WHY BOXING?
Boxing benefits our students by getting them fit, teaching them teamwork, anger management and discipline, and improving their confidence and concentration. We employ boxing coaches in this role because young people instinctively look up to and respect the strong role models within the boxing gym. They present a positive image of showing respect for others, self-discipline, responsibility, a strong work ethic and good manners.
The boxing coaches support their students both in the gym and during academic classes, which provides consistency throughout the day. Our staff are locally recruited, trained and experienced in dealing with challenging young people. They get involved in their students’ lives, even collecting from home if they need support with their attendance, and as a result they develop a strong relationship that provides a foundation from which the students can rebuild their self-esteem and start a positive cycle of achievement.
Our ethos reflects our origins, that of a boxing gym: a small, comfortable and familial environment with clear boundaries, a system of rewards and an emphasis on discipline, achievement and hard work. The relationships we build allow for genuine breakthroughs in behaviour, conflict resolution and anger management as well as academic improvement and aspirations.
The beneficial effect of boxing for young people is the subject of an ongoing academic research project here at the Boxing Academy. You can find more details about how boxing training works on our attachment awareness page here.
We have been featured in a number of evaluation reports, within both education and sporting frameworks:
Teenage Kicks - Laureus Foundation (2011)
No Excuses - Centre for Social Justice (2011)
Improving Alternative Provision - Charlie Taylor (DfE, 2012)
The Right Hook - All Party Parliamentary Group for Boxing (2014)
Sport for Social Good - Centre for Social Justice (2015)
The Role of Boxing in Development - Walker Research Group & England Boxing (2016)
Alternative Provision - Effective Practice and Post-16 Transition - DfE (2017)