First Day Ups and Downs

I pulled out the Sugar Ray Leonard and Laila Ali boxing workout DVD I have.  I hadn't used it in awhile, and I forgot that it is a tough workout but a good one.  I've been exercising several days a week at home since the beginning of the year.  I could work out at the gym, but circumstances don't always allow for that.

For example, the first day of the spring session yesterday was busy.  But it was not well populated as I predicted.  It was raining while I was driving to work; it was a given that most would not show up due to weather conditions.  Four of the twelve kids registered for the 12 and under class showed up, including little Diego, whose sister Mareli is in the teen class.  I really like Diego.  He's a cute kid and is very respectful.  More parents than usual came to that class.  Mareli and Diego's parents, Yamina's mom, Jameiron's parents, and Tony's mom.  I was on my feet for most of the time as I gave the parents chairs to sit and observe.

Sahia and Noel were extremely helpful when it came to the kids.  I was so appreciative that they were there (Rachey had another engagement, and Mikela was recovering from a dental procedure).  Sahia thought she saw Malik in the building.  "He was here a moment ago asking about when the City-Wide Tournament was going to take place," I responded.  As usual, Malik was a day late and a dollar short.  I fail to understand why he was asking about it when I had made it clear Malik was not going to be in the tournament -- which was last week -- due to not training for it.  Once again, Malik gave no indication whether his grandfather was going to sign him up again for the teen class.

I was also asked about where were the other kids.  When I gave a response along the lines of, "I have no idea", Sahia asked, "Did you call them?"  "I do one courtesy call at the beginning of the session, but that's it," I answered.  "Well, something could be going on at home," she said.  Yes, something could and sometimes, it is.  I also know that I can't spend 20 to 30 minutes every day on the phone asking where people are.  The youths tend to make quick decisions about whether or not they want to continue with the class.  I'm not going to chase people who appear to be uninterested.  I announced to the class that there is an attendance policy, and they need to adhere to it.

An adult, Jada, showed up in the middle of the class wanting to register.  I was irritated as once again, staff upstairs failed to recognize that I was in the middle of a class, and on the first day of the session at that.  Luckily, I remembered that Sahia is now a volunteer, so I took Jada back upstairs.  However, she only had cash, and Steve had left for the day so I couldn't put it in the safe.  She said she would create an account with the park district to register and use her debit card, which she had left at home.  If that didn't work, I told her to come to the field house earlier so I could properly deal with the cash, if necessary.  Later, I told Coach James and Walz, "For the umpteenth time, please don't send people to me when I'm in the middle of a class."  James said something about staff not being able to register people for boxing without my approval (letting me know that perhaps he was the one who sent Jada downstairs).  "You can put them in the system, and enter them in the class later," he said.  I've already had at least one adult some time ago who expected me to put her in the system so she could show up for class and maybe pay later.  I don't think so.  Besides, people register online all the time for that class, despite it being advertised that they should talk to me first.  Some staff has also registered people for boxing whether or not I was on the premises to give permission.  I was ticked, but I didn't feel like continuing to argue.  Nor did I bother to say that I have a volunteer in the gym now so I can come upstairs to register people if needed.  But I'd rather not disrupt coaching classes to do that even with a volunteer present.

Darren, who is an accountant, was the only one who showed up for the adult class.  Sahia had to leave early, and Doneisha said she would sign up later.  I told Darren, "Math was the subject that always brought my report cards down in school.  I wish I had a skill for numbers; I still struggle with them." He chuckled at that.  Darren didn't stay the full time, but he did get a good workout in.  

Expectations Of The Usual

Today is the first day of the spring session at the boxing gym.  Unfortunately, my expectations are low.  First of all, I don't feel like dealing with a crowd of kids today.  I've mentioned before that I'm part of the childfree community, so my feelings about kids ebbs and flows.  According to the attendance roster, the class for those who are 12 and under is currently full.  How many actually show up today remains to be seen.

I already know that two in that group -- Damaris and Diego -- can't do the five days a week.  Probably someone else in that age range is going to tell me after the fact that they can't train every day, either.  I'll inform them that I will not put anyone in a fight who is not training regularly, and both the kids and the parents will have an issue with that.  Let two weeks or less go by, and most kids will start skipping days with no word to me as to why.  That is one of the reasons why I will never again run a class for kids that is 90 minutes long.  The attention span is just not there.

To my knowledge, the teen class has never been full on the first day of any session.  There are currently five teens registered, and one of them is a member of the North Lawndale Boxing League who "represented" LaFollette in the recent City-Wide Boxing Tournament.  I don't expect that teen to ever show up.  The first chance I get, I'm withdrawing them out of the class.  If the class does fill up, that usually doesn't happen until the fifth or sixth week.  Even then, most who act like they are so interested to be there will stop showing up not long after they register.  I've already given out --against my better judgment -- paper registration forms to two teen boys who seem to more interested in posing as boxers than actually being boxers.  I haven't received the forms back.

Only one person, the first male I've had in there for awhile, is registered so far for the adult class.  Sahia is now a park district volunteer, so the fee is waived for her.  However, her daughter Rachey is not officially registered yet.  Doneisha's son Tony is in the kids' class, but she hasn't re-registered herself for the adult class.  I don't expect to see Misty again; she showed up very late in the winter session, and only one time.  She lives closer to Taylor Park, which is on the south side.  LaFollette Park is a long way to travel for a class.  I'll be surprised if that class becomes even half-full.  Despite advertisements and marketing on my part, most adults still aren't aware there is a boxing class for them.  Some do but expect to train for free, and get an attitude when they find out that isn't allowed.  
The only thing I can do at the point is to keep clamping down on rules and adding new ones as situations present themselves.  Marty, the coach at Simons Park, told me that the boxing program goes up and down.  "Some seasons you get a good group of people, and other seasons the coach is lucky to get one or two who are serious," he said.

Unsurprised At Curie

I sat at the second ring to judge fights when I arrived at the second and last day of the Chicago City-Wide Boxing Tournament.  During one of the matches, I overheard one of the officials stating that the fighters from LaFollette Park didn't show up.  The fighters from the North Lawndale Boxing League who were "representing" LaFollette were nowhere to be found.  I just shook my head, but I wasn't very surprised.  Based on what I observed of Derek's fighters last spring, I didn't get a sense there was much motivation to stick to things and finish them.  I deal with enough of that with the youths who actually are, for lack of a better word, eligible to sign up at the field house.  

Maybe there was some resentment over the poor showing of Derek's fighters on Tuesday.  I haven't forgotten the reports of those fighters throwing fits because they didn't get to take home winners' trophies last spring.  The people they were supposed to fight last night got walkovers, which means they automatically received belts because their opponents didn't show up.  Most fighters would rather win by participating in actual matches, not by default.  I haven't heard any fallout from the coaches of those fighters as of this writing.  If I do, I'm going to direct them to take up their complaints to Thomas.  After all, Derek's fighters are not officially mine.

