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The Chatham Sisters, who have gained so much from the sport of boxing, offer free trial boxing workshops to bring these benefits to girls aged 13 to 16.
Published April 19, 2024 • Last updated 30 minutes ago • Reading time 2 minutes
Twins Carissa (left) and Kat Strain have launched a free boxing pilot project for girls ages 13 to 16, starting the first Sunday in May with the Soul Strong with the Sisters. It is called “Strain”. This program is hosted at the KAYO Boxing Club thanks to the center’s owner, Mr. Floyd Porter. (Elwood Shreve/Chatham Daily News) jpg, CD, apsmc
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The Chatham Sisters, who have gained so much from the sport of boxing, offer free trial boxing workshops to bring these benefits to girls aged 13 to 16.
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Sisters Strain’s Soul Strong is brought to you by Kat and Carissa Strain, who have been training boxing on and off since their mid-20s.
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“We found boxing as a way to increase our confidence and self-esteem. It was a great source of empowerment as women,” Kat said.
The 33-year-old twins, who are filmmakers and actors, wanted to share this benefit with other women as they worked with boxing coaches in Toronto and Los Angeles.
A few years ago, they began working with Floyd Porter, owner of KAYO Boxing in Chatham, who encouraged them to pursue female coaching certifications, Catt said.
She recently earned this certification and the sisters are ready to see how far the program will go. Boxing workshops will be held at KAYO Boxing on Sundays in May from 10am to noon.
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“We want to encourage young women to try activities they might not otherwise be able to experience and develop positivity and confidence through sport,” Catt said.
They also want to remind people that courage, strength and confidence start in the heart, she added.
Carissa said the explanation for the name “Soul-Strong” is because “it’s not just physical strength, it’s mental strength as well.”
When speaking to young people, he says, “There are many layers…many other messages that can help you cope with stress, cope with anxiety, and find ways to live your life in a happier, more positive, more confident state.” ,” she said.
Part of the program is to foster positive relationships and sisterhood.
Carissa said women are sometimes portrayed in the media as “very cat-loving or very competitive.”
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The goal, she added, is to make the program a positive experience “to find strength within yourself, but also to look to your sister and celebrate the strength within her.”
Sisters donate their time and pay for trial workshops to give back to the community. Participants will receive gloves, hand wraps, skipping ropes, tote bags and T-shirts.
“We want our girls to be able to leave the program with the tools they need to continue their (boxing) training if they wish,” Catt said.
Although the program is aimed at beginners, we hope that some girls will want to pursue it further.
To register, email soulstrong@sistersstrain.com.
Carissa said there has been a positive response to the boxing workshops, with women of all ages showing interest. They are expanding the program to other age groups and are inviting anyone interested to send an email so they can decide whether to pursue sponsorship.
Porter, who has taught youth important life skills through boxing for decades, knows it’s a difficult job and hopes the community will support the Strain sisters. I hope.
“They need support because they are motivated to make changes,” he says.
eshreve@postmedia.com
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