A Tale of Teen Siblings

The photo above is of the new ring that was installed inside LaFollette Park's boxing gym.  Te'Ria asked me, "Where are the steps?"  "It is off of the floor.  Besides, the ceiling is too low for the ring to be too high," I pointed out.  The ropes have been stretched very tight, so I usually just roll into the ring under the bottom rope when I have to get inside.

Shanita and Julius showed up an entire full hour before their class started.  Luckily for them, none of the younger kids showed up for their class time.  The siblings were able to get in two hours and a half of a workout.  As usual, Shanita was the one pumped up to learn, while her brother had to constantly be told to show some more motivation.  There used to be a soap opera parody on TV back in the 1970's called "All That Glitters".  It imagined what the world would look like if women were the shot-callers and men were considered second class citizens because of their gender.  Every time both Shanita and I get on Julius about being focused and training correctly, I feel like I'm in an episode of that show.

You see, Shanita is very much a tomboy, while her brother is the more mild-mannered type.  She is very athletic, a wiry teenager with a lot of energy.  Julius is not fat, but her brother is a little husky.  Julius doesn't give the impression of being very athletic or even rough-and-tumble like some teenage boys act.  However, he does seem to be getting the hang of things better.  During sparring, he caught Shanita in her head and face more than a few times.  For whatever reason, Shanita has been dropping her hands and hanging against the ropes for much of the rounds.  When the 30 second bell rings, then she wants to do some damage.  Julius can't often answer her punches when she puts the pressure on.

I've been having those two hold the punch mitts for each other.  It's impressive to see how fast Shanita picked up on holding the mitts correctly.  Julius needs a little more practice.  When his sister starts throwing heavy punches, Julius is usually not prepared to catch them and do a little push back.   Shanita was admonished by Julius for hitting the mitts too hard.  Then her brother complained to me about "my arms are hurting".  "You've got to be ready for when those punches come in, Julius," I said.

Before the siblings came in, I did about twenty minutes of exercise.  I'm determined to make that a new habit of exercising at least that much time four to five days out of the week.  The medicine I've been taking for my arthritic knees appears to be working, so I'm able to move better.  Plus, I have to be in somewhat decent shape to keep up with the youths, as well as the adults who will be using the gym soon.  Shanita suggested that I spar with her and Julius at some point.  I have to think about it.  But if I do decide to do that, I want to have some stamina.

Good News and Bad News Scenarios

Good news:  The eight-to-twelve year olds' summer boxing class is full.
Bad news:  I've got to tighten up most of those kids quickly for July's boxing show.  The only familiar name I recognize on the attendance list is Kishaun's.

Good news:  The summer teen boxing class has a few more kids.
Bad news:  While Shanita has said she doesn't want to miss any more days of training, her brother Julius still needs some more self-motivation.  The new kids who signed up will have to also be brought up to speed if they are going to compete in the boxing show.

Good news:  I've got a new boxing ring.
Bad news:  It's not bolted to the floor, and it appears some pieces needed to fully complete the installation may not be on hand.

Steve, my boss, is going to set the schedule for the fall session (it has to be done early).  I told him the new hours that have been set for summer will continue on permanently.  He's thinking about setting a fee for the teen boxing class for fall. Early on, I wasn't too sure about doing that.  In light of the fact that I have teens signing up then seldom showing up for class, charging for it no longer seems like a bad idea.  People tend to take things a little more seriously about something if they have to pay for it.

Scholarships and An Empty Boxing Gym

I received an email from Tommy, the head of the park district's boxing program.  He told me not to worry about the upcoming boxing show in July because it will be just fine.  But as of right now, I don't have ten youths in order to make ten fights.

There's simply too many other things going on at the field house, and at the schools the youths attend for them to focus solely on boxing.  I've been told that the youths have been encouraged to participate in every sport available.  The main reasoning is that the youths may qualify for sports scholarships when it comes time to go to college.  But let's get real.  I'm betting most of us know people who were good athletes in high school and/or in college.  Did they get sports scholarships?  No, not most of them.  They had to find another way to pay for school.  Even if they did receive a scholarship, it might have only been a partial one.  Did most of them go on to be professional athletes?  No.  In my opinion, youths, particularly our youths of color, need to stop being fed that being a sports star is the only way to success in life.

