#TimeTogether: Samera Ali pushes boundaries

Female. Wife. Mother. Muslim. Trainer. These are just some of the roles Samera Ali takes on in her life that is all about empowering others.

Whether inspiring the South Asian community in the Midlands or coaching the next generation of rising stars for Team England, Samera seamlessly combines these identities with a journey defined by passion and resilience. We caught up with our latest Coach of the Year winner to find out how she juggles it all with such grace – proving that no challenge is too big and no goal is out of her reach.

How did you get into martial arts, which are traditionally considered to be male-dominated?

It all started with kickboxing, my girls did the sport and then I started training with them. They then competed in championships and open competitions, and I began competing alongside them. They would go to the training sessions and I would just join in on a day – I started with the women’s sessions and then moved on to the mixed sessions and it just went from there. During Corona we started training at home so I started training my girls and when we came back I decided to go to a boxing gym.

It was a new gym that had recently become affiliated with England Boxing, whose members were there mainly for leisure, and I found myself coaching for them. The trainer at the gym respected my kickboxing skills and therefore asked me to complete the Level 1 course in order to train professionally. I completed this and then completed my safeguarding course at Tamworth Boxing Club.

I then started coaching at Tamworth Boxing Club. Alan really took me under his wing and allowed me to shadow some of the trainers there. He valued my knowledge and allowed me to adapt and apply it. My daughters competed in kickboxing and still do, so I ran back and forth to drop them off while I was still doing my own boxing training. In my opinion, everything I learn can help my girls too.

Do you feel that sport has influenced you?

Yes, it led to a healthy lifestyle in the family and improved our mental health. We now live in a time where children spend much of their time on devices and constantly see likes and dislikes on social media – this can have a negative impact on mental health. I noticed that my children participated in extracurricular activities (gymnastics, kickboxing and mosque) from a young age. I never really had to tell them to reduce screen time or anything like that – they were too busy!

Sport can really influence many different areas of life. For example, I made sure that we all eat healthily. I also tried to teach my children that they needed to exercise to stay fit and that it was up to them what they wanted to do. Over time, I have seen them grow in confidence, show discipline in school, learn to deal with nerves, work under exam pressure… the list is endless.

Their everyday life was pretty hectic, they went to school, to the mosque (with their sports equipment underneath) and then straight to kickboxing. A lot of people doubted what I was doing, but my kids absolutely loved it and I couldn’t have done it any other way.

People believe that extracurricular activities influence education. But it helps their academic performance as my kids get top grades and train five to six days a week, which has a positive impact.

How does it feel to be a role model for boxing in your own community?

The award I won as England Boxing Coach of the Year was mainly for me because I had to overcome so many hurdles to get here today. It was fine for the next generation and especially my children because I wanted to change the narrative anyway, it’s something I wanted to overcome. I wanted my girls to do everything I didn’t have the opportunity to do when I was younger.

My mother was a single parent, and while there are many issues with women participating in sports in my culture, in my household it was more about whether we had enough money for additional activities. If so, my brother could do it first. My mother always encouraged us to make the best of whatever we wanted to do, but we didn’t have the chance.

When I started coaching I got a lot of comments like, “Who cooks at home?” But with my husband, God bless him, he takes a pretty hands-on approach to sports issues, it’s a team effort, even though he’s not involved in it himself. He is always there to make sure their equipment is packed and helps get them to sessions etc. He ensures that the foundations are laid for our family unit to function. This level of support in your own home is definitely needed.

I feel like I’m at a point where I want to encourage Muslim girls, South Asian girls, and anyone who has a barrier in the future. So it doesn’t just affect the Muslim girl, anyone who has a barrier or is unable to do something because it’s not seen as a girl thing.

Female boxing is getting a lot better than it used to be, and it would be great to bring my community and other South Asian communities to the same level – to be part of that change. Yes, that is the goal. I feel like sometimes we get so focused on, “Why don’t they let them go and exercise?” instead of thinking about whether women from marginalized communities actually want to live in a male-dominated environment. We have to create a safe space for them.

Tell us about the challenges you faced being a mother and balancing coaching and boxing?

As a mother, there are so many things I want to do for my boxers, but of course family matters take priority – especially because my daughter still competes in kickboxing. But there were times when others doubted you as a coach. When I first started people would say, “You’re going to be a coach?” and I would just laugh at the time because I’m the type of person that motivates me anyway, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt me. I was upset about it, but I used it as motivation.

There have been times when I have tried to judge and people still question me. That’s why I mentioned in my winning speech at the England Boxing Awards that we just don’t have to sit around and think about why this is happening to us. We have to accept that sometimes we have to work twice as hard. But there are so many different types of people, not just ethnic minorities but also people with disabilities, who face barriers, for example. There will always be situations where we have to work twice as hard as the person next to us. I never let it get to me and luckily I got where I needed to be.

Obviously, as a Muslim, some people wouldn’t understand it. But there are also so many who understand it that there are always ten who are really encouraged by it. There are so many girls and women who come to me and say, “Wow, you really inspire us!” Because if I can do that and it motivates them to go out and do something they wouldn’t normally do, then have You won.

Do you educate mothers and daughters in your sessions?

I’ve had a lot of aunts and nieces and I always tell my friends: Just join in too… because the more people involved, the better the environment becomes.

This is a little more personal and closer to home, but my niece was born with spina bifida. When it was in my twin sister’s stomach, it had to be taken out, operated on and put back in place. My sister was into kickboxing at the time and over the years found it difficult to return to it after her childhood. I always tried to encourage her and show her that her family supports her. She still kicks and does it competitively at 40 years old! She has also managed to get her daughter into horse riding, an activity they usually do together. Her story is so inspiring – it shows that nothing should stop you from exercising and staying fit. Nothing can stop you.

What advice would you give to mothers and daughters who play sports?

I think you both need to keep in mind that you are learning in this environment and moms need to keep in mind that we can’t coach our own children. We can give them advice and you can try to coach them a little, but I’ve learned that this can quickly become personal.

Instead, choose to work with them, not against them. And sometimes it’s good to ask them how to do something, because sometimes I feel like when I’m learning a new combination, I walk them past my daughters and say to them, “I need some help with mine.” .” Since there is no pad work here, I want to do this exercise and see if it works. So can I do it with you?” They can then give me feedback and vice versa.

Also enjoy the conversations you will have after each session and enjoy the moments you will spend together because that simply brings out the best in you. And I would encourage every mother and daughter to do it… On the days you don’t want to go, your daughter will probably encourage you to go!