I'm Not Accommodating

There have been days when long before I get to La Follette Park, I already know the day is going to be a waste of effort.  One of the reasons I feel like that is the continuing lack of participation and interest that's been happening from the first day I began working there.

In the youth class: I believe Koreon has dropped out.  I haven't seen him for a little over a week.  When Koreon was showing up, it was usually a half-hour after class had begun, leaving him with twenty minutes to train after putting on hand wraps and warming up.  If Koreon showed up any later than that, I would send him home to start over the next day.  His smart-aleck sister once tried to challenge me about the rules about class times and training.  I shut her up quickly.  Fortunately, she hasn't come around recently to make any more smart cracks.

Damaris is back, but she's displaying the same lack of motivation and discipline that she's been doing since April.  I don't say much to her because I'm done with constantly repeating myself.  The other day, she had the nerve to tell me, "I need to be exercised more."  "You know what to do," I told her, and I left her to remember what she had been previously taught over and over again by both Sahia and myself.  Sahia has more patience with Damaris' attitude than I do so I let her deal with Damaris.  But Sahia hasn't been in the gym since it was closed due to construction issues during the last two weeks of the summer session. 

As for the teen class, recently Malik told me his basketball coach changed the time of the team practice so Malik can come to boxing practice.  That sounds odd to me since I've never heard of any coach being that accommodating to any of their players who are trying to participate in another sport at the same time.  I've never done that, and I'm not going to do that. 

Ariel's mother signed her up over a week ago, but Ariel hasn't been there.  "I miss boxing," she told me.  But apparently, she hasn't missed it enough to make it a priority to show up to class.  Being overextended is a problem that most of the youths have; that's why Ariel dropped out of the class a year ago. 

I fail to understand why parents, guardians, kids, and teens, and some others who have eyed taking the adult class think I should accommodate people's lack of time management skills.  It never seems to occur to people that I don't have control over when the boxing class is scheduled.  I've given myself a little wiggle room in there in order to register people and take care of other administrative tasks, but that's as far as I can go.  The Chicago Park District runs after-school programs for youths and offers a few activities for adults that either run earlier in the mornings (usually for the senior citizens) or after normal workday hours.  There only a certain window of time to have activities each day based on the hours the field houses are open. 

As long as people don't get that, a lot are not going to be able to participate in most of what goes on in the gym and there will be no getting fights at the boxing shows.  Because of that lack of understanding, the boxing program, at least at La Follette, doesn't run as well as it should even after four years.  I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels most of the time. 

Friendly Faces Amid Neighborhood Drama

I was walking up to Loyola Park for their boxing show since that field house isn't far from my apartment.  Rodney, who is the coach at Trumbull Park, saw me as he was driving by.  "Girl, get on in this car," he said.  I was very appreciative that he gave me a ride.  "Did you go up to your gym first?" he asked.  "No.  I just go straight on to wherever the boxing show is being held on that day," I replied.

Henry and David did not show up.  I had already told Malik to sit out the show because of his non-attendance at La Follette Park, so I had no fighters.  As usual, there were youths in attendance they could have been matched with, but oh, well.  After the weigh-in, seven fights were made.  I served as a judge.

I introduced myself to Frank, who is the new supervisor at Loyola Park,  Frank's a nice, friendly guy who took over after Larry, whom I didn't get a chance to meet, retired not long after taking over from Mary, who retired late last year.  Mary was at the show.  "I miss everybody!" she said as she gave me a hug. There were a lot of other familiar faces in the place.  Of course, Alan and Barry were there as they are the boxing coaches at that park.  Shifty was on hand to referee.  Bill, Pat, Rico, and Johnny were a few of the other coaches present.

I hadn't seen Gary in a long time.  When I took the 'L more often, I would see him at one of the train stations.  He still works for CTA, but he's at another train stop these days.  Rojan, John, Mike, and Kevin -- all guys who train at Loyola Park -- were in attendance.  It was also good to see Sebastian, who told me he's still working towards his degree.  "Gabe still comes here," he told me, referring to his brother. 

I met Mallory and Csilla, two women who train out of Loyola Park.  They fought each other in an exhibition match.  Mallory is tall.  I told her later that she needs to utilize her long arm reach and long legs to gain an advantage in the ring.  Csilla, who is shorter, did well in fighting on the inside.  I told Csilla, who is an art teacher, that I used to fight out of Loyola.  "How did you feel before your first match?" she asked.  "I was beyond nervous.  I hung in there, but I didn't win.  But it gets better each time," I explained.  The person I had my first match with, Meg, is up for a captain's position with the Chicago Fire Department. 

There was some grumbling in the crowd during one of the matches.  The announcer responded with, "It's easy to box while sitting down."  "You ain't never lied,"  I thought as I chuckled to myself. 