There are very few boxing scholarships available.  Very few colleges offer boxing programs.  I'm going to tell a kid to go for a scholarship that they have to use their brain to get, not their physicality.  I'm not going to encourage them to take up another sport just to get a scholarship that may not materialize.  I'm not going to tell them to take up another sport, period, because I'd rather not spend most of my work hours sitting in an empty boxing gym.

Tardy Program

Sanita came in the gym yesterday.  "Am I on time?" she asked.  She was, but Sanita had already missed too many days, and had been tardy on other days too much for my taste.  Her brother Julius was a no-show again.  None of the other teens showed up so she could not get any sparring in.  Janay would have been good for Sanita to work with, but she was AWOL along with the registration form I gave her two weeks ago.

Indeed, none of the other youths had come in during the week either.  I keep thinking how embarrassing the situation will be if none of them are available for the boxing show in July.  Visions often appear regarding youths not signing up in time for the summer session (the boxing show will take place during that time).  In addition to the usual lack of seriousness about training, I can see none of the youths winning trophies.  LaFollette Park could end up with a reputation of having boxers who are easy to walk over.  I'd like to avoid that scenario.

Kentrell -- I finally remembered his name -- had the nerve to tell me once again that he planned to come to the gym.  I repeated again that Kentrell was not signed up for the program.  Annoying, irritating Kentrell has zero interest in boxing, but 100% interest in goofing around in the gym.  I don't want the boy around me.

Luis, who is a nice kid, but another who has little interest in the sport, stopped in the gym briefly.  He wants to sign up again, but is not sure when.  I guess I'll be waiting to see if he does or not.

I don't know why I'm so tired on Sundays, since I do so little at work during the week.  Perhaps it's mental fatigue, due to worrying if the boxing program will ever amount to anything. 

Glasses and Grazing

Janay came in, but she didn't have her form for the Spring session.  I talked to her dad and assured him that she could continue in the class.  But I gave her another permission form to take home so her dad could sign her up for the Summer session which is coming up soon.  

During our time on the punch mitts, some of Janay's punches missed.  My glasses took a hit, and my stomach was grazed a few times.  She hadn't put full power behind those punches, but if she had, my glasses would have been broken, and I would have been doubled over by the body shots.  I told a neighbor of hers who accompanied Janay to the gym:  "She naturally has heavy hands.  It's just a matter of fine tuning her skills."

It had been another long, slow week of very low attendance in the gym.  Shanita had stopped by to say that she had caught the flu.  "I'll be in next week," she said, and I advised her to get some rest.  Her brother, Julius, was not with her, so I assume he'll return to the gym when she does.

One of the younger kids whose name I can't remember. . . ..Kendrick, Kenate, something like that. . . .ran up to me talking about, "I want to be a boxer!"  Just like Terrance, Terrianna, Te'Ria, LaTony, and Kharisma, that kid had been a major problem in the class when he was in there.  "You have to sign up," I said, without missing a beat.  "I am signed up!" the kid replied, and there lies another problem.  Coach James runs football, basketball, and baseball, all seasonal sports.  Kids in those sports just go from one to the other.  It's just a matter of James switching them from one attendance list to the next as one sports season ends and another begins.  He encourages the kids to participate in every sport available at the park.

However, my program doesn't run like that.  Participants have to sign up every ten weeks.  Too many of the kids, and some of the parents, think they only have to sign up once, and they're done.  I'm glad that it is NOT like that because of the real possibility of constantly being stuck with several kids who don't really want to box and/or are in the program for all the wrong reasons.  This way, I get a few new kids every two and a half months with the hope of getting some who will not be dividing their time between boxing and some other sport or activity.

I told the kid he had to sign up again.  "Oh, I do?" he said, before sprinting back outside into the park.  The kid had a basketball in his hand.  If the kid really wanted to come back to the class, he and his parents/guardians would have made more of an effort to make that happen.  Unfortunately, that's not the only kid who keeps talking about boxing but never making a commitment.

What Hurts An Amateur Boxing Program

What issues can impede or stop an amateur boxing program in its tracks?  I came up with a few.