The bouts went faster than they did on Tuesday.  Several of them were stopped by both Thomas and Gerald, who took turns being the referee of the fights in the ring where I was sitting near.  I recognized a kid, Jordan, who fights out of Portage Park.  I was impressed by his actions after he lost his match; no bad attitude whatsoever.  He immediately shook the hand of the other youth and complimented him.  Too many of the other kids who didn't do well were rolling their eyes and frowning up.  One guy threw his hand up in a gesture that said, "Really?  How did the other guy win?"  Another kid walked off in a huff after his hand wasn't raised, and Gerald had to call him back to pick up the second place trophy.

Another tournament is over.  I keep hearing that Derek's fighters will eventually have a gym opened up for them at one of the field houses.  I hope so.

47 Fights

I judged 23 fights at the Chicago City-Wide Boxing Tournament last night.  There were 47 fights in total.  Two rings were set up at Curie Park to handle all of the action.

Derek, who runs the North Lawndale Boxing League, had two of his fighters "representing" LaFollette in the tournament.  "Did Thomas talk to you about this?" Derek asked.  "No, he did not," I said as I made a face.  I kept wondering why I hadn't been told -- for the second year in a row -- that Derek's fighters were registered to fight out of my gym.  It was curious to me that Derek was allowed to check his fighters in when protocol states that I should have been responsible for that since it's my gym, not his.  Allegedly, Derek will have a gym within the park district soon.  But he doesn't have one yet.

I was in the mood for sarcasm and an argument.  But sometimes, it doesn't pay to say anything.  Another coach commented that the situation sounded "shady", and I agreed since it was apparent I was kept in the dark about Derek's fighters' participation until the last minute.  But things have a way of working themselves out.  Derek admitted that his fighters had no sparring experience before the tournament.  He grinned at how he made them run a lot instead.  "This ain't gonna go well for them," I thought to myself.

There were a lot of tough fights.  Just like at the Chicago Golden Gloves, few competitors show up with the intention of playing around.  That's why I didn't allow any of my fighters to register for the tournament.  People can't half-step when it comes to training regularly then expect to do well in a tournament.  If someone gets seriously hurt, I'm going to be asked why did I allow them to compete when it was apparent the fighter didn't train well or enough for it.  Some coaches will put someone in the ring knowing that the fighter is too green.   I'm not going to put someone in a match just because their name is on my attendance sheet.

An announcement was made from the ring across from the one where I was sitting that one of Derek's fighters lost their match.  I ended up judging the match that his other fighter was in.  All I saw was wild haymaker punches, poor footwork, and a lack of technique from his fighter.  The other two judges agreed with me, and the win went to the other youth.  

A Little Attention Would Be Nice

I understand that registration numbers are low for the Chicago City-Wide Boxing Tournament which is scheduled for next week.  That's too bad, but there are several reasons why that has happened.  I entered all of my attendance numbers for the winter boxing session and the results were worse than I initially thought.  That session probably had the lowest attendance numbers of any of the sessions since I've been at LaFollette.

During a conversation with another park district coach, there were echoes of problems that I also experience at my gym.  "The parents just don't care, and neither do most of the kids," the coach said.  Most of the coaches have the same complaint.  Boxing is one of the best sports in the world, but it ranks at the top as being the most thankless sport in terms of participation and support. Some parents and guardians are cool with the coaches until we tell them they can't have or do something in the gym.  Very few parents and guardians are willing to volunteer in the gym, help get youths to shows and tournaments, donate or help buy equipment, etc., but yet their hands are always out expecting something from the coaches.  Some only view the program as a free babysitting service.

One or two youths may appear in the gym during each session who show a healthy interest in the sport and are willing to put the work in.  I love when that happens.  Unfortunately, it doesn't happen enough.  Too often, I'm stuck with kids displaying behavioral and discipline problems, along with the ones who have no interest in being in the gym.  I have to accept everyone because it's a public-run gym.  Luckily, I do have the option of kicking the more difficult cases out of my gym.  Usually, they do me a favor and drop out on their own.  But then that often leaves me with no one to train nor to place in the competitions.  

The most popular sports in the park district -- football, basketball, baseball, and swimming -- have built-in marketing strategies that eclipse boxing at each and every turn.  They most certainly get more press in the advertisements, flyers, signs, and in the park district's newsletter.  When I have to attend physical instructors' training like I did yesterday, information about track and field, soccer, and field hockey is always being given out. Nothing is mentioned about boxing unless I and/or another boxing coach who happens to be at the meeting speak up. 

It appears that boxing doesn't get much attention.  It should be no surprise, then, about the difficulties in recruiting participants to register for a tournament, let alone sign up for boxing classes.

End Of The Free Ride

I forgot to mention in the last post that I called Jahnaja -- on my dime -- to let her know that this is the last week of the winter session.  Not long ago, I received an odd phone call from someone who claimed they were associated with the high school she attends.  They apologized for her not being at the gym lately because of projects she's been working on at school.  Jahnaja had told me she would be late to the gym during a weekday and not there at all on another day due to school.  But there's been no explanation as to why she has now missed weeks out of the gym.  "I hope you'll accept her back into the gym," the caller said on the voice mail.

Yeah, I'll accept her back even though she only showed up a few times during the first session she was in the gym three years ago, and never bothered to show up at all the second time she signed up for class.  But it will be at a cost.  She turned 18 years of age last month, so Jahnaja can no longer attend boxing for free.  When Jahnaja totally skipped out on the class the second time she was registered for it, I sent a letter home informing her that she had been dropped from the class.  She had missed too many days, and I had people on the wait list who wanted to sign up.  

At the beginning of this winter session, I told her mother that her daughter should take advantage of the class while she still didn't have to pay for it.  Her mother hadn't been aware that Jahnaja was signed up for this winter session.  No one who is under 18 years of age can sign themselves up for any park district activities; a parent or guardian has to give permission.  I was suspicious, so when I left a voicemail for Jahnaja yesterday, I made a point of letting her know that I know how old she is.  

Normally, I would have sent another letter home since once again, Jahnaja didn't attend class regularly.  But knowing that she would be an adult soon, I let things play out.  I don't kick adults out of the class unless they do something really egregious (like that time when De-Fetrick cursed me, Thomas, and Shifty out during a boxing show and stole an athletic cup from the gym).  Their penalty is losing the money they paid for the class.  Once class begins, there is no refund if adults decide to drop out.

Jahnaja is allegedly so busy (which makes me wonder why she signed for the class again) that I don't expect her to come back to the gym.  Hopefully, she'll learn that now that she's of age, there are no free rides at the gym -- or in life anymore, for that matter.  

The Number One Rule

Malik showed up a few minutes after the teen class had ended.  Mareli was the only teen who showed up for that class.  None of the younger kids or the adults came in either for their classes.  "Has anyone been coming in?" Malik asked like he did the last time he dropped in.

Why in the hell is Malik concerned about everyone else's attendance when he's only been here five days out of a 10-week session?  I thought to myself.  James always got on my nerves with asking about everyone else's whereabouts, too.  I wanted to tell Malik to worry about himself and what he needs to do and should have been doing as far as boxing is concerned.  Instead, I explained as evenly as I could -- again -- that Noel and Mikaela had to go out of town.  "Everyone else just dropped out of class, which is why no one in here is in the City-Wide Boxing Tournament this year," I said.  Malik quickly said goodbye and left the gym.  No explanation was given to me for being absent -- again -- nor when he was going to return.

