Women’s Coach Development Programme spotlight: Jayne Wallace (Billingham Boxing Academy)

After getting accepted onto the WCDP, Wallace is keen to see the overall number of female boxing coaches increase.

xxxxx

How did you first get involved in boxing?

I stumbled into coaching really. I was working as a fitness instructor and wanted a change of direction and to work young people. I saw my club advertising for female coaches so went along to have a chat about how I could get involved and I’ve pretty much lived in the gym since. Very quickly I got more and more involved with the club and before I knew it, I was taking my coaching qualifications. Boxing has a funny way of drawing you in hook, line and sinker, you can’t help but become passionate about the sport and the people that you’re working with.

How pleased are you to be involved in a programme that is actively bidding to push women’s and girls’ boxing forward?

I’m over the moon to be involved, I applied for last year’s cohort but was unsuccessful so when I was accepted onto this years, I was ecstatic. I was lucky enough to be asked to be involved in the Aspire programme, so I had the pleasure of meeting the girls that were on last year’s WCDP at the first day of the Aspire programme. I chatted to one of the girls Kerry and picked her brains a bit about the WCDP and she really inspired me to apply again this year. Coincidentally, Kerry has been assigned as my mentor which is absolutely fantastic. The work that England Boxing is doing with both the WCDP and the Aspire programme is brilliant, we know that female boxing is probably the fastest growing sport at the minute, so the number of female boxers is on the rise but there’s still not many female coaches. Hopefully more women will see the WCDP in action and be inspired to get involved in coaching.

What do you hope to get out of the WCDP that can improve you as coach?

I already know that the programme is going to improve me as a coach. The coaches that are on the WCDP are already sharing lots of ideas and their knowledge with each other. Building these networks is important to growing as a coach and having each other to call upon has already proved invaluable. I want to increase my knowledge on how to coach different styles of boxers and take a more holistic approach to coaching.

How much will attending the WCDP help you in your club environment?

Attending the WCDP will help me build my confidence and help me to bring new ideas to sessions. I’m excited to share what I learn with the other coaches so we can give our boxers the best coaching that there is.

Who are your biggest boxing inspirations?

My biggest boxing inspirations are the boxers in our club. Watching them overcome barriers and achieving their goals whether it be becoming confident in sessions to seeing them achieve National Titles is the best part of coaching for me. They inspire me to overcome my own fears and barriers and push myself to be the best coach that I can be not only for them but for myself and my own aspirations within my coaching journey. Watching them achieve their goals cements the fact that anything is possible with dedication and hard work.