BOXING coach Barry Fischer-Rasmussen was an industry novice seven-years-ago, but now his protege and daughter is set to put on her gloves for a taste of Olympic gold.
Fischer-Rasmussen received the High Performance Coach of the Year award for boxing at the 2012 Industry Sports Coaches Awards.
Fischer-Rasmussen’s daughter Naomi Fischer-Rasmussen will be the first Australian woman to compete as a boxer at the Olympic level.
Men have boxed at the Olympic level for centuries, but this is the first year the Olympics have offered women’s boxing.
Fischer-Rasmussen’s one regret as a coach is that he will not finish the journey he began with Naomi seven-years ago.
The Australian Institute of Sport took over her coaching and Fischer-Rasmussen will be cheering her on at home in Pinjarra.
He fought “tooth and nail” to stay on as Naomi’s coach.
“Boxing Australia didn’t want anything to do with women’s boxing,” he said.
“It would be nice to go and keep her familiar with what she is used to, but Boxing Australia already nominated coaches.”
Karate was Fischer-Rasmussen’s sport of choice before his daughter came home seven years ago and said she wanted to learn how to box.
“We began from scratch, not knowing anything about it,” he said.
“I moved everything out of the garage, expanded and built the boxing set up.
“Naomi said we will learn together as we go.
“I went into boxing thinking there is nothing to it, it’s just throwing a few punches.”
Fischer-Rasmussen soon learnt there was more to being a boxing coach than simply throwing punches.
“I’ve been learning flat out the past seven years,” he said.
“With boxing you have to put in the time.
“It’s a highly skilled sport when it is done correctly and then it becomes more about scoring points.”
Boxing WA nominated Fischer-Rasmussen for the award and he said he hoped he could put all local coaches into the spotlight.
“You don’t have to be in the midst of it all and I’m just a symbol of what’s out there,” he said.