2014 Year-End Presidential Newsletter

Dec 10, 2014 | News, Presidential Communications

Hello Everyone

As another year comes to an end, I’d like to thank all athletes, officials, coaches, parents, fans, and supporters for their dedication & commitment to our great sport over the past 12 months. It has been an exciting time with many changes at the provincial, national, and world level. I love being a part of this journey. I’ve really enjoyed being your president over the past 18 months, and I’m looking forward to leading our organization into the future.

Boxing Canada Updates:

On December 6th, I attended the Boxing Canada Semi-Annual meeting Montreal. See some of the highlights of the meeting below:

  • Boxing Canada’s head office is being relocated to Montreal, to be housed within the Canadian Olympic Committee’s new headquarters. We are the first sport to move in with the COC as part of their new Incubator Program and this is expected to be a great move for us all.
  • New Executive Director – After 15 years of dedicated service, Robert Crete is officially retired. In his place, comes a man by the name of Roy Halpin. As an athlete, Roy played professional hockey and was a very successful administrator in Tennis & Golf.   Please see the Boxing Canada website for more info on Robert’s career accomplishments as well as Roy’s pedigree.
  • The Canadian Golden Gloves will be held again this year in Cornwall. The dates will be changed due to conflicts with the Pan-Am Games. The dates will be communicated by Boxing Canada once confirmed.
  • Elite Nationals – Everyone loved the new format and had nothing but good things to say about their experience here in Ontario. Going forward, each team will be able to send 2 athletes per weight division.
  • Pre-Boxing 8 – This was a pilot project being run in Quebec since January, which allowed athletes as young as 8 years old compete in sanctioned boxing matches. It’s called pre-boxing because it’s not a full-fledged boxing match at the start. Following the lead of many other sports, based upon LTAD principles, a modified version of the sport was offered to these youngsters. For example, the first 5 bouts only allowed for body shots. This, and the other details of the new rules is expected to be implemented prior to February of 2015, with terminology subject to change.   In the meantime, we can start registering boxers who are as young as 8 years old, so that they can spar be covered by our insurance while sparring in the gym. Registration costs will be the same as Junior A/B/C boxers.
  • Use of Headgear – AIBA has sent stats to the IOC showing that head injuries are down, but that lacerations have increased. Since the recent implementation of Cavilon Cream, it appears that the number of cuts is decreasing as well. Our own official Shawn Floyd recently worked an international tournament and has provided some input on the use of this cream, which I will touch on later in this communication
  • Boxing Canada President Pat Fiacco has been recently elected to the AIBA Executive Committee, and also appointed to the AIBA Executive Bureau. The Bureau is essentially a working group of Executive Committee members who run the day-to-day business of AIBA.   Having Mr Fiacco in a position like this should help our entire nation, as he will have his finger on the pulse and will ensure that as a country we will be aligned with International best practices.
  • Chief Official Sonny Wong spoke about the successful development of officials at the Canadian Golden Gloves, and also how 9 Canadian Officials were sent to Cuba for an Extraordinary AIBA R/J Seminar. 2 Canadian Officials (Including our own Jennifer Huggins) left Cuba with AIBA 3-Star Status.
  • Boxing Canada Medical Director Dr Ken Trinh spoke of the great educational seminars being presented at nationals. Dr Trinh & his team will be continuing these seminars at the Junior/Youth Nationals in Quebec City and would like to see increased participation. I’ve attended a few of these seminars recently and agree that they’re great educational opportunities for everyone. I’d strongly advise everyone to attend when possible.
  • Rulebook – The updated Boxing Canada Rulebook should be released prior to February 2015.
  • Age differences – Youth boxers can not box Elite boxers under any circumstances.
  • Anti-Doping – There is a new declaration form which must be signed & submitted by youth and elite boxers before they box at nationals. James from our office is currently working hard to ensure our affected athletes comply. Also, all boxers must register online and take an E-learning seminar. Eventually this will be a requirement for coaches also.