There was a delay in getting a recording of the National Anthem started for some reason.  I initially told Barry that I would rather one of the kids get a chance to sing.  But after a few moments of silence, I told everyone, "Okay, I'll start it off.   But for some reason, this is the one song that I keep blanking out on the lyrics.  So everyone has to sing along with me."  With the encouragement of the announcer, I took the microphone.  The audience joined in and it was fine. 

Mike was matched with Solomon, who is in Barry's class.  Solomon keeps getting better every time I see him, and tonight was no exception.  Now Mike did pop Solomon good a couple of times.  But Solomon was the busier of the two, so he got the win.  Unfortunately, Kim, Mike's wife, got to the field house late so she didn't see Mike fight.  But I assured her that her husband did well. 

One of the guys who fought out of Hamlin is a lifeguard at La Follette.  I recognized him after I congratulated him on his win.  "I go into the boxing gym at La Follette and work out in the ring from time to time," he told me.  It's easy for him to do seeing how the door to the gym is often left wide open everyday way before I get there.  But now that I know the guy boxes, I told him he could go in and train whenever he has the time. 

John worked over the guy he fought with, who I believe was from Hamlin Park.  Hamlin people are hard to beat.  I know, because I've been in the ring with a few of them in the past.  But John stayed on the guy for the win. 

The boxing show was pleasant.  But the crowd wasn't as big, and it thinned out quickly.  There was a bit of a low vibe in the room.  Kevin said that it was probably because of recent shootings that have left the neighborhood on edge.  A couple of murders took place over the past few days; the incidents are thought to be the work of a serial killer.  Not the first time there has been that type of person in the neighborhood, but it's been years between then and now.  "You think they'll catch the guy?" Alan asked me as he drove me home.  Pictures of an alleged suspect showed a man dressed from head to toe in black with his face covered.  "It would be easy for whoever it is to change out of that outfit and blend in.  They may catch him, but they may not," I answered, shaking my head. 

Whining and Sparring Don't Mix

Henry and David had to spar with each other yesterday -- again -- because as usual, other kids don't often show up to the gym on Saturday.  I steeled myself for David's usual whining.  His brother Henry is always up and ready for a sparring session.  David dawdles around, and once the action starts, the complaints start.  However, David starts most of the confusion in the ring holding Henry's arms, pushing his brother, etc.

Henry often returns the favor in reaction to his younger brother's antics.  Even their father gets on the both of them about it, as well.  I found myself commanding, "Break!", "Stop holding!", and "Step back!" once too often.  "I shouldn't have to say anything more than once!  If a referee has to keep repeating commands, the fight could end with a disqualification," I warned both of the brothers.  Yet, the wrestling kept continuing.  After sparring, David kept complaining about Henry hitting him.  I told David -- in front of his dad -- that I had no interest in hearing the whining again.  I repeated to both boys that they had to watch their actions in the ring.

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I was glad that they had a chance to spar, however.  Damaris, who had been MIA for a while, returned to the gym.  But she was not prepared to spar.  Usually, she spars with Henry, as I was not comfortable with putting her with the girls who were smaller than she.  Damaris has grown in height and lost some weight since the last time I saw her. 

Ariel re-registered and promised to come in on Friday, but she wasn't there on that day nor on Saturday.  She's been gone for too long for me to be able to put her in Loyola Park or Simons Park's boxing shows next month.  Maybe if she starts showing up regularly I might be able to put her in Hamlin Park's boxing show.

However, time is running out for Malik who continues not to come in and train.  I'm ticked because he knows the rules about training and participation in the boxing shows.  It won't be a surprise if he doesn't show up at Loyola Park despite the fact that I wrote out the information and gave it to him.  Malik missed out on last year's City-Wide Boxing Tournament because of engaging in his usual habits.  If Malik bails out on Loyola Park, I'm not going to be open to putting him in at Simons Park nor Hamlin Park.

One of the attendants was overly concerned about a complaint about the cleanliness of the gym.  I've been disappointed about that, but I hadn't said anything to my boss nor the attendants about it.  On Saturday there were construction workers in the gym.  As long as that is going on, the gym is not going to be clean for a while.  I've basically thrown my hands up in the air about that.  But later, I found out that a parent did complain about how dusty the floor was.  My boss told me to send the parent to them if they have any questions.   In the meantime, everyone is going to have to deal with the gym as it is. 

Boxing Gym In A War Zone

Koreon is the new kid whose name I couldn't think of the other day.  Today was the second time Koreon showed up late.  "You gotta show up here on time to get the full hour of practice," I told him.  I sent him off to a heavy bag on the other side of the room to work on the jab and straight right.  My concentration was more on Henry and David.  Barry called me earlier wanting to know who I had for the Loyola Park show.  I weighed Henry, David, and Malik and reported back to Barry.  But I did not weigh Koreon.

