Inside the Athlete Experience: In the Ring with USA Boxing

By Ju’Riese Colón, CEO, U.S. Center for SafeSport

As a novice boxer, no one could mistake me for a pro. Yet, I couldn’t pass up a chance to train with the pros—the best boxers in the nation—at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center.

I strive to be ready for anything, but there was little I could have done to prepare me for this experience. Saturday morning spars at my neighborhood boxing gym taught me the fundamentals, but the drills the USA Boxing team put me through were on a new level. From shadow boxing to bag work, I broke a sweat and tried with my all to keep up. I had no choice but to roll with the punches.

Physically, the workout pushed me to my limits. But I didn’t expect the session to move me emotionally.

The boxers I met shared that they had started training at a young age, turning to boxing and their local gym as a place where they could feel safe and accepted. It was sport that allowed them to develop confidence and a sense of strength.

Sport Provides Opportunity

Connecting with these dedicated athletes in their element and seeing what they go through every day, gave me tremendous respect for the years they’d spent preparing since their youth to get to this point. Working with them also reminded me of the value sport offers all of us.  Regardless of your ability or level, sport provides opportunity. The opportunity to push yourself, to grow, learn, inspire, and develop a stronger sense of self. For some, like the athletes competing on the world stage, sport provides the opportunity to expand your horizons, see the world, and achieve goals that once seemed out of reach.

As CEO of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, I left the gym feeling a renewed strength and resolve in our commitment to changing sport culture for the better. Many of the athletes competing at the Games started training at a young age. Which is why it’s more important than ever to advocate for safe, supportive sport settings, from the practice fields in towns throughout the nation to the podium in Paris, so athletes can thrive and fulfill their potential at every age, ability, and level.

My leadership team and I will be heading to Paris to represent the Center, and to show all USA athletes that we are in their corner.

We Prioritize the Athlete’s Journey

At the Center, we believe an athlete is defined by their journey, not the medals they win. Our Paris Games webpage features safety and reporting resources for USA athletes and information on our training efforts for staff and volunteers on-the-ground to create a safer environment for athletes competing at the Games. Plus, we’ve included helpful links for those who mentor and support athletes along their journey.

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Because we believe athletes everywhere should feel safe, supported, and strengthened, the Center offers SafeSport® Trainings and other abuse prevention resources for athletes, coaches, parents, and others in the broader sport community. We put policies in place to help protect athletes competing in the 50+ U.S. Olympic & Paralympic sports and hold accountable those who break the rules or do harm.

This translates to a culture of support and respect for athletes, whether they are playing at the grassroots level or bringing home the gold.

Learn more: uscenterforsafesport.org.