Immersed in the world of cosmetics since she was 16, Sara Couillard quickly developed a keen interest in the beauty industry. Five years later, the director of the Epiderma clinic in Rosemont – La-Petite-Patrie started pursuing a very distinct new passion: boxing. In the ring just like at her clinic, Sara shows resilience and perseverance in everything she undertakes.
How did you come to have a passion for boxing?
It was at the Pro-Am Boxing Club, a non-profit organization located in the Limoilou district of Quebec City that my passion for this combat sport was born. At the age of 21, I started practicing boxing there simply to keep myself in shape. I then met my first trainer Ghislain Vaudreuil, also a social worker. A few months went by and my interest continued to grow. I then asked Ghislain to try for a week to be in the competition team. Unlike recreational boxing, in competitive boxing we get in the ring and fight. He quickly gave me the opportunity to compete for the first time and my passion for competitive boxing was born.
What does boxing bring you physically and psychologically?
On a physical level, boxing has, of course, given me a lot of benefits considering that it is an extremely complete training. However, the most important positive effects that I noticed were more on my mental level. This discipline has allowed me to develop a resilience that I probably would not have developed if I had never taken up the sport. When I first started competing, I lost my first three fights. Although these losses were difficult for me, my coach convinced me to keep going. He then persuaded me to participate in my first provincial competition where I made it to the finals and won my first silver medal. Subsequently, he sent me to the Golden Gloves, the biggest boxing competition in Quebec, where I competed against the best boxers in Quebec at all levels. I won a participation for the Quebec Olympic selections where I won a silver medal. Proof that with a lot of perseverance and hard work, you can achieve anything!
Boxing has also given me great confidence in myself and my abilities. With the help of my coach, I was able to discover that when we put in the necessary efforts and persevere through the most difficult moments, nothing is unattainable. This has followed me in different areas of my life and I dare to undertake projects that I might not have had the courage to do if I had not developed this self-confidence. As a person with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, I have also been able to develop a structure that has had a great positive impact on my personal life.
If it isn’t already obvious, boxing is a workout that I strongly advise everyone to try at least once in their lives.
What’s next for you?
I moved to Montreal a year ago to further develop my sport and my career at Epiderma. On the boxing side, I have surrounded myself with the best team possible: my trainer Ludovic Louis, Karim El Hlimi in physical preparation and many other specialists to help me reach the highest levels and to try to make the jump to professional boxing. On the career side, I make sure that my clients have the best customer service and the best experience possible.
What would be your advice for someone who wants to start boxing?
When we learn to box, like in dancing, in a way we have to learn some choreographies. So you have to repeat, repeat and repeat. Above all, we must not get discouraged and continue despite the defeats. We can’t be perfect from the start. Although it sounds cliché, practice is the best way to improve.