“Including everyone is a fundamental tenet of Boxing Without Barriers. All programming is designed for athletes, not around them. This means that no one is overlooked, and everyone is empowered to meet their short- and long-term goals.” Chantal Deketele, Head Coach
Boxing Without Barriers (BWB) is a community sport organization in Ottawa offering everyone the opportunity to be a champion! BWB offers boxing programs for children, youth, and young adults with disabilities. Programs are offered in a non-contact environment where no prior experience or equipment is needed. Like many community sport organizations, BWB is a volunteer-run organization.
Check out this introductory video to the Boxing Without Barriers program here.
Historically, Canadian children with disabilities are less active than their peers. Boxing Without Barriers helps to create opportunities for children with disabilities to be active. BWB programs offer physical activity, social, and personal development benefits to athletes.
BWB programming specializes in working with people with disabilities, women and girls, and Deaf youth. These populations have been traditionally underrepresented in sport. According to the Power of Sport: 2022 True Sport Report, sport provides individuals with disabilities an opportunity to further develop a sense of self-confidence and self-esteem, enhance social skills and networks, and become more motivated and independent. Boxing Without Barriers is proud to enable athletes to have access to the benefits of sport participation.
Boxing Without Barriers individualizes programming for each athlete based on their goals in a group setting, allowing athletes the opportunity to experience a positive team environment. Programs are designed to provide athletes with disabilities the opportunity to learn a new sport and be a part of a supportive team environment. Much like the Ottawa Sport Council, BWB believes everyone should have the opportunity to participate in a positive sport experience.
Boxing Without Barriers offers a Mixed Ability boxing program in partnership with the Beaver Boxing Club. The program is the first of its kind in Ontario, where athletes of all abilities train together. This program is an excellent example of the power of sport to foster social connections among athletes of all abilities and promote greater inclusion.
Programs offered through Boxing Without Barriers recognize that different coaching methods are required when working with athletes of mixed abilities. Traditional sport programs offer a linear coaching method of skill development leading to competition. BWB takes a more wholistic approach to sport program development, which is beneficial to athletes of all abilities as it caters to different learning styles. BWB programming looks at the physical, cognitive, and social elements of sport when designing programs.
BWB programming was recently a part of the Ottawa Inclusive and Para Sport Expo, on June 4 at Carleton University. The expo was an opportunity for adapted and inclusive sport organizations and programs in Ottawa to showcase and demonstrate their sports for all ages and abilities.
At the expo, Boxing Without Barriers had a chance to showcase their upcoming summer pilot program. The program will target Deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes with a boxing program in American Sign Language (ASL). We look forward to seeing the success of this program.
Join us in thanking the volunteers from Boxing Without Barriers for creating more positive sport experiences in Ottawa! To learn more about Boxing Without Barriers, check out their website.