2015 Plans For Boxing Ontario

2015 will be a busy year for us. We start with the 2015 Junior/Youth Nationals, and will finish with the 2015 Bronze Gloves. In between we will see the Pan-Am Games, training camps, interprovincial/international competitions, and potential new sponsors.   I’d also like to host a March Break developmental training camp for identified talent in those age groups.   This isn’t confirmed yet but it’s very important to me and I’ll do my best to make it happen.

I will also be making a request to Boxing Canada that we be able to host the 2016 National Jr/Youth Championships.

Our 2015 Championship Series will be similar to last year. We are currently discussing the specifics of our tournament pathway and we have to determine how best to layout the series for our boxers to make it to the National Championships in their respective categories.

Here’s what we have so far:

2015 Canadian Junior/Youth Championships – Jan 19-24, 2015 in Quebec City. Team Leader – Ray Napper, Team Coaches – Johnny Kalbhenn & Jill Perry

  • Brampton Cup February 6-8, 2014 [Brampton] – This will be open to all classifications, except for Elite Male Open. I’m hoping to get some competitors in from other provinces as well.
  • Silver Gloves April 2015 [Toronto] likely to be held at the Toronto Don Valley Hotel again.
  • Ontario Golden Gloves [Provincials] – May/June, 2015
  • Toronto Pro Super Show [Dual Match] May 31st – June 1st Metro Toronto Convention Centre – Working to find another team.
  • CHIN PICNIC Dual Match – June 28-29, 2015 [CNE] – Working to find another team.
  • Bronze Gloves September 2015 [Brampton] – All categories except elite male open.

Annual Medicals

For anyone who has a new boxing passport, you will notice that it states that the annual medical is valid for only one year. This can be found on the last page, under note 3. This means that it’s only valid for 365 days after it is performed. Boxing Canada medical rules also require that you have a thorough medical performed every 12 months.

Your annual registration is done by calendar year.

So, if a boxer has a medical in June 2014, registers in September 2014, then their registration will be good until Dec 31, 2015, but their medical expires in June 2015. In this case, the boxer won’t be able to spar or compete beyond June 2015, however their registration will be good until the end of the year.

Prior to every competition, boxers will need to be able to demonstrate that their annual medical is still valid.

I don’t anticipate policing how clubs operate, but if someone is injured, and their medical is expired, the injured person won’t be covered by our insurance policy.

High Performance Please see the report from our newly hired High Performance Director James Geraghty:

Team Ontario Training Camps Leading Into Elite Nationals-

Recently we held two Team Ontario training camps. The aim of which was to fully prepare our athletes for the upcoming Elite National Championships in the Delta Meadowvale Hotel in Mississauga.

Thanks to Joe Arko @ The Elite Performance Centre and Ryan Ranelli @ No Excuse Fitness we held our two-day camp using the best equipment and most up to date training methods to evaluate our athletes, implement the safest weight-making dietary strategies and get our guys and girls in the best shape possible.

At Huf Gym in Mississauga we held our second camp, which focused more on tactics, rule changes and modes of scoring during the tournament. Olga Heron headed this effort as Team Manager with Socrates Celestial and Jill Perry as Team Ontario Coaches implemented fantastic tactical sessions including some visualization techniques.

Working with world-renowned experts, we are working to develop The High Performance Management Program and implement the recommended Integrated Support Team (IST).  With such short space of time to gather the necessary experts for the IST it was all hands to the pumps considering the imminent arrival of the National Championships. This resulted in a few growing pains, however success at this tournament was of massive importance and this achievement has set us up well for long-term enhancement of our sport system. The ultimate goal being acceptance into the OHPSI (Ontario High Performance Sport Initiative) which would catapult our organization into the big leagues!

We have undertaken a number of research studies for the benefit of our athlete’s safety and performance enhancement. Here below is a quick look:

Studies:

  • G-force Impact Tracker

Currently we are investigating the current training methods of our open-class and novice boxers around the province. With AOB Boxing competitions being so stringently monitored for injury, it is in the gym on a daily basis where we need to assess and report injury to a much higher standard. With this in mind we are not very aware of what nature and frequency our athletes are being exposed to hits to the head. We are working with the world-renowned impact tracking company that supplies its devices to American football and hockey helmets, gauging the impacts of their hits.  We’re hoping this becomes a fruitful partnership.

