Inclusive Coaching in Pembrokeshire Thriving with UK Coaching Support
Inspiring Story by Blake Richardson
UK Coaching visited Pembroke & Pembroke Dock Amateur Boxing Club and observed the profound impact of high-quality inclusive coaching. We saw firsthand how disabled children are flourishing under the care of an empathetic coach who understands their unique needs and is committed to fostering a more equitable and supportive environment for everyone.
Here at Pembroke and Pembroke Dock ABC and Great Britain Disability Boxing we have been using UK Coaching’s Premium membership for years. It is a vital tool for coaching. I highly recommend coaches become members of UK Coaching Club as, no matter what your sport, the resources can play a major role in your development.”
Chris McEwen Chairman of Great Britain Disability Boxing and Pembroke & Pembroke Dock Amateur Boxing Club
UK Coaching is part of a dedicated network across the sport, physical activity, and well-being sector committed to changing the perception of coaching disabled people. We are delighted to see our hard work making a tangible impact, as evidenced in this video case study.
While our sporting culture has made significant strides towards equality of opportunity and inclusive practice, we recognise that there is still much work to be done.
As we will demonstrate, the extensive training courses and resources available through UK Coaching Club have been instrumental in enhancing the skills of coaches at the South Wales club, helping them become more competent and confident in catering to the diverse needs of all participants, regardless of their perceived ability.
Additionally, our Premium Membership has been a source of inspiration for disabled participants too, who have transitioned into boxing coaches themselves, growing in confidence and stature through their supportive journey at the inclusive club.
Chris shares how his coaches’ membership of UK Coaching Club has been a catalyst for transforming the lives of disabled people in his community.
There are nearly 17 million disabled people in the UK, and they remain the least active group in society – with 44% of disabled people engaging in physical activity fewer than three days a week, compared to 31% of those without disabilities.
With a quarter of people who engage in sport or physical activity navigating physical or health-related barriers, it is imperative to create inclusive spaces for participation and learning. These spaces should make people feel safe, welcome, engaged, and motivated, establishing a climate of psychological safety where participants feel comfortable sharing their challenges with coaches who are attuned to their needs and sensitive to their points of view.
UK Coaching’s Coaching in the UK 2024 Report revealed that more than 80% of young people with a disability highlighted that being coached increases their enjoyment, with almost two-thirds saying it made them less likely to drop out of sport.
Research from leading disability charity Scope, meanwhile, showed that 66% of people in the UK feel ‘uncomfortable’ talking to people with disabilities, admitting to feeling anxious about offending them by saying something inappropriate by mistake.
This fear is also present among coaches, deterring many from coaching disabled participants and perpetuating a cycle of exclusion and inactivity.
‘The learning centre that is open 24/7’
Boxing coach and former soldier Chris McEwen is fully aligned with UK Coaching’s commitment to reducing disability inequalities in sport and physical activity. He has made it his mission to shift societal attitudes and, through ensuring access to high-quality opportunities for everyone to get active, is fostering healthier, more active communities in the Welsh county of Pembrokeshire.
Chris – chairman of Pembroke & Pembroke Dock Amateur Boxing Club, Great Britain Disability Boxing, and Disability Boxing Lead with the charity Boxwise – believes coaches have a pivotal part to play in the fight for disability equality in society.
Chris contends that society’s preconceived notions about disabilities have taken root in coaching too, creating a fear factor that discourages coaches from working with disabled people.
It’s important to eliminate the fear factor among coaches. Coaching disabled athletes is often perceived as being too challenging. However, once you get involved in that community, you realise that it’s not difficult and is no more demanding than coaching amateur boxers.
“The UK Coaching online courses and eLearning modules I have attended have done an outstanding job in dispelling that myth.
“The learning on the Duty to Care Hub – particularly the Safeguarding and Inclusion pillars – and eLearning courses (I have done most of them) and the Online Classrooms I have attended, get the point across that great coaching is great coaching, no matter who you work with.
“The courses are full of tips and strategies coaches can use in their sessions to build their confidence in working with disabled people and enhance their understanding of how to reduce the barriers to participation.