I had the suspicion that Malik may have hoped I was going to change my mind and allow him to sign up for that tournament.  I don't deal with people's lack of accountability and lack of responsibility too well.  The number one rule of the gym is if people don't train, they don't get to fight.  Malik had no real excuse as to why he missed 45 days of training.  I will not send youths into boxing matches who I know haven't prepared and aren't prepared for them.  

Hanging At The Old Gym

I went to Loyola Park's boxing gym yesterday, and I realized how much I miss the place.  I kept thinking how I wish the adult boxing class at LaFollette ran like the adult class at Loyola.  But there are so many issues with the class (and the boxing program at LaFollette in general), the main one being attendance.  The adult class at LaFollette has also been predominately female.  Don't get me wrong; I believe in promoting the sport to women.  But I would like to have an equal number of males in the classes, too.  I'm very tired of teenage and adult males at LaFollette acting interested about joining the boxing classes, but not following through.

There were a lot of familiar faces at Loyola last night like Ben, Matt, Rojah, Michael, Kevin, Erica, and William, and a few new faces I didn't recognize.  A good amount of sparring went on.  Ben and Alan sparred at the end of the evening with Matt giving instructions to Alan.  Erica was calling out instructions to Rojah when he sparred with William.  I told Erica that she would make a good coach.  She told me that she does coach boxing during the summer at a nearby community center.

I didn't do a workout.  My lower back continues to bother me, and it seems that I'm walking slower and slower each day.  My left shoulder was bothering me, too.  I've been exercising several times a week, utilizing gentle (read: senior) workouts at home that I've found on YouTube.  What I need is a chiropractor, but there are no funds to pay for one at the moment.  This morning, I woke up with a headache and neck pain, so the workout I planned to do will have to wait until later.

Alan only has two guys -- Professor and Rojah -- in the Golden Gloves this year.  Everyone else begged off from competing for various reasons.  I plan to attend the Gloves, but I'll probably wait until the finals.

This is the last week of the winter session.  I'm hoping that it goes by fast.  I need a break.

No Contenders

There will be no one at LaFollette who will compete in the Chicago City-Wide Tournament this month.  Now I'm two-for-two since I had no fighters in the Chicago Golden Gloves (which began this week) either.  The Battle of the Badges is not looking good for participants as well since that follows right behind the City-Wide Tournament.  Everyone is going to have to wait until June when the regular Chicago Park District boxing shows begin.

Only a couple of the youths had a good reason as to why they couldn't train enough in advance of the City-Wide -- there was a death in their family.  No one else had good reasons for their numerous absences.  I have to attend the City-Wide because it's a big tournament and much help will be needed for it to run smoothly.  But I'll be going alone.

The last time Malik was in the gym, I told him he wasn't going to be in the City-Wide because of being absent for most of February.  Malik wasn't around much in January either.  The few times Malik dropped in, he kept telling me about having to go to the dentist.  Malik is wearing braces now.  However, that's a one-day procedure; it didn't take all of February to have those put on Malik's teeth.  I haven't seen him since I and suspect that's because of some disappointment/resentment.  But what these youths ain't gonna do is give me an attitude because of lack of accountability and responsibility on their part.  I keep repeating that I'm not going to chase people about showing up to the gym and doing the work.  Like my late mother used to say, "People seem to think I'm playing with them when I tell them something."  

James bought himself a ticket out of the program, perhaps permanently, when he revealed that he doesn't care for sports.  I like James, but I don't need kids in the program who aren't interested.  Honestly, I don't want the other youths who couldn't only show up but once or twice a week back in the class, either.  Those youths waste their time as well as mine because they can't devote enough time to the sport, and I can't allow them to do anything regarding sparring nor competing. 

Chances Going Down Or Gone

Sahia, Richey, Noel, and Mikaela are fine.  They just took an extended vacation.  They should be back in the gym this week.  But I can't guarantee that of everyone else who has been missing for past month.  

Looks like I'm going to keep the gym open during the break between the winter and spring session since the City-Wide Boxing Tournament will take place during that time.  But I'm not going to allow everyone to register for it.  Malik is dangerously close to being denied a chance to compete.  He'll have to show up every day from this point on in order to get a spot.  Iz and Abrahant's chances are already gone because of their constant absences which they had been warned about many times.  Based on Kaylib's lack of urgency to do what he had to do to enter the Chicago Golden Gloves, I'm going to demand that he sit out the City-Wide as well.  That's if Kaylib ever shows up to the gym again.

James won't be a factor, either.  I talked to his parents about his statement to me about not liking any sport.  His parents are dismayed, but they have known that about their son for some time.  They also aren't happy about James only wanting to play video games constantly.  His father told me that they are keeping James out of the gym for awhile until his attitude changes.  His parents aren't the first ones to complain about their kids' obsession with video games as opposed to participating in more physical play and activity.  What I'm not understanding is why don't they just take the games away from their kids?  Different parenting styles than from what I grew up under, I'm guessing.  My parents may not have brought the video games from the jump.  Since playing the games uses electricity, my mother, in particular, would not have allowed my younger siblings and me to play them often.  If we kept playing them obsessively, the games and consoles would either have been locked up, sold back to the game store, or thrown out.  

Confession

James confessed to me that he doesn't care for sports.  I had long suspected that James' interest in boxing wasn't high.  Now I know the lack of interest extends to all sports.  James is not that athletically inclined.  Most of his cousins are athletic, and his half-sister plays sports.  James' dad played sports when he was young so the expectation is that James must play sports, too.  I wondering if I should tell James' dad about his son's feelings and how to tell him if I do.  I'd rather not see any youth being forced to participate in an activity they don't enjoy.

Unfortunately, society operates on gender stereotypes that lead to situations like this one.  I assured James that his non-interest in sports is fine.  However, there are people who criticize and make fun of males who don't play sports nor are rabid fans.  I would not be surprised if James has already been bullied because of that type of thinking.  Some will question a boy or a man's maleness because of that which is totally wrong.  Please. . .I know of straight men who think sports are a waste of time and gay men who have season tickets to major sports games.  

Thomas sent out the schedule for the Chicago City-Wide Boxing tournament and The Battle of the Badges tournament.  Youth amateur boxing matches do take place at The Battle of the Badges before the regular bouts between the cops and the firefighters.  Youths can only sign up for that the day that tournament takes place as I understand it.  But Thomas has scheduled several days for the City-Wide registration.  

Noel and Mikaela told me they wanted to participate in the City-Wide.  I haven't seen them for days, and it continues to worry me.  Malik hasn't been training regularly for weeks.  I've grown tired of Malik popping into the gym to tell me why he can't come to the gym and/or why he wasn't in the gym that day.  I'm only going to participate in the City-Wide registration for one day.  I can't afford to close down the gym for several days in a row to accommodate every one's personal schedules.  If people can't make it on the one day I can go up to Margate Park for the registration, then they won't be in that tournament.

