ROLLING WITH THE Punches
By Andrea Rowe Photos Yanni
K
aren Catalucci has rolled with the punches. She’s an inspiring Southern Peninsula boxing coach and fitness professional who exhibits strength beyond the ring.
I want to live a purposeful life, because I’ve had to fight hard for this
And while she won’t necessarily feel comfortable with the title of survivor, she deserves that accolade too. Karen’s no stranger to set backs; she’s fought hard to battle breast cancer and is a woman equally strong in mind as in body. Boxing and fitness have helped her rise form the knock downs. Karen’s love of gym life started in her teens. The fourteen yearold sports mad Chelsea teen accompanied her mum to a fitness session at the local gym and was immediately hooked. Beyond the exercise, she loved the energy, empowerment and working through challenges. She soon put these values to the test. At sixteen, a fall resulted in spinal surgery and medical advice that her sporting days were over. With her mum’s support, Karen refused to accept that diagnosis. “I’m really bloody stubborn,” she admits “I was going to rehabilitate and get on with things, no matter what.” Exercising to recovery, Karen reinvigorated her plans to work in the fitness industry. She worked in reception and management in Chelsea and Parkdale gyms, teaching Boxercise and circuit
classes while undertaking her Fitness Instruction and Personal Training qualifications at Frankston’s Chisolm TAFE.
And she gained her accreditation as a boxing coach, learning from Australia’s best at Boxing Victoria and Boxing Australia Coach and Athlete Development Camps Moving with her children to Capel Sound in 2001 Karen “found my true sense of belonging; we weren’t just a number like in the city. I knew this was a great place for my kids to grow up.”
With accreditations from Boxing Australia and Fitness Australia, Karen works with Recreation Sorrento and Tonic Gym, channelling her love of “balance, movement and empowerment” into a compassionate teaching philosophy of helping others. “I teach from life experience – both my spinal accident and my breast cancer saw me learn how I could work through my mental and physical challenges, coming out the other end a better person. I know those dark times, and how much joy there is in the smallest of victories. Watching my students find that within themselves is fantastic.” It was in 2015 that Karen received the news she had Stage 2 breast cancer. “I took it pretty calmly, then just got on with what needed to be done”. “Breast cancer taught me so much. You learn a lot about yourself; what’s precious in life and what’s bull.” continued next page...
June 2020
E ssence | 13
PENINSULA