Saving Face

I had been out sick for the past couple of days, so it was catch up time in the gym.  Sparring began for the eight to 12 year olds in the gym.

One kid took a couple of rough hits.  The second time I checked to see if he was okay, I noticed the kid's eyes were red.  The kid was holding back tears.  I could have said, "Oh, don't cry," and other similar remarks.  However, that's not what that kid needed or wanted to hear from me.  "Do you want to do another round?" I asked, and the kid shook his head.  "The both of you all did good.  We'll go over it again tomorrow," I said, taking the kid's gloves and hand wraps off.

If I had played a mommy role and started soothing him, it's possible I could have embarrassed the kid.  The kid may have made a decision not to come back to the gym.  Instead, he took a permission form to take home to his parents to sign.

What Kind of Coach Is This?

Yes, I have frustrating moments with the kids in the gym.  But I don't want to act like Eric Kelly.
I'm surprised the guys in that gym keep coming back.  This doesn't look like joking around to me.

"Hey Coach!"

One of the guys in the teens' class called out "Hey Coach!"  I think that was the first time any of the youths in the gym have referred to me in that way.  That particular guy wants to be in the Golden Gloves.  Unfortunately, he's got to wait awhile; the guy is only 13, and people have to be at least 16 years old to enter.  But hopefully, with hard work, we'll get there.

The teens (13 to 17 year olds) have been sparring since day one.  I had to make an adjustment in my lesson plans to accommodate their energy.  While they spar, I act as referee and give pointers.  Right now, that seems like an easier way to keep their focus as opposed to just having them line up and practice punches.

I wish the younger kids (8 to 12 year olds) had more focus than most of them do.  For example, there are a few kids there because their parents/guardians forced them to take up the sport.  It shows in how they barely listen to me, the constant distractions they keep up in the gym, and the near-zero interest they have in wanting to learn.  Some kids are just hanging in there because their friends are there.  One 12 year old girl announced to her buddies that she didn't want to learn how to box because she didn't want anyone thinking that she was a man.  I was surprised when she returned to the gym on another day, but she clearly doesn't have much interest in boxing.  She didn't sign up, and I'm going to start clearing out everyone who hasn't.  I'm open to letting youths come in to try it out, but using the gym for a hangout spot every day?:  No, I don't think so.  Especially when I've got a few participants in there who are a little more serious.  I don't need the others who are not signed up in there creating distractions.  There are other activities in the field house they could participate in.

During the teens' class, the boys were doing some fast circuit training, running from bag to bag, and flipping over the lone tire in the gym.  One of them asked me to do it, after another of the boys had stopped in the middle, complaining about being tired.  After I went through it a couple of times, the other boys told the boy who stopped, "She did that better than you!"  Of course, my left knee paid for that later, but I was surprised I could still sprint.

I passed out fliers again at Young, an elementary school not far from the field house.  A lot more enthusiasm was displayed by both the girls and boys for the boxing class than it was among those I passed out flyers to at Lewis.  I still have to go to Hay, another nearby school, to pass out flyers. DePriest, the grade school I attended from the early to mid 1970's, is on my list, too.  It's in the area, but not very close to LaFollette.  I'm still debating whether it would be worth it to pass flyers there.

Today, while visiting one of the churches I've been checking out, I ran into Michael, who's Montrell's brother.  Montrell was the star of Loyola Park's youth boxing program.  Montrell recently competed in a USA Boxing tournament, but Michael hadn't heard if he had won or not.  "You're still competing?" he asked me.  "I would like to, but between my insurance job and the coaching job, I don't have much room to train for fights," I replied.  It got me to thinking -- maybe there could be an "old timers" boxing match for charity.  I need to start thinking about fundraising for the gym anyway.  That could be an idea.

Selling Boxing To The Girls

I found another Cobra bag at the field house.  The base is filled with water.  I pushed it out of the storage room where it was located into the gym area.  Only three youths showed up, and they had fun knocking the bag around.

Yesterday, I received the boxing fliers, so I hurried over to Lewis, the closest grade school to LaFollette Park, to hand them out.  Most of the boys were happy to get the fliers.  A few of them showed up in the gym not long after they got a flier.  The girls were a different story.  One girl's eyes widened in terror.  "Oh, no!  I don't want to box!" she said, as she rushed away.  Another girl said smugly, "I already know how to fight."  "Not in the ring you don't," I told her.