Missing and Run Down

The registration for the Chicago Golden Gloves is this weekend and on Monday, but I won't be there -- again.  Kaylib was the only person in the teen boxing class who was eager to enter that competition.  However, Kaylib disappeared from the gym and didn't bother to tell me about a hand injury.  I had to call his house to learn about that.  At this point, it's probably safe to assume that Kaylib won't return to class, either.

James keeps pointing out that several of the kids in the 12-years-old-and-under boxing class keep being absent.  Maybe James should worry more about his weight.  I keep finding candy and pastry wrappers in the boys' washroom.  James has a habit of going into the last stall in there and staying for a long period of time.  Initially, I thought James was playing video games on his phone.  As a courtesy to ReRe, the attendant who normally cleans the washrooms down in the gym, I started checking them before I locked up at the end of the day.  One of the last times James hid in the washroom for an inappropriate amount of time, I yelled, "You're not eating in there, are you?"  "No," James replied in a guilty manner.  The very next time I checked the room, I found a candy wrapper stuck in the hand towel dispenser.  A hand dryer has replaced the towel dispenser, but maintenance never removed the dispenser.  I guess James thought, "I'm gonna be slick this time."  Not quite slick enough.

Iz and Abrahant have been gone for over two weeks.  I'm beginning to believe they have dropped out of the class.  They have never put in a full workout since they've been in the class.  They're always late, even during the summer months.  Twenty minutes is about all they usually get done.  Maybe they came to the realization that a short training time wasn't enough.  I am also aware there was some disappointment when I cut down sparring from two days a week to once a week.

I have to give Damaris credit for showing up the two days of the week that she's able to do.  But just like they did three years ago, DeShawn and his cousin Felicia, who can only show up one day a week, have basically stopped doing that (along with their cousin Armani).  Jayda has continued her pattern of not showing up to class just like she did two years ago after only attending a few times.  Angelo, who was my best scrapper in the program this season, has vanished, too.  I called his home to find out what happened, got the voice mail, and never heard back.  

Attendance in the teen class is down, too.  Malik keeps running in every other day to either tell me he can't come to class or why he wasn't in class.  As I predicted, Janaja has become a no-show once again like she was the last two times she registered for the class.  Ceasar comes in on and off, but his brother Richard keeps missing days.  Ceasar's friends Melissa and Ximena have a lot of absences, too.  

The adult class has been very quiet as none of them have been in class for some time. But then, a lot of people have been out ill due to the flu that has been coming down heavily this season.  I've been feeling run down lately, but I haven't caught what everyone else has caught yet.  I hope I don't.  

Boxing and Bureaucracy Don't Mix

Donesha didn't make it to the meeting, but Sahia met with me, Thomas, and Steve about the fundraiser.  There isn't going to be a fundraiser this month as planned.  Apparently, there are many steps (read: hoops) that have to be gone through in order to have one approved.  Frankly, I'm not much in the mood for navigating bureaucratic mazes.

If I had discretionary income to play with, I'd buy what I wanted to place in the gym and just turn in the receipts afterward.  But the fundraiser wasn't only about equipment.  Not all parents and guardians are just dumping kids and teens off in my class because they don't want to be bothered with them for an hour.  Some parents and guardians are appreciative that boxing is free because they want their youths involved in something that is positive that won't strain their budgets.  However, there isn't money in their houses to pay for extras the youths may want like boxing tops and trunks, extra mouthpieces, and boxing shoes.  There have been youths who haven't been able to attend boxing shows and tournaments because of transportation issues.  Some have dropped out of the class because of that.  Those are some of the reasons why the program hasn't grown much over the nearly four years I've been running it.  Steve keeps telling me that having more kids in the class would be justification for me getting extra resources.  But it is what the park district does NOT provide and apparently can't provide which adds to the frustrations and challenges I have to face in the gym.

Teens have come to me asking about entering the Chicago Golden Gloves.  When I tell them they have to pay for a license, plus pay a registration fee on top of that, I notice the shift in their enthusiasm.  If I could afford to come out of my own pocket to make sure they were able to compete, I'd pay for it.  But on my part-time salary, I can't, so I just have to watch potential champions slip away.  The sport can show youths there is a world of other opportunities outside of the 12-to-14 block neighborhoods they live in, but if extra assistance is not available to help them, that's an issue.  

For every enthusiastic kid I encounter, I have to contend with several who don't have clear reasons why they want to be in my gym.  Yesterday, three teenage girls plopped themselves down on the equipment table during the 12-years-old and younger class.  The girls took too long to answer when I asked them why they were in the gym, so I said in a clipped manner, "This is not a hangout spot."  Finally, the ringleader told me that someone sitting up at the front desk sent them downstairs for me to sign them up for the class.  I suspect that some recreation leaders and instructors play fast and loose with the registration process.  I don't.  I told the girls their parents had to give permission for them to be in the class or they were not going to be in it.  Sahia, who appears to have more patience with youths than I ever will, asked the ringleader why she wanted to take up boxing.  The girl shrugged her shoulders and said, "I just want to be in it."  That wasn't a good enough answer for me.  The other two didn't state their reasons at all.  Then the ringleader indicated she and her crew didn't want to spar or compete.  I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes as I explained I'm not going to teach self-defense.  

That's What I Get For Trying To Be Helpful

Looks like the fundraiser that Sahia and Doneisha had graciously stepped up to plan for the boxing program may be dead in the water.  It appears that management is not supportive of the event, nor wants it to take place.  I can understand some of their reasoning why a fundraiser shouldn't take place.  There is a budget for boxing equipment, and there is a warehouse of sports equipment somewhere.  However, I was already told that this year's budget is small, and I may not get everything I want.  I also know that from the past, items I have asked for from the warehouse haven't always been available.

Sigh. . .I don't mind admitting that I'm "feeling some type of way" about this latest development.  It's not just about the equipment.  I've had kids drop out of the program because they could no longer afford the bus fare to get to the field house.  Some can't make it to the boxing shows because of the same reason.  Other kids have wanted items that the park district does not provide for, like boxing shoes, for example.  It would be nice to present awards for most improved boxer, boxer who won the most fights that year, etc., but that's a separate charge as well.

The major sports teams in town support the park district's football, basketball, and baseball programs.  The aquatics program gets good support.  But the boxing program has no powerhouse organization that regularly lends support.  Individuals and businesses have to be approached to possibly donate or the coach -- if they can afford it -- comes out of their pocket to fill needs.

I have to explain management's concerns to Sahia and Doneisha, which I know is not going to go over well with them.  At the moment, I have to throw my hands up in the air because I don't have an alternative plan to deal with this situation.  It's a common theme in my work life going back to the late 1970's:  I initiate something that I intend to be helpful only to have it blocked.

The Good Group

Sahia noted during the teen class that it was a good group.  They all work when they are in the gym, and Noel and Makaela have been great at helping the others out with techniques and exercises.  Kalib is talking about signing up for the Chicago Golden Gloves.  Caesar, his brother Richard, and Melissa have been doing well.  

If only the kids' class was running that smoothly.  The class is now full, but a few of the kids who signed up have yet to set foot in the gym.  Jayda, who was in the class over two years ago, re-registered for it, but she has already missed days of class.  She told me that her friend Rosemary planned to sign up again, and I inwardly groaned.  Neither girl did much in the gym the last time they were in the class.  Iz and Abrahant were not in class again day with no explanation.  

