Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
With support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
(DFAT), a sport-based development initiative known as ModBox – short for
modified boxing is currently
operating in 10 schools across
the northern Indian states of
Uttarakhand and Uttar
Pradesh. The project is serving
as a vehicle for reaching young
people from some of the most
disadvantaged sectors of the
Indian community and is aimed
at facilitating their personal
development.
ModBox differs substantially
from conventional boxing. It makes use of specially developed gloves that
decrease impact forces, and impacts to the head and neck are prohibited.
Protective vests and head guards are worn. Participants prepare for ‘public
performances’ rather than competitions. In the public performances, contestants
within a ‘bout’ work together to put on an attractive and entertaining display of
skill, rather than seeking individual victory. They vow to avoid causing any harm
to each other. At the end of a bout, no winner is declared but instead the
participants rate their own performance and that of their opponent according to
several set criteria. The ratings are checked against those of a Performance
Director. The collated information is then used to provide each participant with
feedback on strengths and areas of possible improvement. This approach is
intended foster progressive skill improvement.
A key element of the program has been the training of ModBox Community
Coaches who can then work effectively in the schools and communicate the
philosophy underpinning the endeavour.
During the second half of 2016, Boxing Australia Participation Manager and
current University of Canberra PhD scholar Paul Perkins, who is also a former
Australian Institute of Sport Boxing Coach, developed a training course that was
subsequently accredited
through the Australian
Sports Commission. In
January 2017, he
delivered the course to
33 Indian trainees
(including 17 females)
over a 6-day intensive
period.
Paul remained in India for a total of 7 weeks to provide ongoing support to the
coaches and to directly assist in the early stages of program implementation.
Ten of the coaches (4 males, 6 females) now
have either full-time or part-time employment
through the program. They are enabling the
involvement of more than 300 young people
across the 10 schools.
The program objectives extend beyond
improvement of sporting proficiency, having
broader educational and social dimensions.
For example, the program is linked with an
initiative that seeks to make the modified boxing
participants aware of and responsive to
environmental challenges affecting their region.