Blog: “I want to continue to push barriers in boxing”
Activity Alliance features a blog post every Friday. This year we have been sharing the experiences of disabled people involved in sport and exercise at all levels. Today, we continue this theme and hear from Kate Farley, a 28 year old boxer with cerebral palsy, on how being active has and continues to be instrumental throughout her life.
Hi, I’m Kate, I’m a 28 year old who lives in Dorset and I’m a boxer.
I have cerebral palsy. This doesn’t stop me being an active person; I box three times a week and go to the gym twice a week.
My boxing journey started after a training session with an ex-Gladiator from the 90s TV show The Gladiators. I tried some basic boxing drills and instantly loved the feeling, so I immediately researched boxing trainers in my area who could provide me with one-to-one training. A friend recommended my current trainer and I’ve been with him since March 2017.
Being active has and continues to be instrumental throughout my life. I thrive on the empowering feel-good factor boxing has on me and I love the endless benefits the sport has given me. Boxing improves my physical and mental strength, coordination, reactions, muscle awakening and confidence. I’ve also seen a noticeable difference to it enhancing my cardiovascular health and relieving my stresses. I really believe it’s the most effective workout anyone could undergo!
Being a disabled adult, I believe it’s fundamental to stay as active as possible and boxing has strengthened my whole body, which in return supports my everyday life activities. The activity encourages both my arms - one tighter and one weaker - to fully extend whilst becoming stronger. It also directly impacts my coordination and precision, challenges my balance and reaction speeds and overall enriches my happiness and makes me look and feel the best I can.
The support from my family, friends and general supporters has been an important part in the ongoing success of my boxing. I’m fortunate to have a trainer who 100 per cent supports and encourages me in every step of my journey. I’ve also been lucky enough to have three of my boxing documentaries go viral over various online platforms, which has accumulated absolutely incredible feedback from all over the world. I’m super grateful and I love the fact that I have become somewhat synonymous with boxing.
I’m an adventurous person who gives anything a try but my foreseeable aim is to really focus on my boxing. It’s become my passion and has evolved into my lifestyle and I want to take it as far as I can and continue to push barriers. My main dream is to see boxing for disabled people become a Paralympic sport and hopefully I can be at the forefront of that.
My advice to other disabled people who are thinking about being more active, or taking up a sport is – determination, positivity and passion is key. If you believe you want to and can, then you will. I never thought boxing would change my life but it has and it has changed for the better. Being active and adopting a sport is one of the best things I have done and I would encourage other disabled people to do it too.
Interested in trying boxing? Visit England Boxing website for more information about its Disability Development Plan.
Cerebral Palsy Sport is the country’s leading national disability sports charity supporting people with cerebral palsy to reach their sporting potential.