1.  Lack of parental support/involvement

2.  Kids and teens with discipline problems

3.  Adults with "diva" and entitlement attitudes

4.  Difficulty in getting equipment and other resources for the gym

5.  Participants attempting to train for boxing and another sport at the same time

6.  Participants who are trying to balance boxing training with several activities they are involved with at the same time

7.  Lack of communication between parents and the boxing coach

8.  Lack of support, concern, etc., from management for the program

9.  Lack of organizational and management skills on the coach's part

10.  Lack of promotion/advertising of the program

Can you think of any others?

When The Sun Comes Out, The Gym Empties

I've come to the end of another rough week.  I recently learned that Jack, a dear man who was a former member of the church I used to attend, has passed on. Closer to home, doctors have stated they can do no more for my step mom.  She's on life support at the moment.

As for the gym, the weather has played a part in low attendance.  Yesterday, the temperatures were in the 80s, and they are expected to be the same today.  Only Sanita and her brother Julius have been showing up regularly.  Between the two, Sanita is the more athletic and aggressive person.  She gets on her brother for not training hard enough.  "Julius thinks boxing is just boxing, but doesn't realize there's a workout part to it," she told me.  Y'all don't know how happy I was to hear that one kid in the gym understands that.

Star came in once during this week, and she told me she'll be missing some days due to a family vacation.  I remain mystified at Kishawn and Kemarion's absences since their dads were so hyped up about getting their boys trained in the sweet science.  I have a couple of kids who signed up, but have yet to show their faces in the gym.  Angelique appears to have dropped out completely.  Kody shows up on and off.  Just like Terrance, Kody appears to love the idea of fighting, but is not disciplined enough to put the work in.

Mike, a fitness instructor at the park, told me that I'll probably see better and consistent attendance in the adult boxing class when it begins next month.  When people have to pay for something, they tend to make an effort to be present.

I was told that a guy dressed in red was looking for me yesterday.  "I was downstairs the whole time," I said, wondering why the man wasn't directed to see me.  The guy expressed surprise when told that the boxing coach is a woman.  "For real?  This I got to see!" the man said.  I don't know if I'm in the mood to see someone who is surprised by that, but I am curious.

Difficult Recent Days

The past several days haven't been so pleasant.  Let me first get my thoughts out about the Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Manny Pacquiao "Fight of the Century".  Pacquiao seemed to take too long to feel Mayweather out.  By the time some fire was shown, four to five rounds had gone by, and Mayweather had won all of them.  But then Mayweather was doing his usual running and bouncing around the ring, with a heavy dose of clinching and holding Pacquiao's head down.

Jose, a guy in the group I was watching the fight with, correctly noted that since Pacquiao wasn't ahead on the cards by the end of the eighth round, that Mayweather would win.  I still believe that Mayweather can be taken down, but since Pacquiao wasn't able to get the job done, who can?  It wasn't a bad fight per se, nor a boring one, but it did not live up to all of the hype.

I attempted to pay another visit to my stepmother, who is in the hospital.  She's not doing very well at all; she's unresponsive after having taken a fall in her home several days ago.  Good thing I was able to see her last week, because I wasn't allowed to see her today.  One of her sisters decided that only my stepmom's immediate family should be allowed to visit.  However, they all live out of state, and I'm here.  I understand their concern, but I live close enough to check on her, communicate with the doctors, and rely news back to her relatives. I was in no mood to debate the issue, so I let it go for the time being.

Then I ran into a friend from the church where I used to be a member.  She told me another good friend of ours from that church passed away from heart failure several days ago.  I'm sorry I missed his funeral.

My left knee is better, enough that I can move around in the gym.  But still, the majority of the kids have went AWOL.  I did get two new teens, Shanita, and her quiet brother, Julius.  Between the two, Shanita is the more aggressive.  She told me she wants to be a professional boxer.  They both came in on Saturday, and it was a good session.  But the rest of the time, I sat around, twiddling my thumbs.  I'd rather not have to deal with a mostly empty gym for the rest of the spring and throughout the summer.  Right now, however, the situation is not looking up.

