Read & discuss
Begin with a short biblical text, questions, and discussion. Students connect the lesson to real-life situations and consider how they can act on it.
GRAND RAPIDS · BOYS & GIRLS AGES 8+ · FAITH & MENTORSHIP
Biblical teaching, boxing drills, and steady mentorship help young people build confidence, self-control, and the discipline to contribute to their families, workplaces, and city.
Led by Dalshawn Tyler · 20+ years in boxing

THE MISSION
Grand Rapids needs young people who know their worth, take responsibility, and bring value to the people around them.
Giant Slayers helps boys and girls practice the habits that make that possible: showing up, listening, working through challenges, controlling their reactions, and following through. Faith gives the lessons direction. Boxing drills give students a place to put them into practice.
Our goal is to help youth walk in purpose and become dependable classmates, future workers, and community leaders.
WHAT HAPPENS IN CLASS
Each class connects a short biblical lesson to the choices students make at home, at school, and in their community.
Begin with a short biblical text, questions, and discussion. Students connect the lesson to real-life situations and consider how they can act on it.
Exercise, boxing drills, and mitt work offer a way to practice focus, patience, confidence, mental toughness, and self-control.
Talk through progress, encourage one another, and learn the basics of proper nutrition. Snacks and a small lunch are provided.
READY FOR LIFE. READY FOR WORK.
We connect discipline to workplace readiness: punctuality, respectful communication, teamwork, following instructions, and finishing a task. Students learn that being reliable is one way to serve others and bring value to a team.
THREE SESSIONS. ONE YEAR OF GROWTH.
Three three-month sessions build toward a year-end graduation. Weekly achievement badges celebrate the effort and growth students demonstrate in class.
Build familiarity with class routines, basic boxing drills, and respectful participation. Learn to name a challenge, ask for help, and take the next responsible step.
Keep showing up, strengthen exercise and mitt-work habits, and apply lessons about self-control and perseverance. Connect steady effort to school, home, and future work.
Practice encouragement, teamwork, and personal responsibility. Reflect on progress and prepare to celebrate achievements at the year-end graduation.
WEEKLY ACHIEVEMENT BADGES
WHY I STARTED GIANT SLAYERS
DALSHAWN TYLERFounder & coach
From my teenage years through my late twenties, I was in and out of jail. I know what it feels like to keep repeating choices that hold you back.
God and the mentors I met while incarcerated helped me change the direction of my life. Their guidance challenged my thinking, helped me take responsibility, and showed me that a different future was possible.
Slaying my giants meant facing the habits and decisions that stood between me and the man I needed to become. That change is why I now invest in young people.
Through biblical teaching, exercise, and boxing drills, I want boys and girls to discover their purpose, develop self-control, and recognize the value they can bring to the world. My hope is to give them guidance they can use long before a wrong turn becomes a pattern.
EXPERIENCE IN YOUR CORNER
With more than 20 years in boxing, Dalshawn brings lessons learned through training, show fights, and tournaments. Hand injuries interrupted his competitive career, but his passion for the sport remains—and he wants to pass on what he has learned.
A NEW ADDITION TO GIANT SLAYERS · WOMEN’S SELF-DEFENSE
Your voice. Your strength. Your right to safety.
A self-defense class for women, with a special focus on those who have experienced domestic violence, assault, or other trauma.
HER Shield aims to help women strengthen their bodies, rebuild confidence, and practice ways to protect themselves. You deserve to feel capable, respected, and supported as you take your next step.
WHY THIS MATTERS IN 2026
CDC’s February 2026 report, based on its 2023–2024 U.S. adult survey, estimates:
U.S. women experienced partner contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking during their lifetimes—more than one in three.
U.S. women experienced one or more of those forms of partner violence in the 12 months before the survey.
U.S. women experienced physical violence by a partner in that same 12-month period.
These are estimated women affected, not police case counts or 2026 incident totals. Categories overlap; do not add them together. Full-year 2026 totals are not yet available. Changes in survey methods mean these findings should not be used to claim an increase over earlier surveys. Source: CDC, 2023/2024 Intimate Partner Violence Data Brief, published February 2026.
HOW HER SHIELD AIMS TO HELP
Practice speaking firmly, setting boundaries, and trusting your right to say no. Small, achievable steps can help build belief in your own abilities.
Use exercise, boxing fundamentals, and mitt work to develop strength, balance, coordination, and controlled movement at your own pace.
Build awareness and practice protective movement, creating distance, and physical self-defense to help break away when needed. The goal is to reach safety.
Build skills in a respectful class where you can pause, observe, or decline a drill. No one needs to share their personal story to participate; partner contact requires consent.
You are already worthy of safety. Abuse is the responsibility of the person causing harm. Whether you fought back, froze, or did what you needed to survive, what happened was not your fault.
HER Shield is skills training, not trauma therapy, and cannot guarantee safety. Individual safety planning and specialist survivor support remain important alongside physical training.
HER Shield dates, location, pricing, and registration will be announced separately from the youth program.
FOR PARENTS & GUARDIANS
The youth group program welcomes boys and girls starting at age 8. Enrollment details will be announced before classes open.
Starting age: 8. Location, class dates, and a registration contact will be posted here.
GROUP PROGRAM TUITION
$120/ month
$30 per class · based on four classes per month
HELP A CHILD TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Your support can help make mentorship and the Giant Slayers program more accessible to local boys and girls.
DONATE
Help support youth participation and the work of Giant Slayers. Donations of any amount are welcome when giving opens.
Donation link coming soonSPONSOR A CHILD
$120Covers one month of group tuition.
Sponsorship payments opening soonOnline giving is not open yet. Donation and sponsorship links will be added here when available.
CELEBRATE THE GROWTH. SUPPORT THE FUTURE.
A fundraiser and year-end celebration honoring the young people who have worked to grow in faith, discipline, and purpose.
The Giant Slayers Gala & Graduation will bring families and supporters together to recognize student achievements and raise support for the program and child sponsorships.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Yes. Biblical teaching is central to the program. Each class begins with a short text and Q&A, followed by exercise, boxing drills, and opportunities to practice the lesson.
No. The group program uses boxing drills and mitt work to build confidence, discipline, and self-control. Students interested in training for competition can arrange separate one-on-one lessons.
At the end of each week, students receive badges based on achievements demonstrated through class participation. The program has three sessions of three months each, with graduation at the end of the year.
Yes. Monthly group tuition is $120 per child. Sponsoring one three-month session covers $360 in tuition; all three sessions total $1,080 per child. Payment and sponsorship arrangements will be available when giving opens.
Donation recipient information and any applicable tax documentation will be provided with the giving details. Tax-deductible status has not been announced here.
BUILDING A STRONGER GRAND RAPIDS