USA Boxing to Partner with Game Changer
Partnership Features USA Boxing Southern California Association LBC 33 & Silver Gloves District 8
LOS ANGELES (September 25, 2023) – The sport of boxing will serve as a hub for civic engagement and play a role in training California law enforcement through Game Changer.
USA Boxing Southern California Association (LBC 33) President, Joe Zanders, who also serves as Director of USA Boxing’s Silver Gloves Region 8, and Game Changer Founder, Sean Sheppard, have reached an agreement that will permit the nation’s premiere law enforcement/community relations program to train members of California law enforcement in conjunction with local, state, and national USA Boxing tournaments. USA Boxing Local Boxing Committee 33 is the largest local boxing committee in the United States, is one of four amateur boxing associations or local boxing committees in California, and serves Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside, Orange, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties.
Most of the USA Boxing/Game Changer training events will take place at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Youth Athletic League gym in the city of Compton, California, however, the partnership allows for Game Changer to positively impact law enforcement community relations in the Silver Gloves Region 8 states of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Hawaii, as well.
USA Boxing/Game Changer trainings will bring together community residents and members of law enforcement to participate in moderated focus groups to discuss problems and devise solutions to problems, 3 hours before the start of USA Boxing matches. Pre and post data are collected, and at the conclusion of the focus groups, all participants will spend quality time together watching amateur boxers compete inside the ring.
Participating members of California law enforcement will earn 4 hours of California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) continuing education units in Community Engagement/Building Trust. Participating Corrections and Probation officers will earn 5 hours of Standards and Training for Corrections (STC) continuing education units in Community Policing and Communication through Experiential Knowledge Acquisition. The training events also provide an opportunity for members of the general public to receive training and insight into the concerns, objectives and priorities of law enforcement professionals.
Joe Zanders, who previously held the position of USA Boxing National Team coach, and was named the 2012 US Olympic Boxing Team coach, shared, “This partnership provides a great opportunity for us to join forces to impact members of our community in a most positive manner. The opportunity to come together and lay our cards on the table, open doors, and build bridges of understanding, gives us hope for a very bright future.”
Since December 2016, Game Changer has conducted 145 in-person and virtual training events in 10 different states and Canada. A total of 2,593 community residents and members of law enforcement have participated in the training events, including 57 unique law enforcement agencies on the local, state and federal levels.
For more information on Game Changer and future events please visit www.GameChanger1.org
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