Amateur boxing junior weight management
It is a very difficult thing as a parent having a child who competes in a combat sport, one of the difficulties is managing their weight.
For obvious safety reasons weight categories are in place to keep competitors safe. Managing this as a parent can be difficult as there is a lot of negative and incorrect methods paraded online, mainly coming from the pro game.
Hopefully this post will help ever so slightly!
We do not want to develop poor relationships with food and on the severe end, eating disorders.
Most importantly, speak to coaches/people who you feel confident in getting the right information from.
Do’s ✅
- Speak with your child’s coaches, they will be able to give advice should you need it.
- Try to have your child eating a healthy balanced diet, all meals should include protein, carbs, fats & vegetables.
- Adequate amounts of fluids in a day, 2L where possible, no added sugar cordial if children struggle with just water.
- Try to implement the healthy eating across the family, include yourself in your child’s sport and show support this way.
- Try to understand that your child is growing at the fastest rate they ever will in their life, a lot of the time weight cutting will just not be an option, and this is where conversations with coaches need to happen regarding the weight they compete at.
Dont’s ❌
- Obsess over the scales & have them on the scales every night. Coaches will monitor weight accordingly and discuss if needed.
- Deprive them of things they enjoy eating, they are after all, still children.
- Don’t feel like they must eat bland tasteless foods to maintain/ lose weight. They can eat normal meals.
- Exercise just to lose weight. Exercise should be enjoyed and for a purpose of more than just weight loss.
- Rely on the use of sweatsuits, bin bags and all the poor, lazy and dangerous ways of last minute weight cutting that is seen and in my opinion wrongly promoted on large stages. THIS IS DANGEROUS.
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NEW COACH
12 Thoughts for…“I am a new coach, where do I start?”
1. Start with a mentor who you can ask any question – look for someone who is a coach of significance, who will tell you the truth and challenge you.
2. Go watch coaches who build teams who are consistently competitive, love each other and love the coach.
3. Go to clinics, read, and ask about the technical parts of the game – knowledge gives you credibility.
4. Study the “non technical” parts of the game – how to build a team culture, being an excellent practice coach, motivation, building trust, working with challenging athletes, building a staff, building a feeder system, being a confidence builder, working with parents, teaching leadership.
5. Be intentional about everything you do and have a strong why or don't do it.
6. Start developing and writing your personal coaching philosophy – why do you coach and why do you coach the way you coach?
7. Extend your philosophical beliefs to practice philosophy, game coaching philosophy, offensive and defensive philosophy.
8. Learn as much as you can about leadership and how to empower others to lead.
9. Find a correct balance between coaching and family.
10. Ask people you respect to come watch practice and give you suggestions for improvement.
11. Never stop learning.
12. Honor the profession with your words, actions and growth mindset.
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AMATEUR BOXING COACH
The role of an Amateur Boxing Coach gets taken for granted & I don’t think many understand or care that these people make so many personal sacrifices for the benefit of their clubs and Amateur Boxing as a whole.
Would you be willing to sacrifice your evenings & weekends for someone else’s kids?
Would you be willing to work hours on end unpaid ?
Would you be willing to sacrifice personal income to give your time to someone else’s kids ?
Would you put your heart & soul, blood, sweat & tears into creating opportunities for other people’s children ?
Would you be able to keep bouncing back from an emotional roller coaster of highs & lows, great achievements yet many disappointments that come with a sport you love ?
I’d doesn’t matter if you’ve been in boxing 3 month, 3 years or 30 years everyone has something to offer most coaches do the above and more, they deserve more appreciation & recognition for all they do for our kids & communities.
Shared.