However, a nice addition to the kids class is Angelo, a cute half Black, half Puerto Rican kid.  He's been hitting the ground running since he joined the class.  Angelo has very good form, too.  He told me that an uncle of his has a home gym.  I'm thinking that Angelo may have received some boxing training from the uncle, based on the way he moves.

The fundraiser is shaping up nicely.  I was able to print out fliers and hand them out to the kids to pass around.  I sent a note to Marty at Simons Park to ask him if he could bring some boxers from his gym to spar with mine on the day of the fundraiser.  It would be nice if Marlon at Portage Park can bring some boxers over to spar, too.  It'll be in late February.  

No Messages and No-Shows

Sahia, Rachey, Mikaela, and Noel returned to boxing class yesterday, and I was glad to see them.  They arrived as the teen class began, and that class was hopping.  A new guy who is 6 foot 2, Kalib, joined the class.  He's had a little training in the past, but I still had to go over most of the basics with him.  Mikaela, Noel, Ceasar, Richard, and Melissa went through their workout fine.  I noticed that Jahnaja strolled in late, but I didn't comment on it.

Iz and Abrahant did their usual habit of consistently showing up a half-hour late to the kids' class, too.  I had to get on Iz about him and his brother disappearing for two days last week with no notice.  This week is only the second week of the winter session and already I have had to deal with unexplained absences and no-shows.  "I was feeling a little sick last week," Iz said, an explanation that covered the first day he was out, but not the second day.  I should have received a phone call on the second day.  And why is it every time one of the brothers is sick, the other one decides they're not going to attend class?  It was the second time I had told them about the new attendance policy.  That was the last time I'm going to warn Iz and Abrahant about the consequences.

There are also a few in the kids' class who haven't made it in yet.  I gave a courtesy call last week to the home of one kid named Abshoun.  "I forgot that class has started," his mother told me.  Well, her memory was really faulty because her kid wasn't there all that week.  Looks like her kid ain't gonna be in this week, either.  Another girl, Jayda, signed up, but I haven't seen hide nor hair of her.  That two more "kicked out of class due to lack of attendance" letters I'll probably have to write.  

Unfortunately, Malik is getting dangerously close to missing out on competing in the Chicago City-Wide Tournament.  He's still not registered for the teen class.  I called his grandfather twice after Thanksgiving last year to give a reminder about the sign-up dates.  I didn't get a response.  I also told Malik several times during the holiday season to remind his grandfather to take care of that.  "I can't remember the park district's website," Malik told me as he stood before me on his cell phone yesterday.  What, kids don't know how to Google?  I'm in my late fifties, and it seems I know how to navigate technology better than most young people.  

The website wouldn't load probably due to connection issues because we were technically in the basement of the building.  Sahia pointed out that people may no longer be able to sign up for boxing online which made sense.  Only so many online slots are open before the in-person registration begins.  "Your grandfather has to come in here and sign you up," I repeated to Malik for the umpteenth time.  There's not a lot of openings left in the teen class.  If his grandfather keeps hesitating, I'm not going to be able to make room in a full class for Malik.  If Malik is not able to re-join the class until the spring session, that will seriously cut down on his training time for the Chicago City-Wide Tournament.

Sahia couldn't stay for the adult class because she had an appointment elsewhere.  However, I was glad that she was able to connect with Donesha, Tony's mom before she left.  Alexis didn't show up again for the adult class, so Donesha was by herself.  But she got a good solid hour of work in.  She also does exercises outside of the gym, and that is very helpful.

Someone called the field house looking for me.  One of the teen girls was sent downstairs by Tina, the gymnastics and dance instructor (and summer camp coordinator) to tell me I had a phone call.  The staff knows that I don't leave the gym during the kids' and teen classes to come upstairs for any reason.   I've ceased making it my problem that they keep forgetting that. "Tell her to take a message," I told the girl.  The girl did not return with the phone message.  Neither did I find a message when I came up to the front desk at the end of my shift.  I have to assume that either the caller didn't want to leave a message or the person who answered the phone didn't bother to take one. Unfortunately, the latter scenario is the probable one.  It's happened before.   

I Don't Know Folks Like That

I had an "I don't know folks like that" moment today.  When I arrived at the field house, there was a woman waiting to see me about registering for the adult boxing class.  Everything was cool until it was revealed that she had no money to pay the fee.  "I was wondering if I could sign up now and pay later," she told me.  "The registration system doesn't allow that.  Everyone has to pay up front and in full," I informed her.  "The guy at the front desk told me that you could take care of me," she said.

The guy in question was the seasonal sports coach.  He did tell her that I could take care of her but only in terms of giving out information about the class.  The man didn't tell her anything along the lines of "Coach Hillari can give you a hookup", but that's what she heard and expected.  She gave me a line about wanting to learn self-defense, but she admitted she saw the writing on the flier that stated boxing is not a self-defense class.  "Fists are not going to stop bullets or a knife and boxing is not designed to fight off multiple attackers," I let her know.  Another twenty minutes went by with her expecting me to make some way for her to take the class without paying for it first.  I was late starting the kids' class because it took too long for her to figure out that the park district doesn't do installment payments.  

I've seen this movie before in other gyms, and it never ends well.  The coach has a heart for someone who can't afford the fee for whatever reason and lets them into the gym.  Several weeks or even the whole session goes by and no payment is made.  Sometimes the supervisor checks the attendance records and puts the person out of the gym.  Most times, the coach has to keep needling the person about payment until they leave or the coach blows up and runs them out of the place.  Now I might give a break like that to someone who had been in the gym previously because I know they'll make good on paying up.  But I'm not about to take a chance on someone who just walked in off of the street.   

Surprised On The First Day

Jahnaja showed up to class on the first day of the winter session.  "Surprise, surprise, surprise!" as Gomer Pyle used to say.  So she's back in the teen class for the time being.

Another surprise took place when Ceasar and Richard walked in.  They hadn't been in the gym for about three years.  They've become bigger, especially Richard.  He used to be shorter than both Ceasar and I.  Now we both have to look up to him.  Ceasar had been signed up before class began, but Richard wasn't.  When I sent Richard and his dad upstairs to register, someone at the front desk sent them back to me.  "They said you have to come upstairs and do the registration," Richard said.  "And they know I can't come upstairs when I have a class going on," I answered.  I've been there nearly four years and some staff members still don't understand that.  I told Richard's dad that I would take care of the registration later so he wouldn't have to make a second trip up to the field house.

Melissa is a newcomer to the teen class, and she did very well on the footwork exercises.  She, Ceasar, and Jahnaja all can enter the Golden Gloves.  However, I told them it was an option.  They could wait and enter the City-Wide Tournament in April.

James returned to the youth class, as did Iz and his brother Abrahant.  No adults came in, but I expect Sahia and Chay to return later in the week.  It was a pretty chill day, and it looks as if all three classes may shape up well this session.

Already Kicked Out Of Class

Most everything I needed to get done in the boxing gym at LaFollette Park is done.  This week will be quiet until the winter session begins next week. 

