'It's just fun to hit stuff': Women's boxing on P.E.I.

A boxing studio in Charlottetown is hoping to attract more girls and women to the sport.

Women and girls make up about a third of the people who train at KO-ed Boxing Academy, and it hopes to see the numbers grow.

Howard Watts, who has been coaching boxing for more than 30 years,said when he started, only boys and men were involved. He said women first started boxing at his studio in the mid-90s, when the first national competition for women was introduced, and interest has been pretty steady since then.

"Before it was looked at, kind of frowned at, where the parents [said] 'I don't want my daughter into it.' Now it's, it's unbelievable," said Watts.

A goal to work towards

Watts said he saw an increased interest in competitive boxing among women and girls after women's boxing was added to the 2012 Olympics.

Canada Games recently announced that women's boxing will be included at the games for the first time ever in 2023. He hopes that announcement will have a similar impact.

• Women's boxing at Canada Games: P.E.I. coach excited

The opportunity to compete at Canada Games "will give a bit of a goal" for girls to work towards, said Watts.

Watts said some parents are nervous about allowing their kids to take up boxing. But he said most of the time, they get over the fear once they watch their kids practice.

"It's not as violent like they think."

'I want to protect myself'

Joyce Yang started boxing just last week, after years of wanting to take up the sport. She's from China, and moved to P.E.I. four years ago for university.

I feel like probably for now my friends don't really get it. They just feel like girls should be like just be pretty, sitting there, drinking coffee.- Joyce Yang

She said she's been interested in boxing ever since she was a kid.

"I wanted to do this during a really, really long time. Like my whole life." said Yang.

She said her parents never wanted her to box, but as soon as she found out there was a boxing studio in Charlottetown, she knew she had to sign up.

Her parents aren't thrilled about it, and she said her friends are a bit confused too.

"I feel like probably, for now, my friends don't really get it. They just feel like girls should be like just be pretty, sitting there, drinking coffee, stuff like that," she said.

"For meit's more like , I want to protect myself."

'It's just fun to hit stuff'

For Julia Major, boxing is a chance to work different muscles thanshe usually does when she runs or plays soccer.

She started boxing last year, after her friend recommended the sport. She said she never would have joined if it weren't for the suggestion.

"It's just not the kind of thing you think of to do," said Major.

She's doing it just for fun, and has no plans to compete. But she saideven when boxing just as a workout, it can still feel competitive.

"It's just fun to hit stuff," said Majors.

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