SC Golden Gloves
Boxing Safety Certification Course
Welcome to Session 1!
This course is designed to provide SC amateur boxing coaches with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions for better managing boxers’ safety. The course consists of six sessions.
- Session 1: Multiple Perspectives on Amateur Boxing
- Sessions 2 & 3: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), Concussion, and Amateur Boxing
- Sessions 4 & 5: Nutrition, Hydration, and Rapid Weight Loss / Gain
- Sessions 6: Emergency First Response (CPR / AED / Basic First Aid)

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This course is designed to provide SC amateur boxing coaches with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions for better managing boxers’ safety. The course consists of six sessions.
- Session 1: Multiple Perspectives on Amateur Boxing
- Sessions 2 & 3: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), Concussion, and Amateur Boxing
- Sessions 4 & 5: Nutrition, Hydration, and Rapid Weight Loss / Gain
- Sessions 6: Emergency First Response (CPR / AED / Basic First Aid)

Session 1 Checklist
- Take the pretest (~30 minutes)
- Select and watch 2-3 videos about the benefits of boxing (~10 minutes)
- Read the World Medical Association position statement (~5 minutes)
- Reflect: Which position is stronger? Why? (~5 minutes)
Pretest
The first task in this professional learning program is to complete the pretest. The purpose of the pretest is to determine some of the knowledge you may already have regarding boxing-specific safety topics. The pretest includes true / false, multiple choice, and survey questions. In order to receive credit for completing the pretest, please make sure to type your name in the box provided at the beginning (“Please type your name”). You will need to complete both the pretest (complete during Session 1) and posttest (complete during Session 6) to earn the education program certificate.
Directions: Click the link and take the pretest. The link will open a new tab in your Internet browser. Once you have completed the pretest, you are ready to move on to the next segment (Videos: The Many Benefits of Boxing). Note: Your score on the pretest will not impact your ability to earn the program certificate.
Videos: The Many Benefits of Boxing
Directions: Select 2 or 3 videos to watch in this section. The videos are news programs discussing the benefits of amateur boxing.
WCPO 9. (2016, June 10). Cincinnati boxing program gets area kids fighting in the ring, instead of on the streets [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JqQ_2JuEMA
WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7. (2015, August 19). Youth boxing program expands in Detroit [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qez_c2pk5LM
WLKY News Louisville. (2016, June 3). Louisville boxing gym works to keep kids focused and off the streets [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw4HcdI-2wo
FOX 2 St. Louis. (2019, January 23). South city boxing program is a ‘knockout’ with inner city youth to stay focused and out of trouble [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6-wyRrLAxM
Great Big Story. (2019, April 5). How boxing is giving Chicago’s youth a fighting chance [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sejyp6RiLo
News 5 Cleveland. (2019, February 22). Cleveland program fighting to keep youth off the streets with boxing, basketball [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L33R561oWSQ
10 Tampa Bay. (2018, December 12). Boxing program aims to keep kids off the streets [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2JhGjtLkLs
ABC 7 Chicago. (2018, August 20). Boxing Out Negativity program encourages kids to put down guns, pick up gloves [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQbBYmacK6k
ClarkCountyNV. (2019, November 27). City Boxing Club helps underprivileged Las Vegas youth [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQy2fpJa0mc
NorfolkTV. (2016, November 4). Boxing is big in Norfolk, VA [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnDB6DpC7Pg
Los Angeles Times. (2009, May 7). Santa Monica youth boxing program teaches discipline [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnrLIuEbEGQ
Kim Pestalozzi. (2015, February 27). Atlas Cops and Kids boxing program gives kids fighting chance [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWA3DaKwZxc
Reading: World Medical Association Position Statement on Boxing
Directions: Read the 1 page position statement from the World Medical Association. To access the position statement, click the link below.
World Medical Association (2020, July 13). WMA Statement on Boxing. https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-statement-on-boxing/
Reflect
Benefits of Boxing
- What do you believe are the benefits of boxing?
- Are there any additional benefits that were not described in the videos you watched?
Benefits of Boxing Versus Injury Risks
There are many benefits of boxing described by coaches, athletes, and parents. The World Medical Association, however, has recommended banning boxing because of the injuries it causes. Polarities are interdependent opposites which function best when both are present to balance each other from extremes. The “medical perspective” and the “boxing perspective” appear to be polar opposites and in conflict with one-another. However, we want to encourage you to consider moving away from either/or thinking (i.e., EITHER the medical perspective is right OR the boxing perspective is right) to both/and thinking (i.e., BOTH the medical perspective AND boxing perspective are right in different ways) for this reflection task.
- What are the pros and cons of strictly following the medical perspective (as presented in the World Medical Association reading)?
- What are the pros and cons of strictly following boxing perspectives (as presented in the videos)?
- Is there a way to get the pros of each perspective while avoiding the cons of each perspective? Stated differently, do you believe there is a way for athletes to receive the many benefits of boxing AND minimize short- and long-term health risks?
- Boxing is a contact sport. Do you think there are ways to reduce the number of injuries in the sport?
Note: Reflect on these positions on your own right now. In Session 3, you will be asked to discuss these questions with other coaches.

Session 1 Completion Checklist
- Did you complete the pretest?
- Did you select and watch 2-3 videos about the benefits of boxing?
- Did you read the World Medical Association position statement on boxing?
- Did you complete the reflection exercise?
Conclusion
Boxing requires balance, leverage, and coordination. We want you to begin thinking about how to balance, leverage, and coordinate different perspectives on amateur boxing to benefit your boxers.
This concludes Session 1. Please continue to Session 2 next week.
