Punching Through Boundaries: Miles Wheelersburg's Journey from Boxing to Coaching

At 33 years old, Miles Wheelersburg nervously arrived at the Golden Glove tournament in an industrial part of Los Angeles, CA. He was surrounded by much younger athletes in their prime, and doubt crept into his mind. He wondered if he had made a mistake, if he had waited too long to make his boxing debut. The gym was packed with family, friends, and coaches of local fighters, but Miles had come alone.

As he prepared to step into the ring, he turned to his corner man, a stranger to him until that moment, and muttered, "There's been a mistake, this guy is too big." His coach, however, responded with a reassuring smile.

With no way out and no room for retreat, Miles bit down on his mouthpiece and met his opponent in the middle of the ring. In that moment, he quickly realized that although he had come alone, he brought with him all the years of experience and mentorship he had received along the way.

Before he knew it, Miles had won his first and second fights, defying the odds and earning a spot in the final. In the championship bout, he pulled off a stunning upset against a hometown fighter with far more experience. With his hand raised in victory, Miles became the new welterweight Southern California Golden Gloves champion.

However, the triumph was bittersweet. Miles didn't have a gym or a community to bring the trophy home to in Southern California. It was then that he made a life-changing decision. He was determined to dedicate himself to becoming a coach and, one day, to start his own gym, creating the kind of tight-knit community he had once cherished in his native Pennsylvania. This experience was a pivotal moment in Miles's journey, and it set him on a path to not only pursue his passion for boxing but also to share it with others, just as his mentors had done for him.

The Early Years of Boxing and Fitness

Miles’s love for fitness didn't begin when he entered the world of boxing; it was ingrained in him from a young age. He began participating in team sports at age five, setting the foundation for his active lifestyle. Following high school, without a team sport to play, like many young people, Miles felt lost. 

An 18-year-old college student, lacking the confidence to play a collegiate sport, Miles stumbled into the world of boxing at a local gym where he met a man who would leave an indelible mark on Miles’s life. Tony Stern, a former fighting legend in Harrisburg, PA, played a pivotal role in shaping Miles's outlook on life, both inside and outside the ring. Navigating his entry into formal “adulthood”, when other 18-year-old men were making less healthy choices for their bodies, under the mentorship of Stern, boxing provided Miles with focus and allowed him to remain focused on school and avoid situations where peer pressures may arise.

Stern became a spiritual mentor and guide, instilling values and wisdom that extended far beyond boxing. Tony's mentorship with Miles was grounded in positivity and a belief in the potential of his students. Miles recalls Tony's influence as not just about boxing techniques but about life lessons, emphasizing the importance of family and balance outside the gym. 

Miles can still recall phone calls with Stern where he would learn that even when life puts obstacles in your way, it’s about picking yourself up and getting back to boxing when you can. Stern was steadfast with Miles about family and community first, the gym would also be there with open arms.

A Community Discovered in Boxing

As he traveled in college and after graduation, Miles's boxing journey took him across different states and cities in the United States. From Pennsylvania to Florida, Nashville, Pittsburgh, and finally to California, he has explored various gyms and training environments, honing his skills and gaining a diverse perspective on the sport. However, one thing has remained constant as Miles struggled to find a gym to take him in: the mentorship of Stern.

It was Stern’s unwavering belief in Miles’s abilities that the young boxer credits for his determination and dedication that led to his regional and statewide victories including the 2022 Southern California Regional leg of the California Golden Gloves tournament. 

Standing in the parking lot outside of the tournament, Miles called his mentor to share the news of his victory. It was on that call with Stern where Miles’s future came into sharp focus: he wanted to pay it forward. Understanding what it felt like to feel lost and without community, he developed a singular goal of earning the required credentials to put him on the path of becoming a boxing coach himself and building a community to inspire the next generation of boxing enthusiasts. Miles knew that he needed to play the role of Stern in someone else’s boxing story.

The ISSA Transformation: From Fighter to Coach

Fueled by a 14-year boxing career, Miles knew he needed to find the best coaching education certification available to start the next chapter of his boxing story. After spending countless hours researching coaching programs, Miles identified the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)  as not only having programs with the highest accreditation, he was also excited about the scope of programs offered. 

Today, Miles is a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) with CPR/AED certifications through ISSA. These certifications have helped open doors for Miles who has recently begun his first role as a boxing coach. He teaches group classes and one-on-one sessions, including one with a 10-year-old girl. 

The transformational boxer has identified that the CPT certification helped open the door for him to coach now, but he’s still hungry for more. In addition to his current certifications, Miles is also enrolled in a series of additional courses to further his coaching knowledge. Those courses include ISSA Strength and Conditioning Certification, ISSA Group Exercise Instruction Certification, ISSA High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for Boxing, and ISSA Plyometrics to Enhance SQS (Strength Quickness Speed).

Miles Wheelersburg's journey from a young fitness enthusiast to a regional boxing champion and coach is a testament to the transformative power of sports and mentorship. With his dream of creating a positive impact on youth in his community already in progress, Miles is an inspiration for anyone looking to pursue their passion and give back to others through their expertise and experiences. As he continues to pave the way for the next generation of boxers, we can only anticipate even greater achievements on his remarkable journey.