Mayo town to host festival of sport learning next month
Mayo has been selected as the host for a first-of-its-kind event in Irish boxing, which also seeks to provide sporting learning opportunities to other sporting and community groups.
Swinford BoxCon, taking place across Swinford from from September 12 to 14, is a collaboration between Swinford Boxing Club and the Irish Athletic Boxing Association. It includes two boxing coach qualification courses and a boxer care course delivered by the Head of Performance Services at GB Boxing, Ian Gatt.
In addition to boxing-specific workshops, Swinford BoxCon will host workshops on youth mental health first aid, sport psychology, youth leadership, and coaching teenage girls, which are free to attend and open to all.
Club secretary Tom Geraghty said: “Sports clubs can be about more than just sports. We can be community hubs that promote physical and mental health and foster social connection.
“Whilst it is not always easy to provide educational and supportive services for our members, working together and supporting each other, we can act as 'agents of support' in communities, offering positive role models, pathways to personal growth, and a sense of purpose and belonging beyond the physical activity itself.”
Tom added: “Building on what colleague clubs have already offered this year, Swinford Boxing Club, in association with the Irish Athletic Boxing Association and Mayo Sports Partnership, are delighted to offer several developmental courses that can build confidence, resilience and perseverance that people can apply to both their academic and personal lives.
“Courses are open to all, are free of charge, and will bring people from different backgrounds together, enhancing social interaction and strengthening the community's overall fabric.”
IABA Education and Training Officer, Nikki Foley, commented: “IABA and Swinford BC have worked together to provide learning opportunities for people across sport. In addition to our boxing-specific learning in coach education and corner care, we’re opening our sport psychology workshop, our youth leadership course, and our coaching teenage girls workshop to all sporting and community groups.
“We’re delighted also to offer the youth mental health first aid course in partnership with Mental Health First Aid, Ireland. This two-day course teaches participants how to assist a young person who may be experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis. It’s open to anyone over the age of 18 working with young people.
“The Irish Athletic Boxing Association is committed to providing up-skilling opportunities to our members – and we also want to involve local communities. Swinford BoxCon is a wonderful way to do that.”
COURSES AND BOOKING
Sports psychology workshop: Taking place at Swinford Boxing Club on Sunday, September 14, between 1 and 3 p.m., this workshop is hosted by sports psychologist Richard Shanahan, who worked alongside the Boxing High Performance Unit in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This workshop is free of charge, and can be booked at https://shout.com/s/CzLHcwkN.
Youth mental health first aid: This is a two-day course, in partnership with Mental Health First Aid ,Ireland, takes place at Cruinniu, Main Street, Swinford (F12 AN25), from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 13, and Sunday, September 14. This course teaches participants how to assist a young person who may be experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis until appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves, using a practical, evidence-based action plan. This an evidence-based training programme. The course is free of charge. Book HERE.
Youth leadership: This one-day programme takes place on Saturday, September 13, at Swinford Court Digital Hub. It focuses on enhancing leadership skills, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities in participants aged from 14 to 21. It aims to develop effective leaders within boxing clubs and communities. This course is free to attend, and booking is available at https://shout.com/s/oUkqc0l4.
Coaching teenage girls: This in-person workshop will take place on Sunday, September 14, at Swinford Boxing Club between 9.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. It is open to all coaches and focusses on retention of teenage girls, the psycho-social needs of teenage girls in sport, practical strategies to foster the coach/athlete relationship, and the effect puberty has on the mind and body of teenage girls and how can coaches support this. The workshop has four sections: What we know about teenage girls in sport and the role of the coach; Inside the mind and body of teenage girls; The coaching environment; and Opportunities beyond the workshop. Booking is available at https://shout.com/s/WhDrX0mq.