur titles,” Chalky said proudly.

After 12 years, Chalky gave the game away.

But in 2018, when Moree boxer TC Priestly asked Chalky to coach him professionally, a new career, new goals and new boxing headquarters came into being.

Chalky began coaching TC at Suzie Treloar’s Moree Boxing and Fitness Gym, but soon outgrew the venue.

“I needed a bigger shed to set up a boxing ring, so TC and I went looking,” Chalky said.

Enter Gary Taunton.

“I checked with Gary, to see if he had anything suitable, and he offered us the building we’re in now. We worked out a deal, and Gary has been very supportive ever since,” Chalky said.

“TC’s manager, Rob Burton, got some sponsors together and, with the help of world champion boxer Sakio Bika, we set everything up.”

Chalky’s Boxing Gym, opposite the golf course in the front section of the former Moree Seed and Grain complex, is now the home of champions.

Under Chalky’s guidance, TC Priestly became Moree’s first professional Australian boxing champion since the “Moree Mountain of Flesh”, Colin Bell, claimed the Australian heavyweight title against New Zealander Tom Heeney at the Olympic Theatre in Mackay, Queensland in 1922.

In 2019 at the Hellenic Club in Canberra, TC stopped Ben Dencio in the seventh round to claim the super-featherweight Australian title.

A new Australian champion had arrived – and sitting proudly, but quietly, in TC’s corner was Chalky Rice.

TC went back to the national capital two years later, this time at the Coorong Pavilion, for a rematch with Dencio. Referee Will Soulos stopped the fight in the ninth round, in TC’s favour.

“Getting TC to two Australian titles in the space of three years and winning them both, makes everything I do worthwhile,” Chalky said.

“It was the first time in 100 years someone from Moree had won a professional Australian boxing title. The last bloke to do something like that was Colin Bell in 1922.”

Being in someone’s corner is where Chalky Rice is most comfortable.

And, over the years, there’s been quite a few boxers peer across the ring feeling equally as comfortable, knowing he’s there.

At the 2023 Moree Reconciliation Awards, Chalky’s Boxing Gym was named Organisation of the Year.

This year, Chalky was awarded Non-Aboriginal Elder of the Year and, just for good measure, his name was added to the Moree Plains Community Elders Honours Roll at Moree Memorial Hall.

Sitting in the audience, listening to every word of Chalky’s acceptance speech, was 17-year-old Max Newick.

Earlier, Max, a Year 12 student at Moree Secondary College, was named Non-Aboriginal Youth of the Year, due recognition of his volunteer work at Chalky’s gym and Moree Weebolla Bulls’ juniors.

“Max is a great kid, and will go a long way in life. If ever a kid deserved an award like that, it was Max,” Chalky said.

The admiration is mutual.

“Chalky’s been a father figure to me; he’s inspiring, there’s no better way to describe him,” Max said.

“He’s helped me through a lot, especially with my anxiety. I had really bad anxiety – and still do, sometimes. Chalky helped me build my confidence and, in all honesty, a lot of people who come to the gym have similar stories to tell.”

Max plays rugby with Weebolla Bulls as well as Terry Hie Hie Connections at the Dubbo knock-out.

During the season, he helps Chalky twice a week. That workload more than doubles in the off-season.

When he’s not at the gym, Max gives his time to the under-14s and under-16s, boys and girls rugby squads.

“I also play in a knock-out team, and it’s my job to go out and look for sponsors,” he smiled.

Max started training with Chalky in 2015.

“I started when I was about nine. It’s been great,” he said.

“There’s been a lot of success stories. Chalky helps everyone who walks through the door, in any way he can.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, how old or how young you are, or what race or background you are.

“When you walk through the door, you’re treated equal.”

Chalky has crammed in quite a bit over the decades.

Back in the 1970s, he was captain-coach of Moree All-Stars Football Club and played rugby league with Moree Boars, chalky bones and all.

In fact, he’s the artist behind the Boars’ club logo, a wild pig, hunched on the run, which he created nearly 50 years ago.

Chalky was also a keen basketballer in his day, pretty good athlete and swimmer, and can still throw a mean dart.

These days, however, if he’s not at the gym teaching kids how to box and passing on a few life skills along the way, he’s across the road playing 18 holes of golf.

“If it’s anything to do with boxing, I’m there, and I love a game of golf, and having a beer afterwards with my mates,” he smiled.

Not that there’s much time outside gym hours.

Tuesday and Thursday nights are for kids and parents – up to 30 turn up each session – and that many and more attend Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for adult boxing classes.

“There’s also ladies’ fitness training Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday mornings and special classes for Abcare kids and Moree Clontarf,” Chalky said.

But Chalky’s Boxing Gym is more than a gym – and Chalky Rice is more than a coach.

This is the place where some kids – and adults – go to find a new direction, the right direction.

Somewhere in life’s journey, they missed a turn and got lost. They desperately need someone to walk with, someone to show them the way back.

“I’ve got kids with autism, kids who suffer ADHD, some with anxiety, and some with depression – and some with all of that,” Chalky said.

“There are also adults who have been in trouble, but have come to the gym and turned their lives around.

“But they’re no different to anyone else who walks in. They’re all treated the same.

“I think it’s important we help disadvantaged kids and adults to be included in all things in life.

“Helping people feel accepted and included can change their lives, and watching a shy, young kid grow to be a confident adult is very rewarding,” he said.

For the men and boys who spend time at Chalky’s Boxing Gym, sometimes it’s more about sitting down and opening up about life’s twists and turns, rather than strapping on a pair of gloves.

“We do a bit of everything; we relax, have a yarn, that sort of thing. In one section of the gym, we have a room set up and if kids turn up and need a chat, we go to the room and talk, and explain to them what the gym is all about. We mentor them,” Chalky said.

“What I’ve found, is that they want to be involved, included and appreciated. We run the gym like a family.”

Police visits are frequent, but always for encouragement.

“The police who drop by know there are people here with history, and they know there are bad kids as well, but everyone shakes hands when the police come in, and say goodnight when they leave,” Chalky said.

“That’s just part of the way we do things. It doesn’t matter who you are, everyone is equal. There’s no favouritism.

“And the police who call in, treat them the same as well. They don’t drop by just to see who might be here. Instead, they high-five the kids when they do something good, and have a good relationship with everyone at the gym.”

When Chalky does have time out, it’s time spent with his wife, Maree, and their family.

Chalky and Maree married in 1973 – just out of their teens – and together raised two girls, Nicole and Melissa.

“We spend as much time as we can with our daughters, our grandsons and great-grandkids,” Chalky said.

It’s often said, behind every good boxing coach is a good woman, and Chalky readily agrees.

“Maree is very supportive of everything I do,” he said.

“We’ve had our ups and downs, but when I started my own gym, Maree was behind me every step of the way.

“She comes to the gym and cleans up after everyone, and I get into trouble for having a mess everywhere,” he grinned.

“But Maree loves the boxing. When our grandsons took it up, she didn’t want to go and watch, but ended up being the noisiest person in the gym.

“In fact, Maree’s been watching boxing for that long now, she’s an expert. And, after listening to me whinge about different things over the years, she’s now my adviser,” he laughed.

Words and Images: Bill Poulos