BIANCA PAQUIN
We continually hear that an amateur athlete is one who never competes for payment or for a monetary prize. While this is true, I feel the definition of amateur athlete should be, love of their sport, excellence, determination, commitment and perseverance. For me, that is what my journey is about.
Hi, I am Bianca Paquin. I am an amateur athlete. I am a boxer.
When I was 13, I asked my dad to sign me up for boxing lessons. There was a gym close by to where I live in Spryfield, Nova Scotia. Little did I know that I would fall in love with the sport, so much so that I want to go to the Olympics representing Canada. There is no doubt in my mind that I will achieve this goal.
As an amateur boxer, I’ve been on Team Canada for the past three years as well as, boxing for Canada at several tournaments around the world. I have represented Team Canada at an International Golden Gloves Tournament in Serbia(2nd place), the 2015 Women’s Youth World Championships in Taiwan(11th place), and the Wilfredo Gomez tournament in Puerto Rico(1st place). I have won 3 National Championships in the flyweight division. I am especially proud to have been the recipient of, Best Youth Boxer in Canada award for the past three years.
The one thing the definition of “amateur athlete” doesn’t tell you is that we, the athletes, are responsible for every cost associated with our training, traveling to competitions, equipment etc. We support ourselves through, grant programs where eligible, but mostly by the efforts of our own fundraising events such as, bake sales, raffles, asking for community sponsors, family and friends.
As amateur athletes I balance this with the demands of training for my sport and my unwavering determination to represent Canada at the Olympic Games. That’s okay with me because I love boxing and I am willing to do what’s necessary to be the best and proudly represent Canada.
This upcoming year will be the start of my senior career. I have the Canadian Olympic Trials in Montreal from December 6-12, 2015. After that, my next major tournament will be the Canadian National Championships in April 2016.
There is not much government or public funding for boxing, my sport, my passion. While I have amazing family support I still need more help to reach my Olympic dream and win gold for Canada. I will be on that podium.
Here is a little bit about the bonuses and the people behind them:
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Landmark Athletics: Landmark Athletics was established in 2007 as Canada’s leading designer and outfitter for fitness facilities & martial arts establishments. www.landmarkathletics.co
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Check out our classes and programs at: www.proedgetraining.com
Carlos Meza: I am proud to be part of the ProEdge team as an owner and a coach. This has allowed me to share with others my life long passion for martial arts, travel, the outdoors, fitness and healthy living. My journey in Martial Arts began at age 8 and continues to this day. After more than 10 years in Shotokan Karate, I began to explore many aspects and disciplines of martial arts which has led me to focused on Muay Thai kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
After becoming dedicated to my own strength training to maintain and pursue my passions, it was a natural progression to become a Certified Personal Trainer. I obtained my NSCA-CPT and many other certifications with some of the top trainers in the world. As a coach and trainer it has been my goal to train, not only combat athletes, but all athletes and anyone who wanted to train like an athlete.
This career development led to me partnering with two other like minded individuals to open ProEdge and provide world class sports conditioning to Atlantic Canadians. At ProEdge, I work with amateur and professional MMA fighters, boxers, and weekend warriors of various sports. I’ve also been able to work with many people who consider themselves non-athletes and show them the benefits of training with the athletic, science based training we use at ProEdge.
ProEdge Sport Conditioning has a team of highly qualified coaches and staff, like me, who want to see our athletes, competitive and non-competitive, succeed. Unmatched in qualifications, facility and results, ProEdge Sports Conditioning is focused on maintaining our reputation as the leaders of sports conditioning in Atlantic Canada.
It’s an incredible feeling to do something you are passionate about everyday. Seeing the success of athletes and clients, looking to improve their lives, helps to fuel my passion and gives me drive to continue to grow as a leader and a coach.
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