I never liked fighting with girls when I was in grade and high school.  Most every girl fought the same -- wild windmill and round house punches.  Then came the scratching and hair pulling.  I remember some girls taking off their shoes and hitting people with those.  I didn't know how to box back then, but I would wait for an opening then, boom, try to knock them to the ground.  I cut one girl's chin open with my fist back in third grade.  We're currently friends on Facebook.  I don't know if she remembers the fight.  After all, that was 44 years ago.

Looks like I'm going to have a boxing program that is filled predominately with males.  Currently, there are two girls in the 12 and under class, but I wish there were more.  It's tough to get the girls interested.  But I know this -- the females who are involved in boxing and stick with it have an edge to them.  A lot of them are tomboys.  Unfortunately, boxing is a tough sell to "girly" girls and women.  Nothing wrong with being very feminine.  However, it seems that the females who are very feminine don't last long in the gym, if they sign up.

I guess the best way to convince the girls to come in is to talk up the health benefits of the sport while assuring them that they do not have to spar if they don't want to spar.

The Twins and the Football Team

I was hopping at the gym.  Three moms came in to sign up their kids for boxing.  I'm particularly looking forward to coaching three of the kids, two six year old boys and their eight year old sister.  The two boys were very animated, while their sister, the voice of reason, smiled, looked at them and shook her head.  I felt like I was in a comedy show with the two boys, who were proud to show me their various scars.  After they all left, I looked at the sign up form and wondered why their mother listed both of her sons as having the same birthday.  Then it dawned on me that the boys were twins.  But I could tell them apart.  That will be helpful when they come in next week.

The teenagers returned, but not the 15 year old girl who was in the other day.  It was all boys, and all they wanted to do was spar, so I let them.  But at the same time, the football coach brought his team in for conditioning exercises.  It was quite a juggling act, keeping an eye on the teens while giving exercises to the team.  I ran out of exercises after awhile, so I taught them the punches.

Looks like the word has gotten out, and now, I'm getting a rush of kids and teens in.  I still don't have the boxing fliers, but Steve, the supervisor, promised he would pick them up for me tomorrow.  I have to alert the parents that the current times are only for the fall and winter sessions.  By spring, an adult session will probably be added.  Unfortunately, the younger kids time will have to be cut by at least a half-hour when that happens.  But the more I work with those under age 12, the more I realize that an hour is really all they need.

The teens will need the hour and a half, especially since most of them have expressed an interest in getting matches.  A couple of the teens who came in will be 16 years old before the end of the year.  I told them it was a little late to try to get a fight at the park district tournaments, which are happening now.  But then can set their sites on next year's Chicago Golden Gloves.  However, they have to start training for it now.

The adults, even though most of them probably will not compete, are going to need to have an hour and a half.  They are going to want to feel that they've received enough time for whatever fee they will have to pay.

Here Come The Teenagers

In this photo that was taken back in 2008, Barry (in the blue shirt) works with Edward in the ring at Loyola Park.

I think one of the little girls in the boxing class is gone.  Her mother no longer works at the field house, having found another job.  The other girl, an eight year old, showed up, but the two boys, aged eight and ten, did not.  Near the end of the kids' class, three 15 year olds, two boys and a girl, walked into the gym.  They wanted to spar despite not being signed up for the class.  I was glad to see some teenagers, so I obliged them.

Turns out that the teenage girl knew more than the teenage boys.  She knew all of the punches, and while sparring light with one of the boys, she caught him several times.  "I used to take boxing at my school, and I also took boxing at a school I used to go to in Milwaukee," she explained.  I sure hope she comes back to the gym.

The boys then lightly sparred with each other, and quickly found out that boxing is not as easy as it looks.  The eight year old girl kept trying to tell the older boys what to do.  I acted as referee, but the little girl was also in the ring.  Finally, I had to tell her she couldn't be in the ring while others were sparring.  After the boys got tired out, the little girl asked me if she could spar with one of the teenage boys.  "Oh, no," I said, explaining to her that she has to spar with kids her own age.

Alan called me last night.  I took the opportunity to ask him how to keep kids under age 12 focused while they are in the gym.  "Keep them busy with exercises and drills," he said.  I've got to constantly be on the lookout for activities to keep the younger kids interested, especially since I don't have all the equipment I need.  It would also help to have more younger kids in the class.  The boxing fliers are coming soon, so hopefully, that class will become full.

