Boxing coach’s journey to become pioneer for women’s sport

After somewhat falling into the sport as a cleaner at her son’s gym in 2006, Laura Sargeant now owns a successful gym with her husband, where she has been championing female participation in the sport ever since it opened its doors in 2010. She explained: “In 2015, I got voted to be head of the female squad as I felt it could have been run much better. A year later, I took the girls to my first big tournament in Sweden. We left with 11 golds, a lot of silver and bronze medals, and won best team.”

This was a standout moment for Sargeant: “It's one of the best things I’ve ever done and one of the best things that ever happened for me. I was doing for the first time. I hadn’t even been to a Box Cup in England, never mind abroad!”

However, Sargeant’s coaching success has not come without its challenges in a traditionally male dominated space, she said: “I get a lot of respect from the kids I coach, but I also feel I’ve earned that. When I first came into coaching, I had to be quite resilient as there weren’t many females in the gym”.

“I remember being at a competition, and a male coach making a comment about me breaking a nail. I went through him, and everyone backed me up. Since that day I knew I had to be resilient and thick skinned”.

Sargeant also praises UK Coaching’s Coach Development programme for helping her develop her skills and confidence, she said: “The UK Coaching Women’s High-Performance Programme made a massive impact on my coaching. It made me think about self-awareness, reflection, personality, which changed the way I coach. I understand who I am as a coach much better now.”

As well as her own gym, Sargeant is Women and Girls Officer at England Boxing. She believes education can play a key role in equalising opportunities for women in the sport: “I would like to see some education for men”.

“Men are not our enemies, I've had loads that have helped me, but I've had some that haven't”.

“It's not that they're ignorant, I think they just don't know what to do. They don’t want to step out of line or say anything wrong. They just don’t know what do to, which is why education is important”.

To get more female coaches into boxing, Sargeant says there needs to be a focus on building their confidence, she explained: “It’s not that female coaches don’t have any ability, they just don’t believe in themselves or have the opportunities to develop”.

“We do a coach development programme, and at the end of this year we’ll have had fifty one women come through it”.

“Some previous participants are now in the GB development squad and England pathway and have told us this is something they’d never have had the confidence or ability to do without our programme. I’m so proud to have had a little piece in their journey.”

Fourteen years after opening her gym, Sargeant’s passion has never faded. She explained: “Boxing is one of those sports that once you’re into it, you’re into it. It’s in your blood. It’s all you do”.

“I feel very fortunate to do what I do. I’ve had so many amazing experiences. I absolutely love it”.

If you want to start your coaching journey, head to https://www.ukcoaching.org to find out more.