Koreon's sister walked in several minutes later.  "You know your brother came in here late again," I told her.  "He doesn't get off school until later," was her explanation.  My thought was "And her point is what?  Their father has a receipt showing what time class begins, and that was explained to him during registration."  Audibly I told her, "I'd like to get your brother in a boxing show, but he's got to get here to train for it.  I'll see what I can do."  However, I made no promises.

Malik was late, too, but not as late as Koreon.  Once again, Malik expressed concern that he has no one to spar with.  If my left leg and lower back were not giving me problems, I would spar with him.  Luckily, Malik plays other sports which is a help to him in terms of stamina.  Based on that, I might let him fight at Loyola Park without the sparring practice.  Malik has had one fight before, so he knows what to expect.

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The adult class remains empty at the moment.  I sat alone in the gym reading the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly when Sherina, one of the attendants, dashed into the room.  "We've got to close up the field house.  There's been a shooting in the park!" she said.  "Another one?" I said, shaking my head.  There had been a shooting several days ago.  I quickly grabbed my stuff, locked up the gym, and came upstairs.

"Who got shot?" I asked some staff members who were standing at the crash door that leads to the parking lot.  I was told that it was a man who volunteers with the youth football team.  I had seen the man and his son who is on the team, a few hours earlier.  We had exchanged pleasantries. 

Several kids who were leaving the building were crying.  They had been on the football field when the shooting took place.  I was so shocked that I forgot to ask about the condition of the man.  I got in my car and drove off. 

I work in a war zone.

Low Fall Expectations

When the gym re-opened last week, I had to do a lot of heavy lifting and moving to get the equipment room back straight.  Typical of some construction workers, there was no care nor thought taken when my stuff was shifted around to accommodate their work.  I have no doubt the equipment is going to get shoved around again in the near future because their work is still not done.

An adult who frequents the field house regularly shook their head when I told them of the condition of the gym.  "If this place was sitting in a different neighborhood, none of this would be going on.  The work would have been done," they told me.  I don't like playing race cards, but it makes me wonder.  I have been inside a lot of field houses in the park district, and yes, some are better kept up, have better resources, and don't have to deal with outside street drama spilling over into their locations.

Frankly, the gym is a mess.  One of the walls were opened up to expose a pipe; the construction workers put cones around that area.  A plastic cage covers another opening in a wall on the other side of the room.  Last week I caught Lael, who is always easily distracted, pulling back the flaps to see what was inside.  The floor hasn't had a broom or mop run over it in a long time.

It crossed my mind to put in another bid to have extra equipment placed in the gym.  That can't happen, even if there is some money in the budget, because of the current condition of the gym.  Judging how the construction company has been handling their business, I can't afford the new equipment to be damaged. So I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, meaning when the gym will get shut down again, maybe for the rest of the session.

Sparring In A Damaged Gym

The gym opened back up a few days ago, but I'm wondering why the construction company thought the program can work with what has been going on.  The walls and ceilings were really hit by the rains around Labor Day.  I kept thinking to myself, "Looks like there will be another paint job done, and that will take at least two months for maintenance to finish."  The construction company still hasn't replaced any of the windows in the equipment room nor in the washrooms.  The fans had been left on in the gym probably to cut down on the smell from the water damage.  The floor is blanched and looks bad. 

Only Henry, his brother David, Malik, and a new kid -- Lancom, I think? -- have shown up this week.  The new kid came in yesterday with fifteen minutes left on the clock, then told me he wouldn't be in today.  Malik is already doing his usual habit of showing up a few days during the week but disappearing on Saturdays.  The other three teens signed for the class haven't shown yet.  Malik was concerned about not being able to spar because others wouldn't be there, so I suspect that is why I didn't see him today. 

I gave my usual one courtesy call to the others but they haven't been in yet.  Loyola Park, Simons Park, and Hamlin Park are the last three shows I have scheduled to attend this year.  Those all take place in October.  We missed Portage Park and Davis Square Park's shows due to the gym not opening on time for the fall session.  I can't shake the feeling that the gym may be shut again before we get too far along into October.  If that happens, the gym might as well be shut until January.  There is no way people are going to be able to train to do well in the remaining shows in that case.

Henry and David sparred today but they were pushing and holding way too much.  Both I and their father kept admonishing the boys to break and step back from each other.  David still has the bad habit of keeping his hands down, and Henry tagged him each time.  David also gave his brother a low blow by lifting his knee.  Afterward, David kept whining about how Henry was hitting him.  I was going to get on him, but I let his father handle the situation. 

I've been leaving the doors leading to the hallway outside the gym as well as the doors right before the main gym door open.  Coach James' seasonal sports equipment is stored in an area off the boxing gym.  I got tired of the kids expecting me to open the doors so they can get to their stuff after I was through for the day.  I've long been tired of those kids tromping through my gym and goofing around with the boxing equipment.  Now I lock the door leading directly into the gym.  Unfortunately, I still walk in most days to find the gym has been left wide open for anyone to roam inside.  I often wish I was working at a field house with a smaller boxing gym with only one way in and out.  It would keep my blood pressure from going up.

