New school captain named 2020 Cherbourg Youth of the Year

Pharrell Chapman is leading the way for his community, recently appointed as Murgon school captain and Cherbourg Youth Community member of the Year.

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IT HAS been a busy few weeks for Pharrell Chapman who was announced school captain at Murgon State High School last month and awarded Cherbourg Youth of the Year at Tuesday's Cherbourg community day.

Aside from focusing on education and being a role model to people in his community, Chapman is becoming well known for his quick hands and evasive speed in the boxing gym.

Chapman is just the second ever Indigenous school captain at Murgon, a role he said he is very proud of.

"It's an honour to be a leader for the school and to be the second Indigenous captain makes me very proud of myself," Chapman said.

"I think since Selwyn Cobbo and now me have opened the gates, there will be a lot more Indigenous leaders at the school in the future.

"I was actually on camp when I got the award at community day, but it's good, I'm enjoying everything at the moment."

Earlier this year Chapman was selected in the in the 2020 Boxing Australia Future Development squad.

A program that gets boxers podium ready for the Youth World Titles.

Pharrell Chapman with coach Jim Hawkins (left), dad Michael Chapman and uncle Perry Tapau. Photo/Tristan Evert

Due to COVID, his season hasn't exactly been ideal, however if everything goes to plan he could be fighting in Poland next year.

Chapman said it has always been a goal of his to become an Olympian.

"There have been a lot of good boxers out of Cherbourg over the years and I am hoping to follow the footsteps of Jeffrey Dynevor who won Gold in the 1962 Commonwealth Games," He said.

"Hard work can take you anywhere so I will continue to work hard and take it step by step."

Murgon State High School principal Simon Cotton said the school has a potential champion in the making.

"Pharrell is something else, I mean that in the best possible sense. He has the focus on his education but he is also a very good boxer, who is being looked at as a potential champion," Mr Cotton said.

"We could very well have a Commonwealth or Olympic champion in our school as a leader."

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