I've already written the withdrawal letter to send to Jahnaja's mother.  I spoke to her mother in mid-December.  "She's busy with stuff because she'll be graduating from high school next year," her mother told me.  I was also told that Jahnaja would call me to confirm whether or not she'll be attending the boxing class.  This is the third time she's signed up for it and not completed it.  She didn't even bother to show up at all the last time she registered.  The new attendance policy states that people can't miss two weeks of class without an explanation.  But based on Jahnaja's track record, I don't have the patience to wait and see what she's going to do.  As far as I'm concerned, she's already kicked out of the teen class.  If she doesn't show up the first day, the letter will be dropped in the mail.  I'm done dealing with no-shows to the class.

My patience has also been low with parents and guardians who won't get it in gear to sign their kids up.  I've told Malik a few times that he needs to send his grandfather in to re-register him for the teen class.  I've left voice messages for his grandfather.  Malik's name has not shown up on the attendance roster yet.  Chasing people to re-sign up for the class is something I seldom did in the past.  This is the year that I stop doing that completely.  I'm also done with frustrating myself about other people's lack of motivation and being proactive.  I'm not interested in excuses as to why people don't do what they need to do at this moment.  

When I last checked the class registrations, numbers of the youth and teen classes were low.  No one has signed up for the adult class at all.  So much for a rush of people signing up as part of New Year's resolutions.  

Looks like I can forget about having anyone in the Chicago Golden Gloves this year.  Mikaela and Noel want to get more park district fights.  Other than the City-Wide Tournament which doesn't take place until early spring, there won't be any other park district fights until late June.  I'm not going to encourage any of the new teens who have signed up for the winter class to compete in the Golden Gloves because they won't have enough time to train for it.  Anyone planning to participate in that should have been training at least three months in advance of the registration dates which are in mid-February.  I've heard people grumbling that the park district bouts are little more than glorified sparring sessions.  But that is not the case at the Golden Gloves where people fight as if their lives depended on it.  

I don't know if I mentioned that two staff members are gone.  Both Leonard and Pam were transferred to other field houses late in December.  I miss them.  Their departures did little to cut down on the constant gossip and backbiting, unfortunately, something both Leonard and I were always irritated about.   At least I can hide down in the gym and have some peace from the whispers as most of the staff seldom come downstairs.  

Birthday Boxing

Yesterday was my birthday.  Sahia, Noel, Mikaela, and Shay held a nice party for me in the gym.  I was extremely appreciative.  I knew they were going to get me a gift (actually, I received several from them), but I was truly surprised by the gathering.  

That was only the second birthday party I've had in my entire life.  No joke.  The first one happened on my 27th birthday.  I won a free party at Coconuts, a dance club that no longer exists.  Twenty-nine years is a long time between parties, but that's okay.  Some of the leftover food came home with me, while the rest I left at the gym.  Coach James told others in the field house there was food available, so several of the kids he coaches came in to get some.

I snapped this photo today of James.  James is not sure if his dad will sign him up for the winter boxing session.  Tony plans to return, and so does Sahia and her children.  Malik told me his grandfather was going to register him for the class again.  I'm assuming that Iz and Abraham will sign up again, too.  I need to get a flier out for the next session and an upcoming fundraiser as well, but the staff computer at LaFollette has been down for days.  Both of the computers in the supervisor's office are working, but Steve's been on vacation. Unless Tina is on the premises -- she appears to be the only staff person who has a key to Steve's office -- and I come in a little early, I'm not able to use those computers.  Having worked for years as an office support staff person, I find it frustrating now not to be able to have my own computer at work so I can get my work done.   Today is the last day the gym is going to be open for the year.  I need to spend a lot of the break time doing administrative tasks but that requires being able to use a computer.  I wish the park district would invest in having more computers available at all of the field houses.  

The Writing Coach

I wrote a piece about boxing and posted it on a website called Vocal.  This is the link:

But I Might Break A Nail

In the process of writing and re-writing rules for LaFollette's boxing gym, I got the idea to write some opinions about my experiences in coaching.  I have some more ideas for boxing articles to post at Vocal, and I hope to do more.

James' Surprise Punch

For the first time in a while, there was blood on the canvas during a sparring match on Wednesday.  James took some rough face shots from both Iz and Abrahant during sparring.  But James caught Abrahant a few times and bloodied up his nose.  I was surprised because James' punches often don't land where they should.  I'm always reminding him to stay in his stance and focus on where he wants the punches to go.

Today, I announced to those in the gym that next Friday a group picture will be taken.  Sahia (Mikaela, Noel, and Shay's mom) and I are planning a fundraiser in order to buy some needed extra equipment for the gym.  The group picture will be featured on a flier in order to help create interest in the fundraiser.  I also need to make new fliers for the class in general.  It's too late this year to have the event because the fall session is ending, and most have already stopped showing up to class.  But it needs to take place as early as possible in January to set the tone for next year.  Coach James was also very helpful in giving Sahia and myself ideas for the fundraiser.

Ariel stopped in the gym, and she looked very well.  I wish she could come back to the class.  But she's busy with high school (an A student, by the way), and she has a part-time job.  

Another major focus for next year is getting more adults interested in the class. The park district's emphasis has always been on kids, but the adults should get some attention, too.  

Hustle At Humboldt Park

Malik was a no-show at Humboldt Park's boxing show, as was Gael.  Mikaela and Noel weren't able to attend.  James had decided that he wasn't going to participate.  So that left Iz and his brother Abrahant.  There was absolutely no one for Abrahant to have a match with among the other fighters who showed up.  Iz had a chance -- twice -- to be paired off with someone.  Unfortunately, it was determined that Iz was too tall and had too much of an arm reach, despite the fact that in comparison to the other boys, Iz had no fight experience.

Iz, Abrahant, and their parents decided to go home.  Tony and his mom were there, but Tony did not opt to fight.  They wanted to watch the show to get an idea of what goes on.  Tony's mom pointed out that Iz, Abrahant, and their parents should have stayed to watch as well.  I agreed, but I had gone through the same thing too many times with other parents.  If their kid has never had a fight, it would be a good idea to check out the fights so they know what to expect if and when they do get their chance in the ring.  Instead, people become discouraged, disappointed, annoyed, etc., and they leave.

I ended up judging again, and Alan acted as a judge, too.  There were eight fights in total.  Tony's mom was surprised that one fight was allowed to go to the end, despite the fact that one boy was bleeding from his nose.  Another fight showcased a boy who had good head movement and footwork.  The boy won, but I wished he had thrown more punches instead of constantly dancing around the ring.  

Harry, a heavyweight, won his fight against another heavyweight named Dominic.  Harry wants to come up to LaFollette and get a workout in.  I told him he could come in on Friday, but I informed him that the field house was closing early due to Veteran's Day.  The gym was open early, but the only class that was going to take place was the one for those twelve-years-old and younger.  Harry didn't make it in, but I hope he comes in soon.