Yay! The Boys Came In

For the past few weeks, I've only had two girls who show up to the eight to twelve year old boxing class on a fairly regular basis.  The girls have a slight interest in boxing, and it's been tough to keep them focused.  "If only I had some boys in here who would show a little more interest than the girls," I kept thinking to myself.

Two answers to my prayers happened.  Earlier this week, I learned that the fliers for the boxing class are finally done.  I received a copy of what they will look like.  The should be in my hands next week so I can distribute them to the schools.  Then two boys, aged ten and aged eight, walked into the gym.

I had been a little tired all afternoon.  I was nodding off on the bus on the way to LaFollette Park.  When no kids had showed up at all, I figured it was going to be a slow time.  I was sitting alone in the gym, ready to nod off again.  Then the two boys came in with their mom, and I perked up immediately.  The boys were in the middle of learning the punches, when one of the girls ran in late.

She has been the only kid in the gym for awhile, and she had become used to doing what she wanted to do, most of which has nothing to do with boxing.  I just rode it out because eventually I knew other kids would show up.  In fact, I had told the girl that more kids were on the way.  The two boys were very interested in learning the basics, while the girl jumped from one thing to another.  Then, after only having been in the gym for about ten minutes, the girl left to go to cheer leading practice.

I went through all the six main punches with the boys, including some pad work.  I also showed them footwork.  We went kind of quickly, but the next time they come in, we will review the punches again.  I also want to start them on learning combinations in the next class. Their mother was concerned about them sparring.  I promised her that would be a few weeks off, and only if her sons wanted to do it.  No sense in me putting kids in the ring too early.

Exercise and More Kids

At last count, I had four kids in the 8-to-12 year old boxing class, but none in the teens' class.  One girl has begun to show up with some consistency, but the other kids haven't been to the class for days.  I think there is some confusion about when the gym is open.  I typed up a brief info sheet for parents to let them know not only the times of the class, but what the kids will need for the gym.

The sheet came in handy when the little girl's father came in to see how she was doing.  It was also helpful when a woman came in with her two sons, one eight years old, and the other 10 years old.  She told me that her sons are also involved in other activities.  Most of the kids who hang around the field house are, not just at the field house but at the schools they attend.  I told the woman that I don't expect the youths to attend every class during the week, but they should attend at least two times a week.  She agreed, and hopefully, her sons will be in the gym tomorrow.

There's a mat in the gym now, so floor exercises like push-ups and crunches can be done.  According to my lesson plan, floor exercises should have been going on for awhile.  I just now started introducing the one student I have to doing warm-up exercises.  I thought that I would be standing off to the side and directing the exercise segments.  The one girl in the class likes when I do the exercises with her.  I hadn't done push ups or crunches in awhile.  It left me sore, and made me realize I need to resume doing those exercises.

Radio Silence

I wasn't happy to find out that the speakers connected to the radio and CD player in the gym were not working.  Looks like I'm going to have to find a cheap boom box to place in there.  I fiddled around with the speakers (both the radio and CD components appeared to be working) but there was no sound. I thought I was the only one who touches the radio down there, but who knows?  All I know that the speakers were fine the other day.

Only one kid showed up, a seven year old girl.  She told me that another girl who had been in the gym previously, like she had, was going to be late.  However, the other girl never showed up.  The seven year old was disinterested in being there initially, but eventually she warmed up to it.  We spent most of the time going over uppercuts, left jabs, and straight rights.

I didn't get my own workout in, even though no teenagers showed up for the second class.  Nor did I work on the lesson plan that the field house manager needs me to turn in to him in a few days.  I have most of it done, but I feel like I'm missing some things.

Instead, I was distracted by the smell of food from a group that had rented out the auditorium.  They were generous enough to allow me and another co-worker to get plates of food.  It was a typical soul food meal.  I skipped the greens, but got a double helping of the dressing, which was delicious.  I hadn't eaten much of a breakfast, so I was starved.  But I figured maybe I'll have a light dinner to make up for overdoing it.

Girls Are Different

The last time I was in the gym, two girls -- a seven year old and an eight year old -- showed up ready for boxing.  Their mothers expressed an interest in their daughters knowing how to defend themselves.  That's not a bad goal.  My mother was always on my younger sister and I (and my youngest brother to an extent) about the importance of knowing how to fight.