Hard-Headed Kids

It was several days ago when Daniya and I were once again, the only two in the gym.  Terrianna, who is no longer in the class, rolled into the gym.  She attempted to interrupt a conversation between Daniya and I.  When I would not engage her, Terrianna left the gym.

Another time Terrianna came in, no one had shown up for the teen class.  I had to get something out of the storage room.  Terrianna followed me, and I knew she had the idea of going in the storage room.  It's not like she hadn't seen the room or its contents before.  She stood there, waiting for me to invite her in.  But I had no time for her to go inside and starting playing around with the equipment.  I quickly got what I needed, and locked the door before she could get a foot inside.  I went and sat down back in the gym, waiting for whomever might show up.  Terrianna started in with her usual barrage of questions, most of which she has asked before and received the answers.  I showed a major disinterest in having a conversation.  It took a long while for her to get the hint before she finally left.

Later that day, Earl, one of the fitness instructors, asked could he bring his class in to cool down.  Since none of the teens had shown up for boxing, I told him he could.  Terrianna was walking right with Earl's class, and giving me looks as she circled the gym.  Let me explain that Earl's fitness class is for adults only.  Terrianna probably figured walking in with them would give her a legitimate reason to be in the gym.

My late parents would refer to Terrianna as being a hard-headed child.  She knows she's not supposed to be in the gym because she no longer has her mother's permission to be in the program.  Her brother Terrance and her sister Te'Ria are in the same position, and they keep showing up, too.  But there's a big defiance behind Terrianna's behavior that irritates me the most.  When she's in the gym, she's always looking for attention.  The more focused I am on working with the kids who are actually signed up for the program, the more it seems she doubles her efforts to distract me.

"Wow, Hillari, why the attitude?  The kid's not really doing anything that bad," some of you might be saying.  Terrianna spent a couple of sessions in the program and she basically did nothing.  I quickly grew tired of getting her to focus on training.  I spent too much time snapping at her to stop acting up.  Terrianna has an annoying habit of touching things that don't belong to her, like my lunch, and the attendance book, for example.  No matter how many times I point out how rude it is to put her hands on something that she was NOT given permission to touch, she does it anyway.  She clearly has no interest in boxing, yet she wants to keep playing in the gym.  It's not a playground. There is one in the back of the field house, and she needs to go there when she wants to play.  Or better yet, she needs to find another activity to get involved in; the field house has plenty.

Limping Around The Gym

My left knee hurt so bad yesterday that I took off work.  Ever so often, my arthritis flares up.  My knee was swollen and extremely tender.  It wasn't any better today, but I limped into the gym.

Two new kids signed up for the teen class.  One kid's mom explained, "My son is more of a homebody.  My son is not a street kid."  Her son has been experiencing some bullying, and he'll be going to high school in the fall.  She wants her son to be able to stand up to anyone who approaches him in the wrong way.

I was waiting on the second kid, Jeremiah, to tell me he was 17 years old.  "I'm twelve," Jeremiah said.  The kid is over six feet tall.  I asked him his age a couple of times because I couldn't believe it.  What are people feeding these kids today?

I was in the middle of closing up when Coach James told me that two guys in his baseball program -- a couple of cousins -- wanted to spar with each other.  One cousin had been bragging about being able to knock the other one out.  One of the cousins was Anthony, who is signed up for boxing, but, you guessed it, too busy playing ball to train in the gym.  Anthony was dead tired after only one two-minute round.  Neither boy was throwing decent punches, and a few times, both fell out of the ring and out of their shoes.  Lucky for them, the ring is on the floor and not up off of the ground.

Daniya was the only person who showed up to the 8-to-12 year olds' class.  Her sister had gymnastics class to attend.  "I saw Angelique upstairs," Daniya told me.  Angelique had promised to return to the gym on a regular basis, but she hasn't done so yet.  She didn't come in today.  Daniya needs someone to work with, especially where sparring is concerned.  I'm worried about her not being able to get enough sparring time, and also if I'll be able to find someone for her to fight with at our boxing show in July.

I limped home after work.  A guy saw me struggling to get up the street.  "Are you okay?" he asked.  "I'll be fine.  I have arthritis in my knees," I answered.  A couple of night ago, a young man helped me get down the 'L platform by offering his arm to me.   I appreciated the help, but it just further pointed out that I seem to have turned into a little old lady.

