Needing Help, But Having To Follow Rules

The above photo is of the gym routine I have written on the bulletin board.  Despite the fact that the routine is up, I still get asked, "What do we do next?"  Self-motivation is not is big supply at the gym.  I'm at a loss as to what to do to make people responsible for their own workouts.  The fact that a boxing show is coming up soon doesn't seem to be much of an incentive to get people to move instead of standing around.

I have some more help in the form of Rocky, who is the father of Kis, a new boy in the gym.  But it may lead to a sticky situation.  Rocky loves boxing; he used to box as a teen, but an eye injury prevents him from doing it now.  He would like to get a coaches' license.  It's fine that Rocky works with his kid and another new kid, his cousin Ram, while they are in the gym.  But it may not be cool for Rocky to work with the other kids since Rocky is not an official volunteer.  Rocky would be great continued help in the gym.  But the Chicago Park District is very strict about whom they allow around kids, and with good reason.  I'll talk to Rocky about filling out a volunteers' application.

The 12 years and under class is full as of today.  I have four in the teen class, but spotty attendance and a lack of motivation in training remains a problem.  DS and KY have hardly been in the gym this past week.  Yet, I found them swimming in the pool today.  Angel keeps telling me she wants to fight, but she's been in on and off as well.

I went to the Golden Gloves Tournament last night, and found myself sitting next to Tiffany.  She had competed in and won the Gloves.  "Boxing is not the same as it was several years ago," she said.  She was right on a lot of levels.  The vibe at the Gloves has been different ever since it stopped being held at St. Andrews' Gym.  Illinois amateur boxing is still under the rule of Wisconsin for the moment.  Many private gyms that used to focus exclusively on boxing have had to offer MMA classes in order to stay afloat financially.  The number of venues where fighters can do their trade have gone down.  Boxing programs in some of the field houses in the Chicago Park District lay dormant for a lack of coaches, while other amateur boxing programs have been cut.  I wish there were clear answers to get things on track.