When It Rains. . .

It rained heavily in Chicago over the past weekend.  The rain pushed a hole through the roof at the field house and the auditorium was flooded.  The boxing gym is on the floor below the auditorium.  Pools of water spread out over that floor.  The ring was wet.  Plaster was peeling off the ceiling and the walls, and water poured through the light fixtures.  The gym has been closed since before the summer session ended due to constructor work inside the field house (the swimming pool is also closed for the same reason).  Now, this has happened.

Yesterday, a couple came in to sign up their son, Nicolas, for the boxing program.  I told them the gym may not be open in time for the fall session which begins next week, but I would keep them informed about the gym's status. The reality is that the gym may not be open again for several weeks.  "This is now a fight between the park district and the construction company," the field house supervisor said.  However, the problems with the roof were apparent over a year ago when chunks of plaster were falling from the ceiling.  Luckily, no one was using the auditorium when that happened.  Of course, the auditorium is now closed as well.  The area manager has been asked to come out and survey what has happened as well as take pictures for evidence. 

My concern is that the fall session for the boxing program could be canceled completely.  La Follette's boxing program has been struggling since I arrived there due to many other factors.  In light of recent events, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to cancel the program permanently, which would put me in a precarious situation. 

The Vibe at Eckhart Park

There wasn't a full moon out, so I don't understand why the boxing show at Eckhart Park seemed a little off.  Not many of the gyms showed up, but some of the ones that did had a good number of fighters there.  However, only seven fights were made because there weren't enough good matches to be made among the ones in attendance. 

Anton, one of the guys who help out Thomas, the boxing program coordinator, wondered out loud if any girls were participating.  George, the coach at Garfield, said, "I don't mess around with girls.  Ain't no money in that.  Right, Hillari?"  Unfortunately, I had to agree.  Despite the fact, there are plenty of women who box, and some superstars like Claressa Shields, for example, have risen up, professional women's boxing still doesn't have the earning power.  Lately, I haven't noticed many girls or women appearing in the amateur shows.

A fight between boys from Portage Park and Ogden Park was going along at a fast pace for two rounds.  The boy from Portage Park was being overwhelmed by the boy from Ogden Park.  A few seconds into the third and final round, the Ogden Park fighter quit.  The reason?  "I'm tired," the boy told the referee.  Kenny, the coach at Ogden, didn't look pleased.  I personally don't believe in getting on kids for losing fights or having fights stopped on them.  But if that was my fighter, I would have made an exception in that case.  If the boy had pushed through to the end, he probably would have won.

George loudly let his displeasure be known when one of his fighters didn't win their match.  Alan, Keith, and I were the judges.  "I don't know what fight the judges were watching!  The judges were blind!" George grumbled.  None of us responded to his rantings.  I just shook my head. 

A couple of fighters waited until the last minute to get suited up then took their time about getting to the ring.  I wondered: are they here to fight or not?  The very last fight of the night was an exhibition match, and the bell didn't ring to signal the end of the last round. 

I had no fighters at the show.  When construction work began abruptly at La Follette, the work cheated the youths out of the last two weeks of the summer session.  Everyone took off, and I wasn't successful in pulling people back to participate in the boxing shows that have taken place during the current session break.  The boxing shows are taking a week off, then the first show in September will be at Portage Park.  But if construction delays the opening of the gym for the fall session, I won't have anyone at that show. 

I Need A Break From People

I had to remind myself that even if the installation of windows at the field house wasn't going on, the boxing gym would have been closed anyway for the next few weeks.  I don't keep it open during the breaks in between sessions.

When I first began working at La Follette Park, I tried to follow Steve, and later, Alan's lead of keeping the gym open during the session breaks.  I suspect most of the other Chicago Park District boxing coaches keep their gyms open as well.  But quickly I learned that those who don't show up with consistency during the regular session were not suddenly going to become considerate enough to show up during the breaks.  It doesn't matter even if boxing shows are going on during the breaks; people vacate the gym and don't keep up with what is going on top of that.  I need to take care of the paperwork as well as clean the equipment, so I close the doors.

Another important reason I need to close the gym is I need a break from people.  I've never hidden the fact that unlike most, I don't automatically go ga-ga over every youth I encounter.  I wasn't born with a high maternal instinct.  If I've gone through a session that was overly problematic because of having to deal with attitude and behavioral problems and other issues out of one or more kids, I need to be able to distance myself from that during the breaks.

Also to preserve my sanity, I need to be away from some parents, guardians, and those who sign up for the adult class who do things that make my job harder than it needs to be on any given day.  Some are constantly trying to bend the boxing program to suit them regardless of the established rules and regulations and the fact there are other people in the gym.

As a part-time employee, I don't get vacation days.  I have to fit in a respite where I can, and shutting the gym down during the breaks is how I have to do that.