“It’s a case of being open-minded and adapting to the individual. You learn on the job.
“There’s no doubt about it in my mind; the UK Coaching website is one of the best learning platforms out there for a sports delivery coach. It is an incredible tool.
“And the beauty of UK Coaching Club is that it is so accessible. Anyone can use the learning tools and resources from the comfort of their own home.
"It is the learning centre that is open 24/7."
Our video case study reveals the full extent of the transformative power of inclusive coaching at Pembroke & Pembroke Dock ABC.
A 12-hour coaching marathon – and coaching masterclass
We shadowed Chris on a busy day of coaching, beginning with an inclusive sports session with children at Portfield School in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire’s specialist school for children with disabilities.
A one-hour free boxing session at a volunteer service for seniors with varied disability conditions followed, before the evening was spent coaching at the boxing club which has become his second home.
“We run children’s programmes, school programmes, amateur boxing programmes, but the one that is true to my heart is every Thursday we run free inclusion sessions where we work with children with a range of disabilities.”
Chris has enrolled most of his young disabled boxers over the age of 18 on coaching courses. On the night we visited, seven apprentice coaches were not only assisting him but also actively participating in the session. It was clear they were thoroughly enjoying themselves, not just by the beaming smiles, but the fact several stayed for all three classes!
The inclusive sessions have fostered a strong sense of community. They feel a genuine sense of belonging. Learning to be a coach has significantly boosted their confidence. I’ve witnessed many disabled individuals grow remarkably in stature.
“For me knowledge is wealth, and something that has benefited me has now benefitted not only my boxing club but my inclusion community.”
The club saved my life: The healing power of coaching
The club is making a significant community impact at every level, across all areas and demographics, through its involvement with the King’s Trust to help vulnerable young people, the Police Protection Programme, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, its Veterans Programme and Professional Programme, and Home Care for the Elderly.
Chris may have hung up his gloves in his twenties after competing for the RAF, but there aren’t many days when he isn't busy helping others lace up theirs.
Throughout the day, Chris passionately repeats, “I want to change how people see disability,” underscoring his unwavering dedication to the cause. By the end of his 12-hour coaching marathon, it was evident that his commitment goes far beyond words. He embodies the belief that sport is for everyone and should be enjoyed by all.
“Having a disability myself, I passionately believe in the world of inclusion,” Chris explains.
He recounts how he tore his kneecap at work, leaving him with “only half a kneecap,” nerve damage, and muscle wastage in his right leg due to a condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).
“I live with it. I can’t do anything about it so just get on with it. The beauty of working with the people I do, with their different ranges of ability, and to see their wonderful can-do attitude, it makes you very humble.
“Nobody understands disabilities better than the individual with a disability. So, it makes perfect sense that not only should sport be inclusive but so should coaching.”
Chris has also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
He says of his hidden disability: “I’m ex-Forces and served multiple tours in Afghanistan. Over time, certain things started to creep up on me that I didn’t understand, and I got to a very dark place. But the support I received from lots of places and good medication has been a fantastic help.
I still have good days and bad days. But working with inclusion, those people are my best medication, and they are the people who give me purpose. I count myself very lucky. Working with such incredible people has not only saved my life, it has changed my life, and hopefully it’s allowed me to change their lives too.
“They make my Thursdays an absolute joy. Creating inclusive boxing sessions has been one of the most exhilarating things I’ve ever been part of. I’m blessed.”
Harnessing disabled coaches’ lived experience
Some of the best disability boxing coaches are the ones with a disability themselves, says Chris.
“I am passionate about creating opportunities for disabled people to get into coaching and we’ve been able to work with Welsh Boxing to fund young adults with disabilities onto coaching courses
“We’ve put someone with Down Syndrome through a coaching course, someone with ADHD, cerebral palsy, Asperger's syndrome, one person with a lower limb amputation and another gentleman with an upper limb and lower leg amputation.
There are campaigns to attract more female coaches and campaigns to get more coaches from ethnic minorities. Well, we also need more coaches with inclusive needs themselves coaching disability sport.”
