Scotland Tonight: Wrestling club run by former gang member helping kids stay out of trouble

In the heart of Govan is a wrestling school run by a somewhat unlikely figure.

David McCallum, better known by wrestling fans as Ravie Davie, had a traumatic upbringing.

After losing his mum, a single parent, at just six years old, Davie’s gran tried her best to provide for him.

However, he soon found himself on a dangerous and destructive path.

“I grew up in Govan in a gang called the ‘Young Linty Gaucho’. It was me and lots of other kids with the same kind of upbringing and being in the gang was our kind of release. It was like getting to be part of a family.”

“When I was out in the gang, even though it was dangerous a lot of times, I felt safe. I felt I was around people that would look after me and help me. Actually it turned out that was wrong, because growing up, I’d end up being stabbed 17 times and none of my so-called friends were there to help me.

“When I needed support, there was never anybody that helped me, but if I had drink, or if I had something to smoke, or if I had all these things, they’d all be there.”

Ravie Davie talking to youngsters. STV News

Davie found himself in and out of secure units throughout his teenage years. But when his gran passed away he knew he needed to change his ways and make her proud.

“I was like… am I going to live the rest of my life being in and out of jail? Before you know it you might die when you’re young because you’re hanging about with people that are using weapons and knives. Do you want to go and try and be a normal person in society?”

Two years ago, Davie set up the Glasgow School of Wrestling, to give kids the chances he never had. At the club they practise WWE style wrestling, which is a mix of sport and theatre.

Wrestling was alway something David was passionate about but he never knew if he could make a living from it until now.

“I wanted a grassroots level for wrestling and that’s what I’ve done here. We take kids from five-years-old.”

“We have over 200 kids coming through the door every month. It’s one of the greatest experiences I’ve done in my life, just getting to give people something that I always wanted.”

Davie says it’s vital kids have role models who have come out on top after a rough start to life.

“They used to say when I got the reports and stuff done that I actually wasn’t a badly behaved kid. I just never had an outlet. I just never had anything to do. If I had, like, a job, if I had something to do, I feel like I wouldn’t get into trouble.”

Danny Tourish, who is 16, is one of the teenagers who David trains.

He says he has noticed an increase in violence amongst young people around his age.

“It’s like you’re scared to go out at night, into the towns and stuff in case something does happen. Like it’s not always gonna happen.

“But there’s always that chance that it could, especially people my age, like 16 to 18ish, they could literally be carrying anything and all you’ve got is a pair of two hands, and if they’ve got a blade on you and like that could do some serious damage.”

Danny says kids need positive activities to put their energy into.

“They need something they can enjoy, some sort of art. David’s the best example. He switched his life right around for wrestling.”

Building a supportive community is one of the things Davie is most proud of.

For kids like Kayden Fraser, it’s been life-changing.

“I had bad anxiety. I would rather speak to somebody over a phone than face to face. I got picked on. I was a laugh. I was getting laughed at and I was just a big joke to everybody.

“But now I can literally talk. I’ve been in front of crowds and that, talking to people that I’ve never seen in my life, and I’m actually going to college, I start in a few days.”

For other kids here, wrestling isn’t just about sport or community, it’s an escape from the threat of violence.

“I don’t feel as safe as I would usually be. Because anything can happen when they’re drunk.”

The 13-year-old says he knows people who are in gangs.

“We don’t really go near them, but if we need to go somewhere and they’re there we try to go another way, but try to avoid them as much as possible.”

“(Wrestling) gives me a good few hours just to stay away from them and go out with my normal friends.”

Watch the full report, Scotland Tonight: Growing up with Gangs, tonight at 8:30pm on STV and the STV Player.