Iz and Abrahant showed up to class a half-hour late as usual.  When they learned the field house was closing a half-hour after their class ended, they wanted to stay for the extra time.  Considering that I had to have time to put away the equipment, grab my things, and lock the gym, the answer was an automatic no. Time management is something the two brothers haven't gotten a handle on yet, and I wonder sometimes if they ever will.

December Shut Down

James told me, "Miss Hillari, I've changed my mind about Humboldt Park."  I wasn't very surprised when he told me he wasn't going to the boxing show later this week.  James seemed more interested in going just to see friends and relatives who live near that field house.  Neither was I surprised when Gael didn't show up to class.  Gael and his sister haven't been showing up on the days they said they could come to class.  I was surprised when Iz and Abraham said they planned to compete in the show seeing how it didn't appear they had much interest earlier.

I've decided to shut down the gym for the rest of the year on the day after my birthday next month.  For some odd reason, the park district schedules the fall teen and adult boxing classes to end the week before Thanksgiving, and the kids class to end the first week of December.  In order not to confuse anyone and to make things easier for me, I decided to have all of the classes end on the same day.

The idea of fundraising came up again.  But I learned that as an employee, I can't go out with cap in hand to solicit funds.  It works better if it comes from a parent.  Mikaela, Noel, and Shay's mom told me she would like to help with that.  I appreciate that very much.  I don't need much in the gym, but I need what I need.  We're going to talk about it more and see what we can come up with.

Absenteeism and Tardiness Don't Make For A Strong Program

I was surprised when Ben walked into the gym last night.  I thought he and his family had moved out of the area, but they still live near the field house.  Ben plays football, a sport he took up while he was still registered for boxing.  I'm still trying to figure out why Ben wasn't okay with taking punches yet is okay with being tackled on a field.  It was good to see him, however.

Tony's mom pointed out that Gael and Jennifer were standing around instead of working out.  "The girl doesn't seem to be very interested in doing this," she said.  Gael is more interested in boxing than his sister.  At the end of the class, Gael told me he might show up on Thursday.  I'm not betting on that.  Gael and Jennifer are supposed to attend the gym three days a week.  However, they only have been showing up one day a week for the past few weeks.

Iz and Abraham didn't show up again.  No call from them.  I may or may not get an explanation for their absence when they decide to return.  James was talking about everything except boxing, as usual, and I had to keep reminding him to do the next item on the workout list.    A couple of years ago, the adult boxing class was the weakest link in the chain.  Now it's the 8-to-12 year olds' class.

There needs to be a stronger attendance policy.  When the parents of the few kids who regularly attend class start commenting about the chronic absenteeism and tardiness of the other kids in class, it's time for a change.  The numbers in the classes have to be considered, so I can't kick everyone out who consistently slack off about showing up (although I would love to do that).  But unfortunately, I also have to deal with kids who were on the wait list, begged me to get in, and who are not going to class, either. The program suffers constantly because of those factors.  

Hand Throwing At Hamlin

Malik, Mikaela, and Noel came to the Hamlin Park boxing show.  Only Malik and Mikaela got fights.  Malik fought a lanky, slightly bigger kid out of Hamlin.  Mikaela's opponent was a girl from Humboldt Park, who like Mikaela, only had one prior fight.  Their fights were number four and five on the show schedule.  Alan helped me in the corner with both of them.

Malik hesitated a lot.  I had to keep telling him not to wait on the other fighter and be first with his left jab.  I liked that Malik kept moving a lot, but we've got to work on him throwing more combinations.  Malik fell down once and so did the other guy; both falls were ruled as slips.  Malik didn't win, but some in the audience thought he should have.

The girl Mikaela fought kept smothering her against the ropes and in the corners.  She was shorter than Mikaela, and she was holding her a lot.  I have to work more with Mikaela on slowing down fighters who like to rush in a lot as the other girl was doing.  Mikaela did her best, but she didn't win.

Mike, Rojan, Solomon, and Erik from Loyola Park had fights.  Erik was the only person from there who won his.  William was there too, but he wasn't able to get a fight.  Hamlin Park's fighters racked up most of the wins for the evening.

David Diaz was there; it was one of his boys who fought Malik.  "You're still hanging in there!" he smiled at me.  Fres Oquendo gave me a hug when he saw me.  I hadn't seen him for awhile.  The announcer at the show mentioned that Fres was cheered during his last fight in Russia.

All in all, it was a pleasant evening.  Phil was at the show.  He suggested that I get a buffer to help ease the discomfort with my left knee.  I will certainly look into that before I have to go see the doctor about it in November.  

A Sticky Sparring Situation

Yesterday was a sparring day.  Four boys in the 12-years and under class were suited up and ready to go.  All were paired up evenly until Tony's parent pulled me aside and quietly announced that she didn't want her son sparring with Iz.

Iz and Tony were best matched up for each other.  I had put James with Abraham.  The intent was to have each pair do two rounds.  Some quick thinking had to be done. Iz really wanted to take on Tony.  He kept asking me why he couldn't spar with him.  Fortunately, Tony had taken off his gear after doing a couple of rounds with Abraham.  I told Iz that since Tony had done that, and there wasn't a whole lot of time left in the class, that was all the sparring Tony was going to do that day.  Unfortunately, James ended up having to spar multiple times with Iz and Abraham.  Abraham will not spar with his brother Iz because that is not an even match, and he's right.  James and Iz are not an even match, either.

Later, Tony's mom explained that she was concerned that Iz was so eager to spar with her son.  "I don't want my son in the ring with someone who hasn't been coming here regularly," she said.  Iz and Abraham hadn't been in the gym for two weeks.  Iz told me, "I wasn't feeling well," but that didn't explain his brother's absence.  The brothers had missed a few opportunities to participate in boxing shows, and that concerned me.

I could understand Tony's mom wanting to protect her son.  Boxing gyms are full of both youths and adults who always want to throw hands at others, but don't want to train properly.  But Iz and Abraham don't give me the impression they fall into that category.  Normally, they are good about showing up to the gym consistently and getting the work in.  I was in a bad spot because I did not want to let on about how Tony's mom felt to Iz, Abraham, nor their dad who was also on the premises.  

Tony's mom wants her son to get more training in and build up strength and stamina as opposed to sparring weekly and competing.  That is perfectly fine.  But when she talked about perhaps allowing Tony to compete after the beginning of next year, I thought, "I hope she read the boxing show schedule."  There are no park district boxing competitions during the first half of the year, other than the City-Wide Tournament.  Tony will not go to Hamlin Park's boxing show, which is today.  Humboldt Park is usually the last show I plan for my fighters to attend, as the shows at Carver, Brooks, and Scottsdale have proven to be too far for most of them to go.  If Tony doesn't fight at Humboldt, he'll have to wait until next June when the park district shows start up again.

Yesterday's situation made me wonder: what if a parent doesn't want their kid to get in the ring with other kid with whom they've been matched up with at a boxing show?  Turning down a sparring session may be allowed, but turning down a fight is another matter.  I'm in charge, but parents do have a say-so in some matters because it's a city-run gym.  But they can't make demands during a competition; believe me, it's been tried before.  Their kid just will have to forfeit a fight.  If they kept forfeiting fights because a parent or guardian wants to pick and choose opponents, the kid won't fight anywhere.

