Jason Lynch on coaching soccer and boxing in New Zealand
Jason Lynch with Steve Toohey.
For Jason Lynch, life has never been about standing still.
The 41-year-old Cork man, once a proud member of An Garda Síochána, now calls Auckland, New Zealand home. His days are busy. He works full-time as a National Account Manager for a major security firm. And step beyond the nine-to-five he has a second life that would exhaust most people: around 40 hours a week poured into coaching high-level women’s football and boxing.
“It’s hectic,” Jason admits, “but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
That sense of balance—or perhaps imbalance—has defined his past year. When he’s not managing staff and clients, he’s on the football pitch or in the boxing gym, coaching at both club and international levels.
Add in travel across New Zealand, Australia, and further afield for competitions, and downtime becomes a rare commodity. "Between soccer and boxing, along with being chairman of the football club, there hasn’t been much free time. But coaching gives me energy. It’s a privilege."
To the casual observer, boxing and football couldn’t be more different. One is individual, tactical, fought in close quarters; the other is collective, creative, and spread across a field. But Jason sees the similarities.
“Both are chess games. You need to find the system or structure that’s going to win on the day. That takes preparation, analysis, and a real understanding of your athletes. You can have all the data in the world, but nothing beats truly knowing your boxer or player and noticing the small changes in them.”
Sometimes, his two sporting worlds collide.
"Usually, I’ll stick on some music in between venues. If it’s quiet, I’ll just replay the earlier event over and over. Reviews can wait until I’m home."
His football story in New Zealand began almost by accident.
Erin Mattingly, the women’s team captain at Unimount, remembers how it started.
“When we left Ellerslie for Unimount, we wanted a casual kick-around. No pressure. Jason came to watch us one Sunday. Luckily for us, he saw potential in this bunch of lasses with zero structure. Slowly, he added method to our madness. The following year, he brought in key players and created a training environment that was both academic and fun. We won the league by a landslide and were promoted.
"The next year, we did it again. Back-to-back wins, back-to-back promotions, unheard of for Unimount’s women’s program."
Lynch and co-coach Steve Toohey have taken the side to the second-highest league in New Zealand.
"It’s about knowing the players and giving them an environment where they can be the best version of themselves. Coaching is about guiding chaos into something positive.”
If football is thriving, so too is boxing. There are four to five training sessions: club nights on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, sparring on Saturdays, plus early morning sessions for elite athletes training two or three times a day. Add in international travel, and it’s a year-round commitment.
Jordan Wilson, one of the elite boxers, credits him with transforming her career.
“I’ve had a huge year in boxing, and none of it would’ve been possible without Jason. His instinct is incredible. He knows when I have that extra 10% to give. Representing New Zealand on the world stage was the greatest honor of my life, and I wouldn’t have made it without him in my corner.”
Recent highlights include the International Golden Gloves in Brisbane and joining the New Zealand Elite team at the World Amateur Championships in Liverpool. Looking forward, the goal is clear: have a club boxer on the plane to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
“It’s healthy as a coach to be ambitious. Getting to the Olympics is the dream, but it’s always about the athlete first.”
What keeps him motivated through such a relentless schedule?
"I was lucky. Coaches and mentors put time into me, so I don’t count the hours I give. Influencing someone’s development through sport is a privilege.
"GAA coach Keith Ricken said, 'With chaos comes creation, and all creation comes out of chaos.' That resonates with me.
With both football and boxing running alongside each other, football from February to September, boxing from January through November, Lynch relies on a shared calendar with his wife to keep things straight.
"It can get pretty hectic. But the bonus is there’s still some downtime at the end of the year to recharge."
Work, too, has been busy, with changes in the security landscape and managing new staff. But Jason sees his sporting life as the perfect counterbalance.
"We all have to work and pay the bills. I’m thankful I have a passion outside of work that brings joy and keeps me grounded."
A brief visit home to Cork earlier this year gave him the chance to take in a few matches, but otherwise, his eyes are firmly on the future.
“Life is full on, no doubt. But that’s the way I like it. Sport has given me so much. Now it’s my turn to give back."
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