First Names Only

Once again, just like when I first writing this blog over a decade ago, I find myself running out of nicknames to describe the people in and out of the gym.  So from here on in, I'm using first names.  But I won't be posting very many pictures of the youths.  Now I'm a coach, I don't really have time to snap photos like I used to do.  There's a lot going on in the gym on most days.

Shaniya and Danyai sparred, but Shaniya was not into it at all.  She let her older sister get in a lot of hits.  She seldom threw back any punches at all, despite of me encouraging her to do so.  After a couple of rounds, I pulled Shaniya out and put Star in.  Star took a hit to her nose and started crying.  "I'm alright," she sniffed in the corner before going off to the washroom.  Later, she told me her nose was bleeding.  "Why didn't you tell me?  I've got a little first aid kit in the storage room!" I said.

Late in the class, Kody, Kyle, DeShaun, Keywon, and Jacquez showed up.  Of those five boys, Kody is the most serious about the sport.  Unfortunately, Kody only displays that seriousness when the other boys don't show up.  It wasn't long before gloves and hand wraps were being thrown around, the ropes around the ring were being leaned on, and the boys were wrestling instead of boxing.  "Why don't you all watch some boxing matches instead of watching WWE and UFC?  None of the moves in professional wrestling nor mixed martial arts can be done in boxing," I pointed out.  Kyle said, "I watched a boxing match, but I got bored."

Bored?  Really?  I began to wonder why Kyle, and some of the other kids had signed up for a sport that they don't seem to have much interest in.  Now I understand why some coaches grumble about wasting their time training some people.  "We've got a boxing show here in July.  The way people train is going to show up during a real fight.  The kids at the other boxing gyms don't play while training, but I keep seeing that going on in here," I warned for the umpteenth time.  The boys continued to goof off.  Fortunately, they left early.

Arthur and Tyren came in for the teen class and went through the workout.  I wish I had more like them in the kids' class.  They come in, do their workout, and work well together when they spar.  I never have to raise my voice when they are there.  There are seven kids in the teen class; Kyle and DeShaun are supposed to be in that class, but they show up during the last half-hour or so of the kids' class. But then, I can't see Kyle or DeShaun being well-matched up with Arthur and Tyren, especially when it comes to sparring.  Anthony would be a better fit, but he came in too early, then didn't stick around for the teen class to start.

When the summer session starts in June, I won't keep making accommodations for kids who are involved in other sports and activities.  Boxing is an all in sport, and those who sign up for it are going to have to deal with that.  The time changes of the youth classes, due to the adult class starting, will hopefully force youths to be on time, be prepared, or be left out.

Parents In The Boxing Gym

I know a few boxing coaches who believe parents and guardians are distractions who should never be allowed within 15 feet of a boxing gym.  It's true that boxing gyms attract a lot of people with opinions that don't need to be heard, and some parents and guardians fall into that category.

The welcome mat is out at my gym for parents/guardians, but I'm aware that boundaries have to be set.  There are established rules and set routines that parents/guardians have to respect.  I don't mind if someone shows up to the gym to help their kid with the workout -- for example, Rocky does just that -- if they know what they are talking about.  Rocky had boxed before, so he gives his son solid advice.  That is a great help to me during class.

But there will always be the helicopter parents/guardians who feel that should have a say in everything that goes on.  Coaches only have two options in that situation.  They can be diplomatic, point out their coaching qualifications, and emphasize the importance of the child only listening to one voice in the gym.  Or, they can be blunt and say, "Yes, I do mind that my class is being interfered with." The approach will depend a lot on the parents/guardians' attitude and the extent of the interference in gym activities.

Making The Gym Uncomfortable

Shah and Dani had just walked into the gym when Ken waltzed in with two kids smaller than he.  I put Ken and his pals out.  None of them are signed up for the boxing program.  Later, some girl followed the older boys in the gym.  I went to get mouth pieces for the boys who didn't have any.  She had the nerve to say, "I want one, too!"  I cut her off by telling her she's not signed up.

