More On Wednesday

Two more new people showed up on Wednesday, and Colonel (the guy in the middle of the above photo) gave them some pointers.  Colonel used to train fighters, as well.  The woman in the black top is Melissa, and the woman in the blue top is Maggie.  I also worked with them on drills that involved catching and countering punches. 

A few guys who knew Alan from Clarendon came in including Anthony, who went hard on Ray while they were sparring.  I was busy coaching Melissa and Maggie, so I didn't see the action.  I turned around at the end to see Anthony laying on his back on the canvas.  "Anthony was tired.  Plus, he smokes," Alan explained.  Ray was not expecting Anthony to rush at him, but when he did, he responded in kind.  "I thought he was going to take it easy, but when he started banging, I was like 'okay'!  Come on, I don't mind getting hit," Ray said.  Ray told us about a bad kidney shot he took a long time ago.  "I went down on my knee, and took an eight count.  When the bell rang to start the next round, I really felt the pain.  When I used the washroom later, the stream was like the Red Sea!"

I learned the name of another new guy who had been there on Monday: Seth.  Seth sparred with Kenny, who loves to use the ropes to rebound off of and explode on an opponent.  Seth handled himself well, however, for someone who had not boxed before.

Jacob came in, and he was disappointed to learn that the fight on the 23rd had been canceled.  He's hoping for something on the 30th, when the Loyola Park show takes place.

I sparred with Ralphie.  Like Kenny, Ralphie dances around the ring.  As usual, I made up my mind not to chase him, mainly because I'm not that fast or quick anymore.  I did back him up against the ropes and in the corners a few times.  I'm getting a little better at cutting off the ring for an opponent, but it's still not an easy task when someone is good at being a moving target. 

"Wow, those two really tower over me," I thought after I got a good look at the photo above.  Amy is to the left of me, and her sister Sarah is to the right.  I look like a munchkin, don't I?