Hustling At Harrison

I had reminded Henry and David's dad about the boxing show at Harrison Park some time ago.  Unfortunately, the boys were no-shows, and there were kids there with whom they could have had a fight.  Having La Follette's gym being shut prematurely due to window installation plus the fact that we're now on a break until the fall session begins has made it difficult to keep in touch with people about the ongoing boxing shows.  I was judging fights again as I had no fighters present.

I noticed there is construction going on at Harrison Park as well.  I felt their pain.  There was a good turnout for the boxing show, however.  There were 12 fights instead of the usual ten, but the action went quickly.  The fights took place in a basketball gym inside the field house.  Usually, that show is held on the outside, but the construction I saw may have been the cause for the change in location. 

During one of the earlier fights of the evening, I thought both boys did a great job.  But one boy did a little bit more than the other one, so he won the fight.  The boy who didn't win took his trophy and no sooner than he stepped out of the ring, the boy was blubbering.  I always feel bad when I see that.  Sometimes when I see kids crying because they lost, I feel like crying with them.  I looked for that boy later to give him some encouragement but he must have left the park quickly.

Solomon, who fights out of Loyola Park, won his fight against a boy from Garfield Park, which was no easy feat.  The fighter from Garfield Park won the first round against Solomon, popping him with several punches.  During the next two rounds, Solomon carefully watched the other guy and picked his shots.

While sitting at one of the judges' tables, I imagined what it would have been like if my late younger sister was sitting next to me.  I've mentioned before that while she liked the ideas of beating on people, she wasn't crazy about me being involved in the sport.  She might have enjoyed watching the action close up like that, however.  Then I imagined my late mother sitting next to me at the table.  She wasn't supportive of me fighting.  Ma probably would have criticized everything that went on during the show, despite the fact that she had an appreciation for the sport. 

The Usual Sign Ups

So far, the upcoming fall boxing class session is populated with the usual faces: Henry and David, Kayla, Anayah, and Damaris.  The teen and adult classes are empty at the moment, and I expect them to stay that way until right before the session begins or until shortly after the session begins.  The people in the neighborhood that surrounds La Follette are notoriously slow about signing up for anything that goes on at the field house. 

The one camp counselor whom I had a run-in with earlier in the season was up at the front desk yesterday when a call came in for me.  She rudely announced to me that I had one, laying the receiver down on the counter instead of handing it to me.  I guess she's still angry because she failed to get me in trouble with the supervisor.  I ignored her attitude.  The call was from Anayah's mom who was having a hard time coming in to re-register her daughter.  Since Anayah is already in the computer system, I told her mom that I would take care of it.  Right after that call ended, Damaris showed up in-person with her mom and little sister to register. 

Malik has been sniffling around as of late asking about re-registering for the teen boxing class.  Frankly, I'm not expecting that to happen.  Malik has some interest, but like too many of the youths associated with the boxing program in the past, they're dealing with too many distractions.  However, I'd be a little bit more accommodating about allowing Malik back in than I would Dexter.  Dexter appears to have given up on trying to run game on both myself and Sahia.  I hope it stays that way.  There are youths whom I never want to see in my gym again. 

Thankfully, today is the last day of the extended summer camp.  I doubt that program was able to tear up my gym over the last few weeks due to the fact that new window installation has been going on.  But I wouldn't be surprised if, despite all the "danger - construction" signs, and notices about asbestos being present that the summer camp coordinator and camp counselors were still distributing lunches and snacks to the kids from down there.

Once again, I found the equipment room open the other day yesterday.  I knew the people doing the construction didn't bother to make sure the staff on hand could secure the door before they left.  The level of inconsiderate behavior from outside maintenance crews is extremely high.  I locked the door during the brief time I checked the gym to see if any progress was being made towards me being able to get back in there before September.  It wasn't.

Closing Up The Session

The boxing gym was a mess when I looked at it today.  I had no choice but to call those who had been regularly attending the class and tell them the summer session was over.  I reminded people to re-register for the fall class which doesn't begin until September.  So far, Kayla is already back in. Henry and David are planning to come back.   However, Aarav probably will not return, and I don't exactly have solid answers from everyone else.

The premature closing of the gym means I'll be stuck sitting behind the front desk counter which is my least favorite area of the field house.  Not being able to access the gym easily means I won't get a chance to clean the headgear, gloves, and hand wraps.  Hopefully, the construction -- which consists of replacing the old windows in the field house -- will be wrapped up before the break period is over.  But knowing the track record of other outside construction companies the park district has worked with, I'm not banking on the work being finished on time.

Harrison Park and Eckhart Park's boxing shows will take place during the break.  I'll see if Henry and David will be able to go since they are the two best prepared to compete.  If not, I'll go to those shows regardless. 