  • PEI Return to Play App Development

We wish to establish the test – retest reliability of the NeuroCog Test Software of neuropsychological tests including a reaction time assessment in a sample of individuals between 18 and 30 years of age that are currently involved in the sport of boxing at the club level. The clinical forms of neuropsychological testing along with reaction time assessments include the attention network test, the digit substitution test, the digit span test and measures of reaction time. 

  • Mental Performance ID – Ray Metcalfe

About the Boxing Evaluation and Development Questionnaire

We are working with a renowned elite performance expert Ray Metcalfe. Together we have developed the Boxing Evaluation and Development Questionnaire which has been specifically designed, and created, with AOB boxers of all levels in mind. All questions asked are based upon an analysis of Top Performing Boxers throughout North America, with a careful study of those who have attained medals in the Olympic Games. By design, the Questionnaire may be used in the future in the following areas:

  • Coaches who are presented with new boxers, can easily obtain valuable boxing and lifestyle knowledge that otherwise may take long periods of time to see. 
  • Boxers with whom a coach or trainer is familiar, will be brought along at a quicker pace, by better understanding the mindset of the boxer, and by gaining insight into why some areas of difficulty are continuing to persist.  
  • Finally, because the data on the questionnaire is based upon top performers, those boxers who are ready to climb to the higher levels, will be able to determine how they compare with top boxers, and will see what areas they need to develop more fully.

The Boxing Evaluation and Development Questionnaire is an online product, and will take, on average, about 45 minutes to complete.

The Questionnaire was developed specifically for Boxing Ontario, and is to be used with the permission of Boxing Ontario.

  • Caffeine, Genetic Variation & Athletic Performance

 We are currently collaborating with University of Toronto to allow our athletes to volunteer for: Caffeine, Genetic Variation and Athletic Performance (GMC-AP) study. This study is being undertaken by Nanci S. Guest MSc, RD, CSCS, Doctoral candidate, private practice sport dietitian, personal trainer, strength and conditioning specialist; Ahmed El-Sohemy PhD, DC membership, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Nutrigenomics and Greg Wells, PhD Assistant Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at University of Toronto.

Primary Outcome Measures:

  • Efficacy of caffeine to improve power, strength and speed [ Time Frame: 2 hours ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

To determine if there is a positive effect (improvement) effect of 2 or 4 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body mass on four distinct components of fitness: power, strength, anaerobic and aerobic capacity. Therefore, to determine the efficacy of caffeine to shorten time to completion in time trial, and increase power/strength in wingate, vertical jump and handgrip tests.

Secondary Outcome Measures:

  • Individual genotypes, caffeine ingestion and athletic performance [ Time Frame: 1 day ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Saliva samples will be taken for genotyping and identification of genetic variations related to caffeine metabolism, in order to determine which genes are associated with improved performance during the caffeine treatment.

  • McMaster review of Periodization YTP plans for a Boxing Ontario Competitor

Working with McMaster to review block periodization and the microcycle parameters. The goal is to understand the YTP which sees energy system development (ESD) enhanced for best performance. (Amortization Phase – Transmutation Phase – Realization Phase – Hypertrophy Phase examined.) We will also look at which video analysis tools will enhance our program development. 

Public Sparring:

Please note the following excerpt from the CABA Rulebook regarding Public Sessions:

RULE 5 – REGULATIONS CONCERNING NON -TOURNAMENT BOUTS

5.1 Definition

5.1.1 Non-tournament events are bouts between competitors who are not part of a sanctioned tournament event. These bouts include club shows, invitational events, exhibitions and public sessions.

5.1.2 Exhibitions and public sessions are non-competitive bouts where ringside judges will not be used. All other ringside officials must be in attendance (referee, doctors, timekeeper, etc.).

5.2 Sanctions

5.2.1 Bouts may only be conducted as part of an event sanctioned by the appropriate national, provincial or regional authority.

5.3 Approval

5.3.1 All non-tournament events must adhere to the same regulations concerning age, weight and experience as a regular sanctioned tournament as per 5.1.

5.3.2 Competitors, their coaches/seconds, the official-in-charge of the event and the attending physician must all agree to approve the bout.

