Hampshire boxing coach celebrated in national ‘Women in Coaching’ series
A local Hampshire boxing coach has been highlighted in a new ‘Women in Coaching’ series by UK Coaching and England Boxing for changing lives through sport.
Joanne Seward, a coach at Poseidon Boxing Club, has broken down stereotypes at the age of 62 to learn, grow and make a difference in the community.
Her journey is a powerful reminder that coaching doesn’t have an age limit and that it’s never too late to spark change at grassroots level.
Having first stepped into a boxing gym at the age of 52 with the aim of improving her fitness, she fell in love with the sport from the very first session.
As Joanne’s passion for the sport deepened, an opportunity to support the coaching team arose. She thoroughly enjoyed it and soon joined an England Boxing coaching programme.
“I wanted to be just as committed to the programme as I was in my first job,” she recalls. Since then, she has become a key part of the Poseidon team, playing an essential role supporting the club’s head coaches.
However, the early days weren’t easy for Joanne. “When I started the development course, I felt like the slow one at the back, because I was the one who knew the least,” she admits. “I felt like I had more to prove, but once I got further down the line, I realised it didn’t matter.”
Joanne’s story comes at a time when female coaching numbers are falling. New data from UK Coaching’s Coaching in the UK Report reveals a decline in the number of female coaches across all levels – from 44% in 2022 to 38% in 2024 – despite women making up 51% of the UK population.
In response to these figures, UK Coaching is developing a Gender Impact Strategy to create inclusive and diverse coaching environments, promote equity, and drive systemic change.
UK Coaching is committed to reversing the decline in female coaches and is continuing to work with partners on further research to understand more deeply the reasons for the drop-off.
For Joanne, having women in coaching roles is vital because women understand the world according to women: “Having female coaches is crucial because they can coach people who are similar to them,” she says.
Joanne faced challenges at her former gym, admitting that some of the men weren’t comfortable with her taking control, but she now believes those perceptions have shifted.
“It’s not an issue 90 per cent of the time now. People understand that you are there to coach,” she says.
Joanne now hopes her journey will inspire more women to get involved, and her key message is simple but powerful.
“Believe,” she urges. “You must believe in yourself and do it. What’s the worst that can happen? Don’t let people put you down. Just believe.”
UK Coaching and England Boxing are dedicated to celebrating inspiring coaching stories from every sport, at every level, to shine a light on the unsung heroes who are building stronger clubs, communities, and futures.