Diappearing Acts and Usual Issues

Halloween is still a way off, but attendance in the gym is down.  When November rolls in, I expect most people to pull disappearing acts because the holidays become uppermost in their minds.  I appreciate those like Mikaela, Noel, Shay, and their mom, who give me a heads up in advance when they will not be in the gym.  But most don't give me any warning.

I see Brandon and his mom walking around the field house often.  They're pleasant when greeting me.  But Brandon has only been in boxing class once since his mom registered him.  Anwar has been missing a lot of days for someone who hasn't been long in the class.  Another boy, David, whom I pulled from the wait list, acted as if he was so eager when I told him he could be in the class.  David hasn't been there yet.  Eric is another one whose face I don't know because I haven't seen him.

Gael surprised me this past Friday by showing up, but his sister Jennifer wasn't with him.  Their mother gave me no explanation for the girl's absence.  I allowed Gael to spar with James.  They only did a couple of rounds because James didn't want to do a third one.  "Are we going to spar again today?" Gael asked.  There were no other kids in the 12-years-and-under class other than those two, as none of the other kids came in.  Gael asked about the next sparring day, not bothering to read the bulletin board as usual.  I informed him and his mother -- again -- that sparring takes place only on Wednesday and Friday.

I had to stop myself from making a sarcastic crack when Gael had the nerve to me ask about getting a match at the Hamlin Park show which is coming up this week.  That Friday was the first time the boy had ever sparred.  Apparently, Gael thought that qualified him for a fight.  "Gael, you're not ready for that," I told him in front of his mom. Jennifer and Gael hardly show up to the gym the three days their mom told me they could attend.  None of the three days they can attend include the sparring days.  Based on the days already missed and what I see in terms of training habits, Gael is never going to be ready for a match.

There have been a lot of inquiries from parents and kids alike about the boxing class lately.  I get the impression that most who've heard about the class don't investigate the basics, like when the class actually began and the days and times it meets.  People display a lot of disappointed looks when they realize the youth classes are full and that they have to wait for the January class.  I become disappointed too because I know most will forget to sign up in December, despite me having given them that information.  Even if they register early, most likely I won't find out they can't attend all five days during the week until after they're already in the class.  The others will show up in February expecting to get into classes that are already full.  

Simons Park Show

No fighters from LaFollette Park showed up at Simons Park's boxing show.  Considering the unfortunate shooting incident that happened at LaFollette the night before, I couldn't blame any of my boxers for wanting to stay close to their homes.  But there were ten fights on the card, most of which were action-packed.  I served as a judge again.  There were times I wanted to yell out instructions to those boxing, but I couldn't.  The crowd was animated, especially during the last fight which featured two adult heavyweights.

The regulars were in attendance including Shifty the referee, Jose and Marlon from Portage Park, Killer Keith, Jeff and Jesse from Taylor Park, Ernest from Fuller Park, Eddie from Davis Square Park, Barry from Loyola Park, Thomas the head of the park district boxing program, Rodney from Trumbull Park, and Fermin from Harrison Park.  I finally met Ben who is the coach at Scottsdale Park.

Solomon, who fights out of Loyola Park, had somewhat of a tough opponent and didn't win his match.  I thought Solomon was waiting a little too long to get some of his punches out there.  A couple of boys, one out of Taylor Park, had a slug fest.  The boy from Taylor Park won.  Jordan, who fights out of Portage Park, was crying after a match he lost and that bothered me.  Y'all know I don't like to see kids upset after a match.  The lone female match was between Whitney from Taylor Park and Alma from Simons Park.  I'm thinking that Whitney was the girl who fought Mikaela at Garfield Park several weeks ago.  Whitney came out like a bull on Alma; she won. 

The Simons Park show thankfully had food (hot dogs, chips and soda).  I was rather hungry.  The only other boxing show I can think of where food is always present is Loyola Park (pizza).  Sadly, I haven't provided food at the LaFollette Park boxing show yet.  Hopefully, I will rectify that next summer. 

Guns At The Field House

Noel asked if I wanted a snow cone.  He and his sister Mikaela have been buying me snow cones from a woman who runs a little concession stand in the park.  "Sure! Get me the orange flavor," I smiled.  Their class was over, and their mother and older sister were beginning the adult class.

About ten to fifteen minutes later, Mikaela and Noel came running into the gym, holding the snow cones.  "There was shooting outside, and Noel almost got hit!" Mikaela said.  Their mother and I froze.  "They shooting outside again?" I asked.  "The bullet hit the ground near my foot, and the woman selling the snow cones saw it coming and pushed me out of the way.  I was going to give her five dollars, but she wouldn't take it.  She told us to get to safety and worry about giving her the money another time," Noel explained.  The bullets did hit someone else; an ambulance showed up.  I also learned that the football players had vacated the field when the shots rang out.  The siblings and their mom rushed upstairs to let whoever may have been at the front desk know what was going on.  I went to secure a crash door that leads to the parking lot and Shay, the siblings oldest sister followed me.

As soon as we got to that door, a couple of cops coming in told us we had to evacuate the premises.  More police cars showed up.  The cops said the shooter had run inside the field house.  A search was done for nearly an hour, but the person was not found.  A police helicopter flew back and forth.

Finally, the all-clear was sounded and the staff was allowed back into the building.  On the drive home, I kept thinking about how horrible I would have felt if Noel and/or Mikaela would have been hurt.  Every few days at the field house I keep hearing about shootings that took place three blocks away, two blocks away, one block away. . .I'm tired of that.  Why is it that the go-to solution for a conflict these days is always a gun?

Reading and Winners

Gael and Jennifer showed up late to the 12-years-and-younger class yesterday.  They're not the only ones who come in late from time to time or on a regular basis like Iz and Abraham always do.  But I don't grumble much if those who come in late come in and make the most of the time they have left that day.  However, Gael and Jennifer do not read the bulletin board to see what the next step they have to take in terms of training.  When those two aren't standing around looking confused and/or bored, Gael and Jennifer ask their mother what to do next.  She'll look at the board and tell them to skip over whatever the next step is on the list if her kids act as if they don't want to do it.  Seriously?  Then I have to correct the kids, as well as tell them ten times what to do, which brings more confused looks from Gael and Jennifer and from their mom.  I don't have to do that with any of the other youths in the kids or teens' classes. 

Malik was very happy to see Mikaela and Noel in the teen class yesterday.  Anwar, a 15-year-old, signed up for that class yesterday so Malik has yet another person to work with.  I was glad, seeing how it appears the twins Jana and Jada have disappeared. Lauren has also gone AWOL, too, just like she did a year ago when she was in the class.  I withdrew Jahnaja from the class via letter, but I have yet to hear any explanation from her mother regarding her daughter's lack of attendance.  But then, her mother didn't say anything when I pulled Jahnaja from the class for doing the same thing last year. 

Some coaches say they only want winners in their gyms and on their fields.  Most coaches understand that everyone is not going to win and they're not going to demand that.  What they really want are people who are going to be present and aware, honor their commitments, and do the work.  That's all I'm asking.  But when participants can't even do that. . .if they don't weed themselves out, then the coach has to do it.