We’ve had cases in the past where clubs, with pure intentions, would host fundraisers where sparring is included as part of the entertainment for the day.

Please note that these sessions DO require approval by Boxing Ontario, and as such, a sanction form must be submitted as per normal practice. Unfortunately this will bring an additional cost to the host, but we need to ensure that we are in compliance with Boxing Canada rules at all times.

Insurance Coverage

We have a great insurance plan, but like any insurance policy, I hope we never have to make use of it. There seems to be some confusion out there so please be reminded that our coverage is only valid when injuries sustained happen while interacting with other registered Boxing Ontario members.

For example:

Boxing Ontario member sparring with Boxing Ontario member, supervised by Boxing Ontario coach – covered

Boxing Ontario member sparring with Boxing Ontario member, unsupervised – no coverage

Boxing Ontario member sparring with unregistered member – no coverage

Boxing Ontario member sparring with pro boxer – no coverage

 Quest For Gold

The Quest for Gold Selection Committee, in accordance with the guidance and requirements of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport has revised the Quest for Gold evaluation process to ensure a continued fair approach, but also a broader based, balanced view of a boxer’s experience, performance record, extended participation in the sport and boxing community involvement. In this regard, the committee has developed a Balanced Scorecard.

Our balanced scorecard reflects various criteria that the Committee believes are important in a well-rounded boxer, while providing an unbiased, balanced view of a boxer’s performance and further providing a fair means for ranking one boxer vs. another, or for tracking a boxer’s performance over time. The predominance of a boxer’s score will be driven entirely by that boxer’s participation and performance record. Certain points are granted for participation and others for winning percentage, or performance. As noted below, points are also granted for broader based boxing community involvement.

As depicted on Appendix III the Balanced Scorecard, thorough a weighted point system will measure the following:

  1. The last three years participation and winning performance at various venues. This section’s score will be weighted at 30% of the overall score, which is made up by weighted points earned in the various venues within that section as follows:
  2. Club Shows: 10%
  3. Regional Tournaments: 10%
  4. Provincial Tournaments: 25%
  5. National Tournaments: 25%
  6. International Tournaments: 30%
  7. The last twelve months performance at various venues. This section’s score will be weighted at 70% of the overall score, which is made up by weighted points earned in the various venues within that section as follows:
  8. Ontario Winter Games: 5%
  9. Brampton Cup: 5%
  10. Silver Gloves: 10%
  11. Bronze Gloves: 10%
  12. Provincials: 20%
  13. Golden Gloves: 10%
  14. Nationals: 20%
  15. International Competitions: 20%
  16. Sports community involvement, such as coaching and refereeing, and in future will include volunteerism, etc. In order to give all boxers an opportunity to meet these criteria, this section’s score will be weighted at 0% of the overall score this year. In following years it will be weighted up to 10% of the overall score, in various sections to be determined, but to include
  17. Coaching: 30%
b. Officiating: 30%
c. Volunteerism: 20% d. Other: TBD

The Selection Committee has reserved a Strategic Score section for its own use. The Committee can adjust the score in increments of 0.5 by a maximum of only -1 to +1. This is to be used very sparingly and is intended to adjust for fairness in various circumstances

All boxers who apply for Quest for Gold carding will be required to submit a full copy of their bout history, from their current and/or past passbooks together with a completed Schedule I.

The committee will select the highest scoring boxers from Male/Female and Junior C/Youth/Elite categories in accordance with Ministry rules, and as they determine to be in the best interest of the sport.

Marketing

Please see below from our in-house marketing wizard Luis Paredes for a little taste of what our tireless marketing team has been working on for us:

The marketing effort throughout this quarter has seen many opportunities come our way as our organization has been doing different things to get the message our programs, the clubs and our sport to more people. The organization has taken every opportunity to outreach to different community by going to different events through the summer and fall, some of these events include:

  • CNE Pan Am Sport Zone
  • Pan Am Day at Humber College
  • Centre for Spanish Speaking People 40th Year Anniversary Event
  • 2014 Box Run
  • Pan Am Year Out Event

We were able to promote both new clubs and many clubs shows to a new degree. We continue to welcome the media release’s, promo material, and other marketing tools wherein we can help build these shows alongside the clubs and their teams.