The best was was TI showed up asking to sign up for the class.  He and sisters have moved, but apparently, not far enough out of the neighborhood.  "My mama can sign.  . .she's upstairs!" he said.  I relished being able to tell him that the 8 to 12 year old class is full.

One of the things coaches can do is not to make the gym welcoming to those who just want a place to hang out.  This goes for both kids and adults who aren't signed up but are habitually lounging in the gym.  Private boxing gyms don't deal with this very much because no one is allowed inside unless they are member.  Municipal boxing gyms, like the ones in the Chicago Park District system, are prey to anyone who wants to walk in.  The result is usually disruption of the class routine.

Limit the amount of chairs.  I keep one chair out for myself.  Sometimes, I have another chair placed near the equipment table for a parent who may decide to sit in on the class.  But that's it.  Refrain from having enough chairs to seat a small audience.  Do the same for any tables in the gym, too.  Ideally, the only table should be the equipment table.

Only set out enough equipment for the amount of participants the class can hold or the amount of people expected in the gym that day based on observation.  The less gloves, headgear, etc., for those who aren't in the class to grab, the better.  When class is over, put the equipment up as soon as possible.

Embarrass people.  Channel the phrases your parents used to tell you when they were irritated.  I have developed a new phrase:  "Am I talking to the air?" Today, I had to snap on a kid three times about pulling on the ring ropes (which I had just recently tightened up).  I talked as loud as I could.  The kid finally got the hint, and left the gym shortly afterwards.  Keep a sharp eye out for people touching the equipment who shouldn't be doing so, and call them on it.

Keep the doors locked.  Don't open the gym doors until five minutes before class, and close the doors right after class is over.

Discourage visitors.  I remember guys showing up every week with their girlfriend of the week.  Others would show up with their own personal entourages to cheer them on while they sparred.  This is not a good scenario when visitors end up in the way of the people who are actually working out.  Consider how much space there is in the gym.  If the "guests" keep showing up regularly, remove the welcome mat.

Watch who is walking in.  Greet whomever comes to the door.  After all, they may be legitimately interested in the class.  Being swift to acknowledge someone will also put off a lot of the ones who just want to roam around and do who knows what.  Remember, stuff like gloves and hand wraps can disappear easily.  Also, it lets people know who the boss is in the gym.  It may discourage those who just want to get a few in on the heavy bags or jump around in the ring.

Have any other suggestions to keep order in the gym?

Sparring Time at Loyola Park

I decided to visit Loyola Park, and it was packed with new people.  The only old faces there were John, Jesus, Jason, and Genience.  I didn't get to hit any of the equipment, but I got a lot of shadow boxing in.

Alan asked me if I wanted to spar.  I was game, despite of the fact I didn't have a mouth guard with me.  I ended up sparring with two new women to the gym.  The two rounds with the first woman went fine.  She got some good hits in on me; I was going light.  The second round with the second woman ended abruptly when her right shoulder wouldn't stop hurting.  Upon a closer look, it appeared that her shoulder had moved out of its socket.  "This has never happened to me before," she told Alan.  Alan strongly suggested that she see a doctor as soon as possible.

Then I got inside the ring with Genience.  She hadn't been in the gym in awhile according to Alan.  She hadn't lost any of her form or power, however.  I took many knocks to my head and jaw.  Luckily, we only went one round.  I had become worn out.

Now that the weather is becoming warmer, I'm going to show up at Loyola Park more often.  I'll be able to get in a workout, something that I don't always get to do at LaFollette Park these days.  Plus, it's always nice to go back to the home park.

Needing Help, But Having To Follow Rules

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

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

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

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

Where Is My Star?

DS, Ky, and KB decided to show up to the gym after being missing for a few weeks.  DS kept wanting to spar, but DS had a cracked thumb due to a basketball injury.  "I'm not going to let you spar with your thumb like that," I told DS.  "But I don't even feel it," he said, after putting on a pair of sparring gloves.  "I'm not going to keep arguing with you about it, DS.  A hand injury is a hand injury!" I snapped.  His aunt came to the gym, and she backed me up.  "The doctor told DS to wait three weeks," she said.

Angel finally signed up again, but there has been no sign of Marine and his brother Curly.  Angel showed up to the gym the other day with a male friend, and I wondered if her new friend is why Marine hasn't been around.

