Different Approaches To Ages

Yesterday, I completed one of the last administrative tasks I had to do before the fall session begins this week.  I put the new class rosters and attendance sheets in the program binder.  I printed extra rosters to turn in at the next boxing show I attend.  All the boxing coaches are required to provide verification to the head of the boxing program that fighters they bring to the shows are actually registered for the program.

After wavering back and forth, I decided not to attend the show that's coming up at Davis Square this week.  I wanted to go because I haven't been there since I had one of my fighters participate in a sparring session there.  But I have a big number of new people starting the class this week in addition to people like Janaja and Lauren who haven't been in the gym for awhile.  I don't want to start the session by shutting down the gym, even though it would only be for one day.  I'm not going to Bessemer Park either, which is the following week, for the same reason.

You see, I have a lesson plan that I follow loosely from the second week on.  A lot of what goes in the gym depends on the participants, what they need to work on, their skill levels, etc.  However, the first week is basically set in stone: new people and those who are picking up the sport again after a period of time are taught the punches and basic head movement and footwork the first week.  Any disruption to that first week throws people off.  But having explained that, those who start skipping days from the beginning -- and unfortunately, a lot of people do -- I have to treat like teachers used to do when I was in grade and high school.  None of my teachers were going to hold up the entire class because of one or two students who missed classes for whatever reason.  People had to play catch up and learn those lessons when there was a little time in the class to do that.

I believe I've become better at working with the kids mainly because that is the age group I've had to deal with the most.  Several people came in to sign up for the boxing class this past Friday (the last-minute rush I predicted) and the teen class currently has nine people, the most that have been there for some time.  To an extent, I have to re-learn how to deal with a large group of teens; for the longest time, Ariel was the only teenager coming to the gym.  Mikala and Noel are good youths I know, but Janaja and Lauren who were there before?  Sigh....like Ariel, Janaja was only there once in a blue moon, and Lauren never gave me the impression that she was overly interested in the sport.  The thing with teens is they have more independence than those twelve years and under.  They also don't have that, "I better listen to Mama, Daddy, Grandma, etc., or else I'm going to be in big trouble," either.  They speak up (or talk back as mine and other old school parents would put it) when they don't want to do something.  They're not grown, but one has to acknowledge they're not far from adulthood and be more of a mentor.

The nice thing about working with adults in the gym is that they don't need their hands held as much as the kids and some of the teens do.  Show them what to do and they are cool.  I've never had to raise my voice because an adult was acting out in the gym; those type of situations, unlike with the younger kids, never come up.  Also, they don't need me to stand over them constantly.  They ask a lot of questions and really listen and incorporate what they learn.

I'm going to observe closely how Saturdays are working this fall session because frankly, they haven't been for the past two and a half years.  People traditionally do not show up to the gym on that day, and most are surprised to find the gym is not open on Monday.  It would be better to have the gym open Monday thru Friday not only because Saturday doesn't appear to be a good fit on any one's schedule, but I would also be out of Coach James' way.  His football and baseball games take place on the weekends and his sports equipment is stored in rooms off of the boxing gym (which is closer access to the football and baseball fields). His teams could come through the gym without disturbing my class nor hear me snap on them for messing with the heavy and speed bags. If Saturdays continue to be quiet like they have been, I'm going to push again to have the gym closed on that day and open on Monday instead.  Steve, my supervisor, wants the gym open on Saturday, but I have the evidence -- attendance records -- to hopefully change his mind before the winter session arrives.

Just Like Frank Sinatra

The last time I was at work, I realized that I had to do some planning for the end of this year.  The holiday season will kick off as soon as Halloween has ended, so I've got to be prepared.  One of the best things Thomas told the coaches was, "You run your gyms the way you see fit."  He didn't have to tell me that twice.

I'm going to shut down LaFollette Park boxing gym after the last class of the fall session ends in early December.  I'm going to play like Sinatra and do it my way like I did last year.  I'll take that time to do my administrative stuff, and check and clean the equipment.  I might also take one or two days off, depending on what may come up in December.  I'll have to physically keep the gym doors open for those who wander in and ask questions about the program.  But I'm not putting out one piece of equipment, except for the radio to keep me company.