However, the boxing lesson didn't go as I planned.  The girls quickly grew disinterested in my attempts to show them how to stand and throw left jabs.  They preferred to play other games, including King Chase The Queen, which I haven't played since I was in grade school (but I remembered the rules of the game).  So our time together alternated between me showing them a little bit of boxing, and them playing schoolyard games. The girls had fun, and I hope they return.  The time spent with them taught me some lessons about youths and boxing, especially where girls are concerned.

The girl in the above video is about five years old.  Her punches aren't a joke, as you will see when you watch her work.  Some girls are going to walk into boxing ready to take on all comers.  But most others may not.  

Even in the 21st century, most little girls are still being sent the message that it is not ladylike to fight (and not to do most other things that girls supposedly shouldn't do).Girls are usually taught early on to be neat and clean, while the boys aren't admonished much for playing rough and getting dirty. Some parents become concerned if their pre-teen and teenage girls seem a bit too tomboyish for their taste.  Most recently, Mo'ne Davis, who was generating a lot of attention for her baseball playing skills in the Little League World Championships was asked by FOX News reporter Eric Bolling why didn't she take up other "female friendly" sports.

Coaches have to consider these issues when coaching little girls and teenage girls.  I'm not saying that a different approach has to be taken in teaching the sport.  Boxing is what it is.  But being aware of how differently society treats females, especially those who want to do something that is considered out of the "norm", is helpful in encouraging to pursue their interest, if they choose to stay with boxing.

The First Student

The photo above is of Sean preparing top raise the hand of the winner of a fight at the 2014 Loyola Park Boxing Explosion Show yesterday.

I was hanging out in the gym at LaFollette, putting more pictures up on the bulletin board.  A man came in with his son.  My first student!  Both his father and I spent time patiently showing the kid how to stand and throw left jabs.  They didn't stay but for about 20 minutes or so.  But they promised to return.  The dad is a former Marine who had done boxing and martial arts.  "I want my son to get into the sport, but I don't think I can teach him well," the dad said.  The dad is also interested in volunteering in the gym, and I welcome the help.

This is the first bulletin board I put together.

This is the second bulletin board.

A co-worker, Dwayne, gave me a good list of schools near the gym.  I can't wait to get the boxing flyers so I can distribute them.  A couple of the schools on the list were two that I attended when I was a kid.

I learned that Columbus Park used to have a boxing program.  I lived down the street from that park when I was a kid: I don't remember there being boxing there then.  It must have taken place later on.  From what I remember of the field house, Columbus has enough room to have a boxing program.

Humboldt Park is the closest one to LaFollette that has a boxing program.  I look forward to bringing fighters to their boxing show next year, as well as to Hamlin, Loyola, Seward, and any of the other parks that have boxing to where I can get the fighters.

Reunion at Loyola Park

I helped out at Loyola Park's annual boxing show.  I had been in the "war room" during previous shows before, but it was different being there as a coach.  I walked in the room, and Tommy introduced me as the new coach at LaFollette.  There were surprised looks all around with the exception of Alan, Barry, and Bill, who said, "I knew you would make it."

Kitchens, who I hadn't seen in a long time, was there, along with Sean.  Kitchens was on a cane.  "I just do the Park District shows now.  I don't go to the Golden Gloves or the pro shows anymore.  I don't take pictures at the shows, either," he told me.  He and Sean have known each other for over 50 years.  I told Kitchens I saw a photo of him when he had won a championship back in the early 1960's.  The photo was in a book that Sean wrote about Chicago boxing.

The coaches on hand were Pat, who is at Brooks Park; Sims, who is at Bessemer; Tommy, who is not only the head of the boxing program for the parks, but also coaches at Portage Park; Ernie, who is the coach at Fuller; and Johnny, who helps Bill out at Hamlin.  I learned from them that Clarendon Park, where Alan used to coach at was once the jewel of the Park District boxing program.

This is a photo of a couple of Barry's boys before the show started.  The boy in the back near the ring is Gus.  I didn't recognize him at first.  Gus has got to be about seventeen years old now, and Gus has muscle.

Gene, who is Anthony's dad, was there.  Haven't seen Anthony in a long, long time.  I think he's training at another park.

Meg was there, and I'm so sorry that she and Geniece did not get to fight.  Alan was disappointed as well.  They were ready to go, but Bill was concerned about the weight difference between the two women.  There was talk of them perhaps doing an exhibition match, but that idea was nixed, too.  I have no doubt their fight would have been the highlight of the evening.  Hopefully, there will be a next time.