I guess I can do a happy, happy, joy, joy dance.  Tough, Talky, and T1 moved out of the neighborhood this week.  It appears they won't be back.

DJ, the only person I had in the Chicago City-Wide Boxing Tournament, continues to be a no show.  The tournament began a couple of days ago, and I believe it's already over.  Some new kids have joined the gym, so that softens the blow a little.  Yet I'm concerned that there won't be a breakout "star" emerging once the park district boxing shows begin.  Every park that has a boxing gym seems to have a least one.  Back in the day, Montrell was the star at Loyola Park.  Ed B. was the star at Garfield Park.

However, the problem at LaFollette Park continues to be kids who are in love with idea of fighting, but who don't want to take it seriously enough to learn how to do it right.  I keep having visions of all of the kids who might participate in our boxing show in July losing all of their matches.  I hope that scenario doesn't come true.

That Time Of The Month

I was very sick yesterday, but I hobbled to work anyway.  My right shoulder, my left hip, my lower back, and both of my knees were hurting.  On top of that I had caught another cold, the second in a couple of weeks.  Luckily, the classes were lightly attended.  Only three girls showed up for the first class, and Nay-Nay was a no-show for the second class.

Perhaps it was my illness that gave me the idea to consider buying a pack of sanitary napkins to keep in the gym.  I let the girls know that if they ever were feeling out of sorts due to that time of the month, I wouldn't push them to do the workout.  Also, I don't remember seeing any sanitary products dispensers in any of the women's washrooms at LaFollette Park.

I'm assuming that most male boxing coaches have not considered the effects of the menstrual cycle on exercise and/or don't want to deal with or talk about it.  I used to tell Alan at Loyola Park when menopause was bothering me, but he understood because he has a wife who had already experienced that.  Being a female boxing coach, I'm going to have to deal with that issue with female fighters in my class, so I need to be prepared for it.

Exercise, especially the strenuous type, can have an effect on the menstrual cycle.  For example, a female could miss a period because of it.  It happened to me twice before menopause hit, and after I ruled out other factors, I relaxed.  But some doctors believe missing a period due to heavy exercise, if it happens frequency, could have a negative effect on a woman's health.   For example, some medical professionals believe too many missed periods could be a factor in women developing osteoporosis.  Exercise is important, but all have to exercise smart to avoid injuries and complications.

The All Girl Gym

There's a side door right up a short flight up steps from the gym.  I'm assuming that's how a guy got into the field house and wandered into the gym the other day.  Shah and Dani were in the middle of their warm up when they saw the guy go into the women's washroom.  I became concerned because I thought Angel was in there (she wasn't).  None of the boys came in at all.

"Hey, man. . .the men's washroom is on the other side of the gym," I said when I walked into the washroom.  "Uh, I just couldn't make it over there in time," was the reply.  "Next time, other side," I curtly said before walking out.  A few moments later, the guy roamed through the gym and went into the men's washroom.  I noticed that the guy was looking a little too long at Shah and Dani, who are 11 and 12 years of age.  When the guy came back out, the staring at the girls continued.

"Will I have to put my hands on someone today?" I thought to myself as the guy approached me.  He asked a question about when boxing class takes place.  I quickly informed him there was no adult class at the moment, and then gave him a look indicating that our conversation was over.

The next time in the gym, Dani came in, but her sister Shah did not.  Star, a new student, came in.  Once again, no boys came in to train.  I sort of left Dani to her own devices, except when we did pad work.  I went over footwork, head movement, and jabs and rights with Star.  Later, I answered both girls questions about the upcoming park district boxing shows.  I'm not sure if any of the girls want to compete.  Star gave me the impression that she doesn't want to spar.  I already promised the girls' moms that their daughter do not have to spar if they don't want to do so.

Sometimes, I feel like I'm showing the few kids who show up to the gym the same things over and over.  The truth is, boxing can be "the same old, same old" at times.  I see that more now that I'm a coach.  The workouts don't have to be the same each time, but it's hard to mix things up without having all the equipment that is needed.  Youths need to be kept busy and engaged regardless of the activity in which they are involved.  Hopefully, I'll get more of what I need soon.

