To mark International Women’s Day, the IABA is launching a landmark drive to increase by 50% the number of women qualified to coach boxing by the end of the year – 50:24
The 50:24 campaign, led by IABA Women in Sport and Inclusion Officer, Sophie Doolan, will see IABA fund and deliver the Fundamentals: Assistant Coach course delivered to over 90 women by 2024. Fundamentals is the first step on the IABA’s Coach Education pathway.
At present, 1 in 10 boxing coaches in Ireland are women. 50:24 aims to increase the proportion of boxing coaches who are women, which will have an immediate impact in clubs throughout the IABA. It will also set these newly qualified coaches on the path to Level One: Club Coach and Level Two: Performance Coach education.
Today, IABA is opening expressions of interest for Fundamentals courses to women who are registered club members in Ulster, Munster, Connacht and Leinster. Women can express their interest in coaching qualifications here
“50:24 is a vital initiative to increase the number of women in boxing in sporting roles. There is a long tradition in our community of women in leadership roles as club, county or provincial secretaries, treasurers, chairs, and as competition officials. Women boxers, at all levels, have excelled in recent years, but the number of women in coaching roles remains low. We want to change that, and in so doing, encourage more women and girls in to boxing”
IABA National Secretary and Coach Education Committee member, Coach Tutor & 2 Star Coach, Antoinette Faye McClean
“50:24 coaching courses will be offered to women in all four provinces, ensuring that women in boxing clubs throughout the IABA have the opportunity to qualify as coaches. They may already do so as part of the existing IABA Coach Education pathway, but we wish to increase the number of opportunities to qualify to coach boxing available to women. The Expression of Interest is open now, and I would encourage women club members who would like to coach to engage with the process.”
IABA Women in Sport and Inclusion Officer, Sophie Doolan
In tandem, the IABA is also launching a drive to increase the number of judge and referee qualification opportunities for women. Officiating is a pathway, and judges must be qualified for one year before they may begin their training as referees. The IABA is facilitating women in beginning that journey, and in progressing forward.
“Without judges and referees, there is no competitive boxing – and this programme will increase the number of women officials at all levels – club, county, provincial unit and national. Its important for the individual women beginning or progressing their officiating careers, and for the diversity of the officiating community”
IABA National Registrar, and 3 Star Referee, Philip Rooney
Women can express their interest in judging qualifications here and express their interest in refereeing qualifications here
“I’m very proud of these unprecedented programmes, both of which are ambitious, and both of which will have an immediate positive impact on our coaching and officiating communities – and, most importantly, in clubs across the IABA.
President of the IABA, Gerry O’Mahony