Meg wants to really advocate the idea of more girls in boxing, and so do I.  We talked about maybe having a girls' boxing day at some point, perhaps at LaFollette.  As soon as I get an idea of how many youths I will have, I would love to help make that happen.  I still don't have any youths yet, even though the fall session has started.  Bill gave me some encouragement.  "When I started at Hamlin, I spent three months there drinking coffee in the kitchen because I had no fighters.  But don't worry, the kids will eventually show up," he said.  Adrian, who was the DJ at the boxing show, told me it will take some time to build up the program as well.  I'm ready to work with the kids, so I will continue to do more promoting to get them in the gym.

Collette, who is part of the famous O'Shea family of boxing, was at the show.  She was very pleased to hear that I was a coach.  "We've got to make some strides," she said.  She is willing to send some kids over my way as she comes across them.

Tommy (in the red shirt) talks with Ernie in this photo.  Tommy was busy weighing boxers in and making the matches.  During the show, Tommy had to be in the corner with his fighters, so I was the timekeeper.  That was the first time I had done that; I'm always happy to pick up a new skill.

Pat sits in the background, Johnny stands behind Bill, and Bill talks to Ben, one of Hamlin's fighters.  Ben won his match.

I had to keep my eye on the stopwatch, so I didn't catch very many details of each fight.  John fought with Gus in an exhibition match.  Gus didn't seem to be throwing heavy punches, from what I could tell.

Justin fought with a guy who came out of the corner throwing wild punches.  Justin kept getting smothered, and lost the match.

Barry warmed up Jeremiah before his fight.  Jeremiah won a clear victory.

This was the fight announcer, who was cool on the mic.  He mentioned JJ's upcoming fight in Brooklyn, New York.  The announcer said JJ was an alumni of Loyola Park.

Keith, Alan, and John have a conversation after the show.  John invited Keith and I over to his and his wife Jinn's apartment afterwards.  "We miss you at the gym, Hillari.  It's not the same without you there," he told me.  It's nice to be missed.  I miss all of them, too.  When the program is up and running, John, Keith, Colonel (who was at the show videotaping the matches), want to come up to LaFollette and check it out.

Coaching This Week

There are posters in the gym that were up on the walls long before I was hired as a coach.  However, I needed to add some more pictures to the available bulletin boards.  I used to keep my old copies of The Ring magazine, but one of the last times I did a cleaning purge, I threw most of them out.  A few of the ones I kept as collectors' items I did not cut up.  But I did cut up the most recent copies I had for the gym's bulletin boards.  The Ring does feature stories about female fighters these days, but I was a bit miffed that I didn't have enough photos of female fighters to post.  One of my goals is to attract a number of girls to take up boxing.  It would be nice if they could see plenty of pictures of other women in the sport.  I still have to look among my stuff to see if I have any more boxing pictures.

I found out that I have to turn in a lesson plan.  I've been working on that for the last month.  The goal is to get across that conditioning is just as important as knowing how to throw punches.  I want to cut down on the "all I have to do is spar" thinking that I've witnessed out of people in other gyms.  In fact, I'm only allowing sparring to happen once a week, and that aspect of the training will not begin until next month.

I have a handout for parents which is on the staff computer at the field house.  It explains what amateur boxing is and what it isn't.  Most of the parents who have expressed a desire for their kids to be in the class are okay with their kids being in the sport.  The handout is more for parents who may uneasy with their kids wanting to box.

There's still not much equipment on hand for the kids who will start in the gym this week; more will come in eventually.  Luckily, boxing is not one of those sports that require a lot of equipment to get started.  There will be a big emphasis on shadow boxing and floor exercises for awhile.

I keep thinking about how I want the kids to address me.  "Coach" or my first name (or a combination) will be fine.  But I rather not be known as "Miss Hillari".  Makes me sound like some old schoolmarm in the Old West. I didn't mind when kids at the church where I used to attend called me that, but it doesn't sound right for the gym.

Speaking of church, I did try out a new one today.  If you've been following this blog for awhile, you know some of the difficulties I had at the church where I used to be a member (and from what I keep hearing, not much has changed).  It's been a little over a year since I attended regular services.  Afterwards, I had coffee with other newcomers to the church, a church member, and the pastor and his wife.  People were asked what they did for a living.  Everyone went wide-eyed when I told them I coach boxing.  "We would have never guessed that!" people said.

Thoughts About Being A Boxing Coach

Now that I'm the person running a gym as opposed to being a patron and volunteer, it has occurred to me that coaches need support as much as fighters do.  These are my opinions.  Feel free to comment and add other tips. 

