Sahia, Rachey, Mikaela, and Noel returned to boxing class yesterday, and I was glad to see them. They arrived as the teen class began, and that class was hopping. A new guy who is 6 foot 2, Kalib, joined the class. He's had a little training in the past, but I still had to go over most of the basics with him. Mikaela, Noel, Ceasar, Richard, and Melissa went through their workout fine. I noticed that Jahnaja strolled in late, but I didn't comment on it.
Iz and Abrahant did their usual habit of consistently showing up a half-hour late to the kids' class, too. I had to get on Iz about him and his brother disappearing for two days last week with no notice. This week is only the second week of the winter session and already I have had to deal with unexplained absences and no-shows. "I was feeling a little sick last week," Iz said, an explanation that covered the first day he was out, but not the second day. I should have received a phone call on the second day. And why is it every time one of the brothers is sick, the other one decides they're not going to attend class? It was the second time I had told them about the new attendance policy. That was the last time I'm going to warn Iz and Abrahant about the consequences.
There are also a few in the kids' class who haven't made it in yet. I gave a courtesy call last week to the home of one kid named Abshoun. "I forgot that class has started," his mother told me. Well, her memory was really faulty because her kid wasn't there all that week. Looks like her kid ain't gonna be in this week, either. Another girl, Jayda, signed up, but I haven't seen hide nor hair of her. That two more "kicked out of class due to lack of attendance" letters I'll probably have to write.
Unfortunately, Malik is getting dangerously close to missing out on competing in the Chicago City-Wide Tournament. He's still not registered for the teen class. I called his grandfather twice after Thanksgiving last year to give a reminder about the sign-up dates. I didn't get a response. I also told Malik several times during the holiday season to remind his grandfather to take care of that. "I can't remember the park district's website," Malik told me as he stood before me on his cell phone yesterday. What, kids don't know how to Google? I'm in my late fifties, and it seems I know how to navigate technology better than most young people.
The website wouldn't load probably due to connection issues because we were technically in the basement of the building. Sahia pointed out that people may no longer be able to sign up for boxing online which made sense. Only so many online slots are open before the in-person registration begins. "Your grandfather has to come in here and sign you up," I repeated to Malik for the umpteenth time. There's not a lot of openings left in the teen class. If his grandfather keeps hesitating, I'm not going to be able to make room in a full class for Malik. If Malik is not able to re-join the class until the spring session, that will seriously cut down on his training time for the Chicago City-Wide Tournament.
Sahia couldn't stay for the adult class because she had an appointment elsewhere. However, I was glad that she was able to connect with Donesha, Tony's mom before she left. Alexis didn't show up again for the adult class, so Donesha was by herself. But she got a good solid hour of work in. She also does exercises outside of the gym, and that is very helpful.
Someone called the field house looking for me. One of the teen girls was sent downstairs by Tina, the gymnastics and dance instructor (and summer camp coordinator) to tell me I had a phone call. The staff knows that I don't leave the gym during the kids' and teen classes to come upstairs for any reason. I've ceased making it my problem that they keep forgetting that. "Tell her to take a message," I told the girl. The girl did not return with the phone message. Neither did I find a message when I came up to the front desk at the end of my shift. I have to assume that either the caller didn't want to leave a message or the person who answered the phone didn't bother to take one. Unfortunately, the latter scenario is the probable one. It's happened before.
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