LOCAL HERO – REAGAN DESSAIX

LOCAL HERO Reagan Dessaix

I am 22 years of age and I’m a current Professional Boxer (Ranked in the Top 15 of the world) and I currently work full-time as a Boxing Coach and Personal Trainer.

I have had a total of 80 amateur fights and currently 16 Professional fights with the goal of becoming a World Champion myself one day.

I have been qualified as Personal Trainer since I was 16 years of age and I took up the coaching side of things for boxing when I was 18, working at the current gym I am at now (World Gym Southside).

I coach kids as young as 4 years old, to Adults competing in boxing (Professional and Amateur) right through to Older Adults as well.

My situation is different to a lot of others because I am still an athlete myself on the rise in my chosen sport, but I use all of my experience (past and present) to influence and show my current athletes I am training.

I have been a coach for 4 years now and like any other good coach would say, “you can never stop learning”.

I have great coaches and mentor’s myself who have taught me so much, and I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for them.

What are the biggest challenges you face as a coach?

Being a younger coach, people who don’t know me or my background can be quick to judge because of my age. I accept it for what it is, but when people start training under you and know what you are talking about, you gain a lot more respect and trust from your athletes.

How do you combine training and coaching?

I have a good routine when it comes to splitting my own training from the athletes I am currently training.

My own training is all about periodising, leading up to boxing fights I have locked in and scheduled for the year ahead. I do the same with the athletes I train as well.

It’s all about getting the periodising, planning and preparation side of things correct to make sure your athletes peak at the right time during competition phases.

I use a lot of my own experience (what might of worked or didn’t work) to influence the athletes I am currently training.

What was your first step in building your coaching business?

When I first started coaching when I was 18, I had a vision for the long term.

Whatever I do, in the planning stages of things I always think long term. Because I think so far ahead, I must and always consider everything that may take place along the pathway to get there, in the mid-term as well as the short term. So, I could say, my first step in building my coaching business was goal setting and working out a realistic plan to get there.

Ask any good or experienced coach and they will say goal setting is one of the most important fundamentals and attributes when it comes to coaching and training your athletes. The same applies for any good coach, you need good goal setting for yourself with whatever plan it takes to get you there. That’s where the saying “A goal without a plan, is just a wish” is so true and accurate.

What did you want to get out of coaching?

I’m still only and my coaching career has just started.

I want to get as far as I can with my coaching career and continue it once I’ve had my time and retired from competing.

I have the goals to inspire, educate, motivate and get the best out of the athletes I am training, to get them as far as their limitations will take them.

What advice would you give others thinking of getting into coaching?

Like I mentioned earlier in the article; starting off especially, make sure to set targetable and achievable goals – short, mid and long term.

Once you have set your goals, work out a plan on what you must do to reach those targets and goals.

Where do you see your coaching career going?

I’m only a young coach in this day and age. I will continue to coach as long as my own career is going and I most defiantly will coach after my own career is finished. My goals are to do whatever it takes to bring the best out of my athlete, inside as well as outside of their chosen sport, and to get them over the line to achieve their goals, whatever they may be.