1.  Hang out with other coaches.  I still call on Alan at Loyola Park, and keep in contact with Steve, who was the coach there before him.  I'm friendly with several Chicago Park District boxing coaches (Bill, Jack, George, Rodney, etc.), and I know a professional boxing coach (Fernando).  They can offer advice on how to handle different situations, share training techniques, as well as be sympathetic sounding boards when people need to vent. 

2.  Don't forget about others in the fight game.  Promoters, referees, fight doctors, timekeepers, managers, etc.  They are also good sources for advice and information.

3. Family and friends.  I've chronicled my late parents, my stepmother, my late younger sister, and some of my friends' negative reactions to me being involved in boxing.  But I have some cheerleaders.  Always be appreciative of whatever support is gained from this group and let them know what's going on.

4.  Books and DVD.  In an recent post, I mentioned that I've been reviewing some boxing books in my library to get ideas about how to help the fighters I'll be training.  There are also helpful DVDs available about boxing, in addition to other connected subjects such as strength training and nutrition.

5.  Prayer and meditation.  Don't laugh; it works.  Some days in the gym can be tough, and some people's personalities can be trying.  Pray, read your religious texts (Bible, Torah, Koran, I-Ching, etc.), meditate 15 to 20 minutes a day, take deep breaths, chant, count to ten, whatever it takes to remain centered and keep cool. 

6.  Exercise.  I remember Steve telling me that it's hard for a coach to get a workout in because they are helping others.  This is true.  If possible, get a workout in before anyone else gets to the gym.  If there is time at the end, do a workout then.  Otherwise, plan another time, but don't neglect the workout.  I think it's very helpful for a boxing coach to stay fresh on their skills because it helps when training others how to fight. 

7.  Be helpful to co-workers.  This is especially applicable if a boxing coach is an employee in a municipal park district (like me), or employed by a health club franchise.  Just the other day, a kid came up to the front desk and said the basketball gym floor was wet.  I could have just reported it to the attendants, but they were busy doing other tasks.  Instead, I went and got a mop.  I've learned a long time ago that always having a "that's not my job" attitude doesn't fly in any type of workplace.  The benefits of having a team attitude is that one needs help, it will be reciprocated. 

8.  Work in cooperation with parents.  The pastor of the church I used to attend didn't think that it was important to partner with parents in helping to make the youth ministry successful.   I never understood the pastor's line of thinking.  In my opinion, the youth ministry was not successful partially because of that.  If a boxing coach is training youths, they have to have good communication with the youths' parents and guardians and encourage them to be involved.  Parents should not be shut out of the process. 

Referring To The Boxing Library

There will not be an adult boxing program at LaFollette Park at this time.  The gym will be open for kids and teens beginning September 16th.  I was told that an adult class will be added later on. That changes my lesson plan a little, but the adjustments aren't major.

I might have a volunteer to help in the gym soon.  A young man introduced himself to me the other day and explained that he was eager to work with the kids.  The young man had fought in the Golden Gloves.  The field house supervisor printed out a volunteer form for him.  "It might take a couple of weeks or more to approve, but turn it in as soon as you can," I told him.

In the meantime, I've been talking to the kids who hang around the field house and the park about the upcoming boxing class.  All I have to do is walk around with my battered bag gloves and my hands wraps on, and the kids start asking questions.  Turns out that quite a few kids are interested.  But a lot of kids have a lot of other after-school activities going on, too.  I'll have flyers soon so I can do more recruiting.

The second group of people I need to reach out to are the kids' parents and guardians.   I already know that some parents/guardians -- regardless of how much interest their kids show -- are not going to be too keen about giving permission to the kids to box.  The very nature of boxing as a tough, rough sport means that I have to assure parents and guardians that their kids will be safe and looked after.

The boys are interested, but I'd like to see girls sign up as well.  Seldom would I see any girls under age 12 in the boxing classes at other park district gyms.  Not many teenage girls were in the boxing classes, either. Even if they never spar and/or compete (and this goes for the boys, too), I'd like to show the girls that boxing is a good workout.

I had to go through my storage bins to find my boxing books.  I don't know why I packed most of them away, but they are back in my bookcases.  I'm going to be re-reading most of them so I can get more ideas to use with the youths.