Structure In The Gym

Shah and Dani came in on Saturday, and I was glad to see them.  I sure wish I had more kids like them in the gym.  They have been showing up mostly every day, they follow the gym routine, and their parents are interested in them participating in the program.  Best of all, neither of the girls are discipline problems.  I was able to get them to do a little light sparring.  Hopefully, they'll want to spar again next week.

It took awhile for me to figure it out, but the youths need structure in the gym.  Finally, I have a written gym routine on the bulletin board.  Some kids, unfortunately, are dead set against following what has been set in place.  Those are the kids who I have make phone calls to their parents along the lines of, "I don't think boxing is a good fit for your kid."

LJ and his brother Marq came in the gym and got yet another registration form.  I've grown weary of them telling me they want to learn how to box, but not following through.  Shah and Dani are their cousins, and LJ was teasing them.

Suddenly, LJ turned on Marine, declaring several times, "I want to fight you!" Marine was wary, but he didn't snap back on LJ.  I watched the scene closely in case it got heated.  It is so hard to get most of the kids to stop equating boxing with street-fighting.  I believe that LJ has some talent, but I've got to get his mind right.  That is, if LJ ever commits himself to actually sign up for the gym.

The adult class, when it begins this summer, will be easier to run.  Once adults are shown the basics, then it is up to them what they want to get out of the workout.  In other words, I can leave them to their own devices for the most part. There's less hand-holding when it comes to adults.

No word yet on when the new ring will be installed, nor whether I'll get the heavy bag stands I need.  If I had thought when I initially put in an order for equipment, I would have requested a Bob the boxing bag (shown in the photo above). Questions about putting another Cobra bag in the gym come up, mainly from the kids who misused and broke the last bag.  Bob will be a better substitute, I believe, and it'll be harder to destroy.  Eventually I will get one in the gym, but I'll have to push for it.

A Solved Mystery

The other day, I arrived at the gym to find the only new equipment that was left was the pieces of the new ring that will be installed.  The other equipment -- gloves, mouth pieces, etc. -- was gone.  I assumed that Tommy had taken it on to other gyms that had also ordered equipment.  Come to find out that staff at LaFollette had moved it into another room, locked it, and forgot to tell me.  So I was able to pull out the rest of the equipment I needed.  I'm still waiting on stands to put up the light and heavy bags, however.

Lo, and behold, here comes Talky, Tough, and their brother TI.  They are moving soon, but will remain in the neighborhood.  "After we move, we'll only be able to come to the gym on Saturdays," Talky informed me.  None of them train as it is, and showing up once a week certainly isn't going help them learn the sport properly.  TI was very interested in the list of park district boxing shows that I have posted up.  However, I have no plans to put TI in any of the boxing shows unless TI takes training seriously.

Tough has an annoying habit of "helping" whenever new kids arrive in the gym.  I have two new girls, one eleven, and one twelve.  While I was given them an orientation, Tough was also giving instructions as if she was the coach.  However, since she hardly trains and doesn't show up to the gym half the time, she not qualified to give out information.  After a few times of me telling her "excuse me, I'm talking", and then me straight out ignoring her, she finally got the hint and shut up.

Tough claimed that I never showed her how to do an overhand right.  I corrected her real fast, pointing out that I showed her and Talky how to do that a long time ago.  I also told her that if she would have trained consistently, she would not have forgotten how to do it.

Angel has become a good help to me in the gym.   She's also harder on the kids who consistently play around than I am.  When those kids give her an attitude, I back Angel up.  Ninety-nine percent of the time, Angel is correct.

I also have backup from Coach J, the football/basketball/baseball coach.  He came in the gym the other day to sign up another new kid for the spring session, 14 year old TR.  Coach J walked in the gym just as some of the kids were acting up and showing out.  He told me in front of them, "Any of these kids get out of line, send them to me."

TR just might be a good prospect.  He told me, "I can't wait to box."  We went over the basic stance, and jabs and rights.  I'm beginning to see more kids like him who come in the gym and actually want to learn.  If I had classes full of youths like that, it might be easier to nullify the few kids who don't or refuse to have the dedication.