Another way that the organization has been marketing is through the development of a Boxing Ontario Street Team. This team is made up of various, students, interns and other volunteers who have been sent out to different events, festivals, and even large intersections of the city to help spread the word of our upcoming events, programs, partnerships and even our member clubs and what they offer! Some of the events and areas that the street team has gone to include the follow:

  • Toronto FC Games
  • Blue Jays Games
  • Cabbagetown Street Festival
  • Taste of the Danforth
  • Fan Expo
  • Dundas Square
  • Financial District
  • Ryerson University
  • York University
  • Kitchener Rock and Rumble
  • Taste of the Kingsway

With social media our online presence being an ever-growing factor of doing business our organization as seen a growth on every front. The website has been growing and has been seeing a growing amount of viewership and attention. The social media has grown as well with people liking and following our Facebook and Twitter accounts on a daily basis. The newsletter has also seen a large amount of subscribers grow as more people learn about the organization’s programs and the news that is occurring with all of our clubs. If you know of people who would benefit from receiving our informative newsletter please have them contact Luis – [email protected] 

Media & Promotion

  1. The official poster of the national championship was unveiled at a Press Conference on October 3, 2014, by Matthew Kennedy, Executive Director of Boxing Ontario, along with Adam McDonald of Rookie Blue fame. Boxing Ontario also announced it’s support for KidsHelpPhone at the press conference.
  1. Live-streaming of the bouts was made available through GFL TV, so that people could watch the bouts from the comforts of their homes. More than 3500 people enjoyed the bouts through this link.
  1. Print advertising campaign with Toronto Sun & 24 Hrs that comprised of 7 quarter page advertisements as well as 210,000 impressions on torontosun.com/sport. More than 500 fans clicked through this campaign to watch the bouts LIVE on GFL TV through the live-streaming option.
  1. Posters put up at more than 150 sports bars/restaurants across Mississauga and Toronto to create awareness about the championships.
  1. Subsidized tickets for all 9 sessions at the event were made available to member clubs through a special “Club-offer”, to encourage participation of local athletes in the event.
  1. A Pan Am Festival was organized simultaneously that celebrated the unique traditions and cultures of various countries from the North and South American Continents.

Co-promotion

  1. KidSport Ontario: We value personal development and growth through collaborative efforts, which is why we partnered with KidSport Ontario to extend financial help to under-resourced kids. In 2013, KidSport supported 11 young boxers participate in Boxing Ontario member club programs through the KidSport Grant Program. More than $2,300 in grants for club fees and equipment were provided so that the recipients could benefit from quality boxing programming in their community.
  1. A celebrity bout was organized as part of the Corporate Show in support of KidsHelpPhone, wherein Adam McDonald of the famous TV show Rookie Blue took on his co-star Peter Mooney to raise awareness about KidsHelpPhone.
  1. Market Place was also set-up which saw vendors doing robust business in and around the event.

Elite Nationals

From October 28th till November 1st Boxing Ontario hosted the 2015 Elite National Championships at the Delta Meadowvale Hotel in Mississauga. Our Ontario boxers placed everything and the week saw great victories and some tough losses; however we are very proud of all our boxers as Team Ontario finished first in the medal standing with 24 Medals! The medal standings were the following:

During the Elite Nationals there was a theme of the Nationals being the Path to the Pan Am Games and working off that amazing event coming Boxing Ontario organized a Pan Am Festival to help teach participants about not only the values of sport and culture, but also the importance of fitness that boxing has. Different rooms at the Delta Meadowvale Hotel held different activities and groups who performed different cultural performances from the Americas and physical activities.

Different activities included:

  • A Photography and Art Exhibit
  • Physical Education and Fitness Activities
  • Cultural and motivational speakers
  • Cultural Music and dance performances

Many of the participants enjoyed the festival performers but especially loved the chance try out the boxing portion. The goal is to lead to more people towards participation in our great sport and increase long-term memberships for our clubs. As mentioned above, the last bout of the Elite Nationals saw the bout between two well-known actors from the hot show Rookie Blue as their bout helped raise money for the Kids Help Phone but also to help raise awareness of our sport and the event to many different audiences and new eyes. The bout was a success as different people from around the world tuned in to watch these actors battle it out on our provincial stage. These National Championships were a great success and heard nothing but great things from everyone who was participating or involved.