A Friend From School

I was hanging around in the front hallway, talking to Pam, Myiesha, Rog, and other staff members.  Two kids walked past on their way to the pool.  Myiesha asked them where were their parents.  It was family swim, and the rules state that a parent has to be in the pool with their kids.  The kids explained that their mother was outside.  "You two look familiar," I said to the kids.  I asked the boy what his name was.  "I'm Nathanial, and this is my twin sister, Nia," he said.  "Your mother's name is Kim, right?"  I asked.  The kids answered in the affirmative, the looks on their faces wondering how did I know that.  "I went to grade school and high school with your mom," I said.

I followed the twins outside to their mom's car.  I heard Nia say, "Hillari is here!"  Kim stepped out of her car and gave me a big hug.  Her kids are training for a sports event, and they needed to practice in the pool. The photo above is a selfie taken with Nia's cell phone.  I was so glad to finally meet Kim's children.  She brags on them all the time for good reason.  Also, Kim is a very involved parent.  She goes out of her way to make sure that her kids have various experiences, and she is their biggest cheerleader.

Earlier, I did a workout in the gym.  Myiesha, Rog, and ReRe watched as I alternated between hitting a heavy bag and an uppercut bag.  It was so hot in the room, so I only did four three-minute rounds.  I need to get what workouts I can in now because once the fall session starts, I won't be able to do many of them.

I was walking through the halls with my hands wrapped, carrying my old bag gloves.  Three youths saw me, and they were surprised that I was the new boxing coach.  One boy said,  "Seriously?"  The second boy said, "But we don't want to hurt you!"  The third boy, who was older than the other two said, "Come on, man.  She's not going to be sparring with us!  She's the coach!"  I try to be seen with gloves as much as I can.  It's a way to help promote the program and drum up interest.  Soon, I will be creating a flyer to hand out to kids and adults.  

Planning Day

The photo above is of LaFollette Park's boxing gym.  There are pieces of the ring in a nearby storage room.  The two bulletin boards in the gym aren't visible in this shot, but I worked on them today.  I took down the old paper and pictures.  I'll copy some material out of the boxing books and magazines I have at home to decorate the bulletin boards.

These are speakers; the sound system is behind them in the boxing gym's storage room.  I suspect I'll be listening to the usual hip-hop stations when the gym is open, just like when I was at Loyola Park.  There were CDs around, but I didn't look at them too closely.

This is the boxing gym storage area.

These are hand weights in the storage area.

There's a small refrigerator in the storage area.  A couple of containers of water are inside, along with three jars of petroleum jelly.  I'm glad there's a 'fridge; I can store snacks there plus extra water bottles.

This is the football field in the back of the field house, which also doubles as a soccer field.  I met James, who is the youth football coach.  He told me that his players who also did boxing workouts in the past were in great shape.  James proposed having the football players coming in to train in the boxing gym in order to improve their game.  Sounds like a good plan to me.

I wrote out my own plan for when the fall session begins in September.  It's similar to a poster hanging in Loyola Park that has a workout plan on it.  Right now, sparring will be twice a week, but it won't begin until the third or fourth week, depending on the experience, skill, and readiness of the participants.

Day One At La Follette

I met most of the staff at LaFollette Park today.  Steve is the field house supervisor, and he's been there for 13 years.  We talked about ideas on how to promote the boxing class, which doesn't begin until mid-September.  I had suggested giving a flyer to the principals of the closest grade and high schools.  "In all my years here, I learned that if a flyer doesn't go into the hands of the parents, most likely they won't know about what's going on," Steve explained.  That makes sense, so we have to figure out other ways to get the word out.  He gave me my time sheets, and I received a key to the boxing gym.

The equipment room, which is just off the boxing gym, didn't have much.  There were plenty of hand weights, which is a plus.  But there were only three gloves, and two of those didn't match.  A few groin protectors were on hand, but I'm going to need a couple specifically for any girls and women who might sign up for the class.  Two heavy bags that were not hung up were in the equipment room, too, along with a radio and CD player.  Steve told me not to worry about the equipment because he was going to order what was needed. Sherice, another staff member, ordered a catalog from Title for me.

I was assigned a locker in a room off of the swimming pool and inside running track area.  It looks as if it also doubles as a break room for the staff.  When the fall session begins, I'll just keep my gear in there so I don't have to carry it back and forth.  Probably my hand wraps will get the most usage from here on in.  I won't be sparring with kids or teenagers, nor do I see myself sparring much with the adults.