Well, That Wasn't A Good End To The Session

Due to the window installers dragging their feet, the boxing gym hasn't been open all week.  Allegedly, the installers have no friggin' clue what progress is going to be made from day to day.  They can't tell Steve, the field house supervisor, what is going on, which means he can't tell me what is going on.  I can't tell the youths and parents what is going on.  This is yet another example of poor planning between the park district and an outside construction company. 

The program has to be inconvenienced during the last two weeks of the summer session -- really?  While boxing shows are going on?  While registration is going on for the fall session?  Z, one of the seasonal attendants, told me he had been inside the gym and the room is a mess.  I haven't seen the inside of the gym since last Friday (I took a personal day on Saturday and the neighborhood alderman's annual festival was going on).  I shudder to think what I'll find if I'm able to go inside before the summer session ends at the end of next week.  I have a feeling that the summer session has ended prematurely.

No More Late Sign Ups

It occurred to me that Leah has not been in the gym for a few days.  She only showed up once.  We went over jabs, straight rights, and basic footwork.  Sahia had talked to Leah's mother about the class and encouraged to register her child.  I signed the girl up because Leah's mother was so upset about her daughter having been picked on during the summer camp at another field house.  Normally, I don't sign up anyone after the middle of the session has passed by.  This will be the last time I do that as long as I am the boxing coach at LaFollette.

One of the reasons it's not a good idea to sign up people so late in the session is because of what I observed with Leah -- people immediately stop showing up  Some coaches keep their park district gyms open during the two, three, or four-week breaks between the 10-week sessions.  I learned quickly that people who haven't been showing up regularly to train during the normal sessions aren't necessarily going to be dedicated enough to show up during the break periods.  That alone is part of the bigger issue of participants not being motivated, signing up for boxing for the wrong reasons, indifferent parents, and guardians, etc.  Also, I have to get stuff done like clean the equipment and enter attendance numbers.  I can't do those things easily while class is in session.

People will point out, you have a volunteer.  But all supervisors don't view volunteers in the same way.  They certainly don't give all volunteers, regardless of the program or activity, the same privileges.  For example,  when I volunteered in the boxing gym at Loyola Park, I could run the gym in the place of the coach if they were not available on any given day.  However, the supervisor at LaFollette does not allow Sahia to open up the gym and run the program if I'm not there.  The program is officially not going on during the breaks so the volunteer would not be able to run it during that time, either. 

Etonia is another person I signed up late, as well.  She hasn't shown up yet.  I'm not calling her to find out what's up with that especially in light of the fact that next week is the last week of the summer session.  If people are really interested in participating, then there's no need for me to chase them.  I don't have time - nor interest - to do that anyway. 

Rain Holds Off At Seward Park

It was predicted that there was a 30% chance of rain today.  Fortunately, no rain came down, so the boxing show at Seward Park went on as planned.

There were seven fights.  A lot of kids showed up later to weigh-in most likely due to heavy traffic.  Some streets were closed to accommodate the upcoming Lollapolloza music fest.  A Chicago Cubs game was going on, and part of Lake Shore Drive had been shut down due to a protest.  Henry and David were there early and weighed-in; both of them got fights.

Unfortunately, neither of the boys won their matches.  Henry was up against a kid from Ogden Park.  As usual, Coach Kenny was barking orders to his fighter.  It's funny how Kenny does that without being animated like most of the other coaches.  It's the way he says things and the tone of his voice as he sits stationary at ringside. 

David probably could have won his fight against a kid from Portage Park.  The other kid was heavier and slower.  Like his brother Henry, David wasn't aggressive enough and kept waiting on the other person to throw a punch first.  But I was glad that both boys were able to get fights.

Damaris was a no-show.  She wasn't in the gym the day before which wasn't a good look.  I'm seriously considering not allowing her to fight for the rest of the session.  Damaris keeps telling Sahia and I that she wants to fight, then she backs out of shows at the last minute.  I can't keep going through ups and downs with that girl. 

Alan was at the show, and he told me he plans to go to Sheridan Park's show, which is next week.  I'm going to skip that one and Ogden Park's show as well to give Henry and David some extra training time before Harrison Park's show. 

Henry Shows His Skills

Seward Park's boxing show is coming up this week.  I expect Damaris to do what she usually does -- back out of it at the last minute.  I have high hopes for Henry and his brother David, however.  They have been working hard.  I think the both of them will be able to get fights at Seward.

Sahia keeps asking about Lael and Arrav's chances at getting fights.  The reality is, they don't have any.  I'm not backing down on the "train five days a week or no fights" rule.  Lael is only good for showing up one to three days out of the week.  Recently, I found out the boy shouldn't have been allowed in the class due to his age. I overheard him tell someone, "I'm seven years old."  The youngest participants are supposed to be eight years old.  Lael's mom signed him up online.  If had signed him up in person, Lael would have had to wait until the fall when his birthday takes place to be in the class.  That is another reason why parents and guardians are supposed to talk to me before registering their kids.