“Boxing is fully adaptable,” says Chris. “You just have to provide the opportunities and great coaching, and watch disabled people flourish.”
It is crucial to ensure your facilities are fully accessible for wheelchair users. This means having essential amenities like disabled toilets and ramps. But aside from the facilities themselves, it’s also important to consider the equipment, ensuring it is suitable and adaptable for all participants.
Chris provides some examples of the type of adaptations that have been made at the club:
“Liv is blind and in her mid-50s. One of my coaches has created a set of pads with sensors attached. When I press that sensor, it lets off a sound, so Liv knows where to punch. It’s so clever and yet so simple.”
Liv’s best friend, meanwhile, has made some bells that wrap around boxing gloves, so Liv is aware of what is going on around her when engaging in shadow boxing drills.
Chris emphasises the importance of knowing your audience and connecting with them to fully understand their needs, challenges, and desires.
“I coach several young people with autism and before beginning a session, I will consider the impact of sound. Ask your participants if they are comfortable with music?”
One of Chris’s favourite pieces of equipment is a virtual reality (VR) system that he acquired through his collaboration with Golden Gloves VR. This system allows anyone, regardless of their ability, to enter a virtual ring and participate in boxing in a safe and controlled environment. The headset provides a realistic boxing experience, with advanced simulations that perfectly mimic the real-world boxing environment.
Success stories that transcend sport
More than 70 boxers attend the three inclusive sessions Chris runs every Thursday.
As was apparent from the very first minute of the first session, the boxers experience the same determination, the same range of emotions, and the same sensations as their non-disabled clubmates: the thrill of stepping into the gym’s boxing ring, the joy of landing a well-placed punch on the pads, the physical fatigue from a strenuous training session, the sense of camaraderie from mixing with friends.
The success stories of Chris’s transformative impact are numerous, and while space constraints prevent us from listing them all, here are just a few of the day’s highlights.
We met Brandon, who has Gómez López-Hernández syndrome. He explained he is the first person in the UK since 1914 to be born with the condition.
“When he was born his mum was told that he wouldn’t live long,” says Chris. “As he got older, doctors told him he would be in a wheelchair. When he first came to me, aged 12, he was using a walking frame. He walks freely now, and I’ve just enrolled him on a boxing coaching course.” (Hear from Brandon in our videos)
One of the most inspiring stories is Finlay, who exemplifies the invaluable life skills gained from being part of a supportive club that members describe as one big happy family.
“He’s a cheeky chappy 12-year-old who is an electric wheelchair user with cerebral palsy. He wanted to create a printing company and to put his own messaging on T Shirts. He has adapted the Nike slogan of ‘Just go with it’ and has had T shirts produced with his slogan of ‘Just roll with it’ on them.
“He now prints our T shirts for us. At 12, he’s become an entrepreneur.”
Then there is Freddie, who attends Pembroke College.
“He felt very isolated with his disability,” explains Chris, “but he enjoys talking and expressed a wish to get into podcasting. BBC Radio Wales heard about his story through the publicity the club has received and have offered him an apprenticeship.”
Praise in Parliament for Pembroke Dock’s community champion
After spending a full day with Chris and witnessing firsthand the care and passion he has for his job and his participants, we wholeheartedly agree with Samuel Kurtz, member of the Welsh Parliament (Senedd) for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire: “Chris is an incredible inspiration and a force in advocating for better awareness of disability in sport, for facilities, opportunities, and equality for everyone, regardless of disabilities.”
The day before we visited Chris, Samuel addressed the Senedd and mentioned Chris by name during a speech in which he appealed for additional funding and support to ensure that inclusive community facilities like Pembroke & Pembroke Dock ABC continue to thrive for future generations.
Sport plays a vital role in building strong and inclusive communities, and few exemplify this better than Chris McEwen. His dedication to making boxing accessible to all, particularly those with disabilities, is truly inspirational. The club is not just a place for athletic development but a hub of inclusivity, opportunity, and community engagement.”
And so say all of us.
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