There wasn't much for me to do because the program hasn't begun yet, so I spent time figuring out what else needs to be done with the space.  Steve told me I could decorate, and the first thing I want to do is to update the two bulletin boards in the room.  Some of the information that is already up about nutrition I want to keep.  I need to dig around at home to see if I have any more boxing posters.  I had a lot when I was working at Children's Home and Aid several years ago; the pictures were up on the walls in my office, but I don't know what I've done with them.  Steve also told me the boxing gym was going to be painted soon.

The park outside the field house is bigger than I thought.  There's a track in the back.  Steve runs a walking club in the afternoon, so I joined him and several other people in going around the track.  I needed that exercise.  There's also a water park on the property.

Back inside the field house, I discovered a basketball gym and an auditorium.  A seniors' group in the auditorium was learning a line dance.  There's also an equipment room with some football equipment -- Steve coaches the boys' football team at the park.  A girls' flag football team is being formed as well.

Myisha, another staff member, has the most adorable baby girl who is named Joy.  I had my camera with me, but I didn't think to keep it with me to take pictures.  I sure would have gotten a few photos of Joy. She's four months old with big brown eyes and a very happy disposition.

I'll have to go to an employee orientation next week.  From what I know of working for the park from Alan, Jilberto, Mary, Louis and others at Loyola Park, I may already know most of what will be talked about in the orientation.

Sparring Last At Loyola

Looks like Justin will have another fight, this time at Seward Park.  Alan's going to try to get Geniece a fight there, too.  If I can make it over there to see that boxing show, I'll go.  Depends on what my schedule will be out at La Follette, where I start tomorrow.  I have to go in early to meet with Dave, the field house supervisor, to work things out.

It was kind of quiet in the gym in the beginning.  Octavio and I were the only ones in the gym until John came in.  Eventually others trickled in.  Josh came in to work out, probably for the last time due to the fact Josh is going to start law school soon.

John and Keith trade jabs in this photo.

John and Procoro (I kept referring to Procoro as Juan -- my bad) face off in the ring.

John gives tips to Geniece while they spar.

Alan put me in with Geniece.  I sure hope she gets a fight at Seward Park.  I feel sorry for the other person who steps in the ring with her.  Geniece's punches are no joke.

I also sparred with Octavio.  I wasn't hitting him hard, but he got me in the ribs with a right.  Then, I was stunned by a jab to my mouth.  Octavio's confidence is growing by the day.

Diana and I pose at ringside in this shot.  She had sparred with John earlier.  Everybody kept telling me it's going to be very different without me being at Loyola.  I'm going to have just as much of an adjustment getting used to La Follette.  Glad that I was around Alan and Steve before him; I'm going to be using what I learned from them at the new gym.

John and I hug after our sparring session, which was the last one of the evening.

I'll probably not have La Follette Gym open during breaks, so I'll be visiting Loyola Park to see people and work out during those times.  Gotta keep up with my original home base!

Long and Short of Sparring

Justin did have a fight at Sheridan Park last week, but Justin didn't win.  "My girl said I won, Alan said I did good, even the referee thought I won.  So what does that tell you?" he told me while we waited for Alan to get to the gym.  When Alan got there, we all learned that the guy Justin faced was several pounds heavier. Justin said he was going to train harder because he wants a rematch.

Ken sparred with Justin, and had his hands down too much.  Then Nick sparred with Justin and kept putting his head down whenever Justin came in with a barrage of punches.  Alan was shaking his head a lot as he watched the action.  Most of the instructions were given to Nick and Ken as to how to deal with Justin's punches.  Nick caught a hard jab, and Ken caught a hard right.

Jesus and Juan sparred, but briefly.  Juan got tired easily after pressure was put on him.

Diana and Melinda had a short sparring session, too.  Melinda caught a jab in the middle of her face, and she returned fire with a heavy right.  It rocked Diana, and she had to stop and gather herself.  Diana wondered why the hit was so hard.  Melinda explained that she just returned the force that she had been given.  No malice intended.  Melinda and I explained that happens a lot -- both parties go light until someone decides to hit hard, then it's on.

Melinda also sparred with Jesus, who was very good at slipping and dodging her incoming punches.  I kept telling her to get close enough to land some punches.

Octavio sparred with Jesus, and Octavio is steadily improving.  Alan can never get Octavio's name right.  "Octavia!" Alan kept saying.  When I corrected him, Alan said, "You know I'm not good with names.  I can't even remember my name sometimes!"