2015 Elite National Championships From A Presidents Perspective:

Wow. Where do I start? First and foremost I’d like to congratulate all of our athletes and coaches on their stellar performances at this event. This was the most competitive success that we have had in many years, with Boxing Ontario cleaning up in the medal count. We had 24 medals, (10 Gold, 7 Silver 7 Bronze), and our nearest rival finished with 16 medals (8 Gold, 4 Silver, & 4 Bronze).   I personally believe that our team benefitted greatly by having this tournament on home soil.

Not only did we have a great competition within the field of play, but overall it was a great event. We received accolades from members of every contingent who participated, and I was asked, by Boxing Canada President Pat Fiacco to pass on a personal thank you to everyone involved in the event.

I was personally humbled by the level of support and professionalism displayed by the numerous staff and volunteers who made this event what it is. There were so many people who surprised me with their contributions and desire to be part of a successful event. I will not be mentioning any of these stories because I don’t value any one over the other, but to everyone involved in the event……thank you.

Boxing is known to be a team sport, and I strongly disagree.   Although there are only 2 individuals in the ring competing, their success depends on the contributions of their team. In our case we had a great team of boxers, coaches, officials, staff, & volunteers. Once again, thank you very much

Bronze Gloves

On November 28th – November 30th the Delta Meadowvale Hotel we hosted a successful Bronze Gloves Tournament.  We saw some great novice boxers and also our open class Junior and Youth athletes who were hungry for a spot on our provincial team. There is a lot of talent on the rise!

A special addition to this event was the female-only training session that was put on by Jill Perry, with support from kaitlyn Clark.  Look for more of this type of training as Jill and her crew bring our female program to the next level!

Our Officials Making Their Marks

It’s very important that our officials be developed and mentored, as they play a vital, yet unheralded,  role in the development of our athletes.

In addition to Tommy Amaral & Paul DeMelo officiating at Nationals, Shawn Floyd & Jennifer Huggins recently had some great opportunities to develop their skills and bring back some valuable experience.

Jen was invited to officiate at the Elite Women’s World Championships In Korea and she had a great experience, being tasked to referee in the finals. She sent me a note pertaining to her experiences and I shared it on our website recently. My favourite part of the story was to hear how she worked the Agency Wars club show on the night she returned from Korea

Shawn was in Veracruz, Mexico, where he worked the Central American Caribbean Games from November 21-29. Shawn reports that the event included both AOB & WSB boxers, some of them being Olympic and/or World Champions.   The media coverage was great, and large display screens were used in conjunction with hi-definition video cameras to ensure that the boxers and their facial expressions were shared with everyone in the crowd.

The international style has changed, with the boxers moving more and faster. The stronger countries like Cuba, Columbia, & Mexico were boxing smarter, and spent more time boxing outside along the ropes, as opposed to being in the middle of the ring like styles of days gone by.

The tournament featured over 100 bouts and there was only one cut as a result of accidental headbutt. This cut was actually on the side of the boxer’s head and it had no affect on the outcome of the bout, or the boxer’s ability to pass the next medical examination.

The head contact was somewhat limited, and the officials were quick to issue cautions and warnings when contact was made. As a result of the changed style, the diligence of the officials, and the use of Cavilon cream, none of the 100 bouts were impacted by cuts. Further to this, there wasn’t a single head injury reported in over 100 bouts.

Based on what Shawn has reported, it is very important that we develop our athletes & officials so that using the head is minimized.

Having our officials get this type of experience is invaluable to us as an organization. They are seeing the best boxers and styles in the world, and they are being mentored by the best officials in AIBA.

Increasing Our Media Presence

I recently approached Kaitlyn Clark and asked her to help with our Social Media campaign. She’s bringing our presence to the eastern end of our province and has also contributed to our website by providing competition reports.