Arrav told me he couldn't come to class two days of the week, and he actually ended up missing three days.  Usually, the boy only shows up at the gym once a week.  I understand Arrav is signed up for several other activities going on at the same time.  Youths who are picking and choosing what days they can come to the gym will never train enough to my satisfaction to be allowed to get fights.

Henry sparred with Damaris.  Her father insisted that she wear a chest protector before sparring.  I didn't think she really needed it, but it brought out for her to wear.  Henry did hit her in the chest a few times.  Damaris kept pawing at him, something both Sahia and I have told her to get out of the habit of doing for a few months now.  She also had her hands down.  Each time Henry punched her in the face, I pointed it out to her.  Henry tagged her five times. 

At the end of class, Sahia and I presented Henry with a certificate and trophy for outstanding sparring.  Henry's dad, Julio, was extremely happy and proud of his son.  Sahia and I felt good about being able to acknowledge Henry's hard work. 

I Don't Take Orders

The summer day camp coordinator got angry with me yesterday because I locked the door to the gym.  Let me back up.  Just about every day I get to work, the door to the gym is open.  Yesterday, both the door next to the stairwell leading downstairs and the main gym doors were open.  Summer camp was over for the day, yet the camp coordinator felt they should be able to keep marching kids through the area. 

I lock the doors behind me when I get in.  Class begins a half-hour after I get there, and I use that time to set the gym up.  Every day, I set out gloves, the ring timer, the clock, jump ropes, medicine balls, the balance board, the footwork cones, and water bottles for the participants to use.  I don't need to be distracted by random youths and adults roaming into the gym during that time.  I don't open the doors again until five or ten minutes before class begins. 

"Why did you do that?" she demanded when I opened the door after I heard her and several kids banging on it.  She doesn't look anything like my mother when she was alive, and even less so now that Ma is deceased.  I ignored her.  "I know you heard me when I told you to leave the door open!" she snapped.  She may have mumbled something to me in passing when I first got there, but remember folks, I'm an old woman.  I don't hear so well sometimes.  Maybe being post-menopausal has something to do with that.  At any rate, I don't take orders from people who don't sign my paychecks.  I especially didn't feel the need to respond to her since she believes I'm a monster towards kids simply because I never gave birth to any.

"I'm tired of this!" I heard her grumbling as I continued to go about doing my job.  Maybe she complained to our supervisor about me -- again.  Whatever.  My reaction to her foul attitude reminded me of a statement one of those TV judges made to a youth standing in their courtroom: "I don't argue with children." 

Questions That Make Me Shake My Head

1.  Do people hit each other for real?
People who ask me this question when inquiring about signing up for the boxing class are usually people whom I do NOT want in the class.  It indicates an extreme misunderstanding of the sport in general.  Even those who aren't major fans of the sport have a basic idea of what goes on in it and have probably seen clips of boxing matches.  I know people have heard of fighters being injured, so I don't get why anyone would believe the punches thrown aren't real. 

2.  Are we sparring today?
It's a legitimate question only if there are several others on the premises.  The question doesn't sound intelligent when asked by someone who happens to be the only person who showed up that day. 

3.  Is it okay if I or my kid can't make it to the gym every day? 
Yes, but people aren't going to be allowed to participate in boxing competitions if they don't train every day the gym is open.  Please, I might not allow people to spar depending on their attendance. 

4.  Can I just come in and hit the bags and get in the ring?
No.  I make some exceptions for those who I know are training at other park district gyms and professional boxers that come through from time to time.  Otherwise, both youths and adults need to be officially signed up for the class.

5.  I have one kid in the class, but could you show my other kid(s) who aren't in the class a few moves?
No.  The main reason I get asked that is because the siblings, cousins, whoever of the kid who is already in the class are too young to register for the boxing class.  The second reason is that the parent or guardian has babysitting issues.  They figure since the other kids are there, why not let them join in? 

6.  Do the times of the boxing classes change each session?
 It's not a college course that is offered at different times each quarter or semester.  The youth boxing classes, like other youth activities at the park district, are designed to catch youths as they are coming out of school.  And no, the days and times the class meets is not going to change during summer just because school is out. 

7.  Can I or my kid come in and work out during an earlier or later class?
No.  The classes are divided by ages for a reason.  An eight-year-old can't spar with a 15-year-old.  I'm not putting a 15-year-old in the ring to spar with a 35-year-old adult.  I don't want to deal with parents who are upset because teenagers and/or adults are in the gym with their grade-school age kids.  Most adults don't want kids underfoot while they're trying to exercise.

8.  Can I or my kid sign up even though physical and/or mental issues are present?
Depends on what those issues are.  But common sense should have dictated that a check-up should have been done long before showing up to register for the class.  Even if I'm not told about those issues and people sign up anyway, I will eventually figure out what's up.  When I do, depending on the situation, I may take people out of the class. 