I'm also tentatively planning not to have an adult class in the 2017 winter session. Keeping that class going has become like beating a dead horse.  I'm tired of empty promises from those who act all hyped up about signing up for that class. I'm also tired of people becoming no-shows after two or three classes.  Sitting and staring out at an empty gym for an hour and a half is not my idea of being productive. In November, I'm going to make a case to my boss to drop the class permanently.  I'd rather expand the times of the youth classes.  

Time is running out for those who want to compete in the park district boxing shows.  Later this week, Hamlin Park's show will take place.  That's a popular one; I'm trying to convince Donovan, James, and Ariel to attend that one.  As for the other participants, most of them are too new to talk about putting in a fight.  I have already given up on some who have shown no discipline nor major interest in showing up to the class consistently.  If the youths are indifferent, bored, etc., about training while the boxing shows are happening, what are they going to do for that long stretch between January and June when those shows aren't taking place?  Scottsdale Park's show is the last on the list in February of next year.  But west side residents are not that interested in going out south, or to the north side, for that matter, to participate in anything.

Most of the parents/guardians and youths don't recognize what doors boxing can open up for them.  I would have never figured that I would become a boxing coach when I first took up the sport, but here I am.  I know others who've gone a lot further.  So many opportunities, in and out of the ring are waiting, but people do not take advantage of them.  It's hard to fight against mentalities that only go to the edge of the 12-to-14 block neighborhood that people live in.

The Adult Class That Refuses To Die. . . .For Now

KeVonte was getting on my nerves during the first half of the youth class at LaFollette.  First of all, the boy showed up several minutes late.  Then KeVonte was bouncing off of the ropes like a pro wrestler.  I caught him jumping into the ring off of the top rope when I happened to look around another time.  "If you want to take a wrestling class, find one, but that's not being taught in here," I snapped.  Dwayne stuck up for KeVonte stating, "He's got some good form."  "Yeah, when he listens," I replied sarcastically.

The younger kids have noticed two things:  that Jaymerson does not spar, and most of the other kids haven't been showing up to class.  "Jaymerson's mom doesn't want him to spar," is the truthful answer to their first question.  "Your guess is as good as mine," was my stock answer to their second question.  Donte and Devonte, the twins, have begun to not show up regularly.  Morgan, Jaymerson's sister, either doesn't come in, or she walks in late, like she did today (she showed up 15 minutes before class was to end).  KeVonte has been missing on and off, too.  Today was the first time in a couple of days that he was in the gym.  Tayjon has basically been a no-show.

As for brothers Kewan and Lamont, the former acts as if he's scared to return to the gym after not doing well in sparring.  Lamont appeared at the door with a basketball in his hand, then went back out.  It's only been two weeks into the fall session, and the same old attendance problems are happening.  The boys' grandma allegedly promised to give Kewan ten dollars if he would come back to the class.  Bribing the boy may get him back in the class for one day, but it's not going to keep him coming back.  Either Kewan wants to be there or he doesn't.  I'm not going to beg him, because I don't have that type of patience with kids.  All I know is that if I was eight years old, talking about not returning to a class, my mother would have whipped my behind.  That would have been my motivation to get back to the class and stay there.  But then, that's how I was raised.

Jahnaja was the only one to show up to the teen class.  Now that I know that Kody plays football for his school, there's no telling when he'll be in.  Maz, who promised to come in this week, has not, and I don't know what's going on with Ariel.

Recently, my supervisor and I were discussing dropping the adult class permanently when no one signed up for that.  Well, guess what?  Scott came in today, and so far, he's the only person in that class.  But then he told me that he's not going to be able to make it in every day.  Every time there is talk of discontinuing the class, someone signs up at the eleventh hour.  But if attendance doesn't pick up, I'm still going to suggest that the class is cut.  I'm at the end of the rope trying to figure out how to make that class attractive to the adult population.  I'm putting in too much effort into something that's just not happening.