I also approached world-renowned boxing writer Shawn McWilliams and asked for him to help our cause. Shawn has graciously agreed to submit regular articles & interviews, on a volunteer basis, to be posted on our website.   The intent here is to introduce ourselves to the world, and it’s not always going to be about our boxers. We have some great coaches, officials, volunteers, and staff, and I want the world to hear their stories.   Shawn and I have had a few discussions and I’ve given him some ideas, but it’s not a hard fast list.   If you’ve got ideas for articles, or maybe would like to share your story, feel free to contact Shawn by email at [email protected]

Marketing Representative

Sean Yacoub is a coach with Regency Boxing, who’s got a strong background in sales and marketing. Sean has approached us and offered to help with our marketing endeavours, but also helping other clubs market themselves.   We’re hoping to set up some marketing seminars in the New Year, so please keep an eye on your mailbox for the notice.

Standardizing Our Terminology

As our boxing world changes, it’s important that we align ourselves with what the rest of the world is doing and saying. Part of this comes down to how we communicate our brand.  For example – “Senior Boxers.”  It’s important that we use the term “Elite” in this case.   We need to make some changes on our website, and I ask that everyone do the same.

Another one that, ironically, has been bothering me is the term “amateur boxing”   “Amateur” has a certain connotation to it and I believe that it doesn’t properly reflect the level of professionalism that we all strive for. Please see below from a recent AIBA communication:

AIBA continues maintaining its principle of abandoning the use of the word “Amateur” in relation to its sport programs and dissociating the sport of boxing from images of it being a “Combat and Martial Art Sport” in order to ensure the protection of its original characteristic as the “Noble Art” sport.

Recreational Members

Simply put, the future of our organization will be greatly affected by the number or recreational members that we have on our books.   Whether this is positive or negative depends on our efforts.

When we (or Boxing Canada) apply for grants, sponsorships, or other funding opportunities, our numbers are looked at. We’ve demonstrated excellent growth and performance over the past few years, but still have some work to do in the area of our recreational numbers.

Across the country, we have the 2nd highest number of total registrants, but when it comes to recreational members we are near the bottom.   This has been noted not only by Boxing Canada, but also potential funding providers at the national level.

A recreational membership in our organization is only $20, and the member gets top-notch insurance coverage while training (non-contact), a free Boxing Ontario T-Shirt, and the opportunity to say that they’re a member of the best Provincial Boxing Organization in Canada.

Many clubs may not realize this, but your club registration for 2015 included 3 FREE recreational memberships. All you have to do is fill out the forms and send them in to the office.

Some of our clubs take full advantage of the benefits of the recreational memberships, while others do not. If each club were to register the 3 FREE recreational members, we would definitely be heading in the right direction.

So if you’re a club coach or owner, please, at the minimum, submit 3 names for your FREE memberships.

If you are a member of a club for fitness purposes, please speak with the club owner about becoming a recreational member of Boxing Ontario.

If you are a parent, family member, or friend of a Boxing Ontario member and would like to become part of the organization, please consider becoming a recreational member of our great organization.

If you’ve got any ideas on how to increase our recreational numbers, please let me know.

Criminal Code Changes – Prize Fighting

For anyone who isn’t aware, Bill S-209 was passed last fall in the House of Commons. This bill changed the definition of “Prize Fight” in the criminal code.   Our provincial government is currently working on legislation which will determine how the new criminal code provisions are to be implemented in our province.   Because we are on the Olympic Program, we are exempt from the Criminal Code provisions, however we feel that it is in the interest of public safety that this exemption only applies to boxing organizations under the umbrella of AIBA & the IOC.   We should have more information on this before the summer.

I realize that there is a lot going on and it may be difficult just by reading emails and newsletters, etc. I am planning to hold an info session for anyone who has questions and/or wants more info. My plan is to do this on the Friday at the Brampton Cup, following weigh-ins & medicals.

In closing, I’d like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. I look forward to the next year as president of your organization.

As always, if you have concerns or questions, feel free to drop me a line at [email protected]

One last thing, I almost forgot, please remember to renew your registrations ASAP. The more members we have, the stronger we are, and it will open the door for increased funding opportunities. Also, a current registration is required if you want to spar or compete.

Yours in the noble art of AIBA Open Boxing

 

Mike Power
President
Boxing Ontario