9.  I've got a couple of youths who are arguing with each other.  Can they put on the gloves, get in the ring, and duke it out?
No, no, and no.  Usually, the youths in question aren't signed up for the program.  The youths should be shown there are other ways to solve their differences than putting their hands on each other.  If they are determined to fight anyway, they'll do it elsewhere but not in my gym.  The equipment in the gym is NOT to be used for purposes other than what is intended.  I'm not about to risk losing my job because of allowing any and everybody to walk up in the gym and do whatever they want. 

10.  Can I just pay you so you can let me train in the gym?
This is asked of me by adults who don't want to officially register for whatever reason, and who don't want to pay the full fee for the class.  I get a check from the park district every two weeks for my services.  I can't accept money under the table from people who don't want to follow rules and procedures.  The park district does not run open gyms nor accepts day fees. 

11.  Can I bring my friends here to train?
Another question that comes mostly from adults looking to give their buddies a hookup.  Yeah, their friends are welcomed -- as long as they understand they have to pay for the class.  And even though the youth classes are free, everyone in those classes has to be accounted for on my attendance rosters.

12.  Seriously -- you're the boxing coach?
Yeah, women do box, act as judges, referee, and coach.  If people have a problem with me because of my gender, they are free to go to other gyms.  I don't have time to deal with sexism. 

"It's An Easy Money Fight!"

The photo above is of Marty (on the right), the coach at Simons Park, and one of his fighters who was successful in winning a trophy at the Garfield Park boxing show.

George, the coach at Garfield, has been there for 28 years. I heard George tell one of his fighters in-between rounds, "It's an easy money fight!  Just keep going for his head and body!"  George was telling him right.  The kid's opponent was easy pickings.

I was judging the fights.  For the first time in my memory, all of the fighters I had listed on the cards to win did..  There were nine fights, and they went rather quickly.  One fight looked in danger of being stopped when one of the fighters, who was from Humboldt Park, told the referee that it felt like his shoulder had come out of the socket.  The EMT people on hand checked it out, and it was fine.  The fight continued, and the guy from Humboldt won.

Damaris showed up and so did Anayah but neither of them opted to fight.  Damaris' mother told me yesterday that her daughter "wasn't sure" if she wanted to fight.  Damaris didn't bother to tell me anything this time, after having already backed out of fighting at the Humboldt and LaFollette shows.  A week or so ago, Damaris had told Sahia that she wanted to be "worked harder" in the gym in order to be prepared for the Garfield Park show.  But once again, that girl's words didn't match her actions.  While driving home last night, I noticed that I hadn't packed my coach's bag for today's show.  It was just as well.

All of the girls in the youth class appear to have no further interest in competing.  I'll have to pin my hopes on Henry and his brother David.  Their father inquired about them participating in Garfield's show, but the boys had signed up for the class less than two weeks before.  They will be better prepared for the Seward Park show which takes place in early August.  I might consider Aarav for that show, too, despite the fact that Aarav only comes to class once a week.  Aarav was looking sharp when I put him in to spar last week against David.

Summer rolls along.

Parents Don't Run Programs

"The parents do not run these programs."  That statement has been repeated frequently to me over the past several weeks.

Recently, a parent told me they don't want their kid participating in any boxing shows for at least a year.  They feel their kid needs to train more. Their kid has been in the program for several months and has a good presence.  They're more than ready to take on a boxing match.  Languishing in the gym for several more months without being able to test their skills out, especially when other kids are competing, is not a good idea.  There are already signs that the kid is getting bored and treating their time in the gym as a time for socializing instead of training.

There is another kid in the class who has been there almost a year and has yet to participate in a boxing show.  Their parent has also made similar statements about not wanting their kid to be in fights until they've trained for months.  That parent also has issues about other kids interacting with their kid.  But I'm not running a private boxing gym and working with highly paid fighters who have the luxury of picking and choosing whom they will fight with and when.  I'm dealing with a city-run operation that puts heavy emphasis on the quantity of youths in the class and expects maximum participation.

There have been problems with people not attending the gym on Saturday, which is the day sparring takes place.  I changed sparring to that day partially based on some parents telling me that it was easier for them to come to the gym to watch their kids on that day.  Now I'm hearing Saturday is a problem because the parents -- not the kids -- have scheduled other things to do on that day. It was suggested to me to switch sparring back to a weekday, if only temporarily, to give at least one of the kids who has been skipping Saturdays a chance to spar.  I seriously doubt I'm going to do that because there are other kids can be present on that day and whose parents have an interest in making sure they are in the gym.

Over the past four years, I have gained a good idea of what works for the boxing program in general.  I do know that the program -- or any other park district program -- can't run properly if schedules and lesson plans are constantly being changed around based on the personal calendars of the participants. I've come to the point where I have just about set the boxing gym schedule in stone.  I'm not going to make anymore concessions to people who don't want to abide by it.