Christmas and Hanukkah Boxing

Yesterday, I pointed out to Alan that it has been a year since Colonel (Ken), who stands to the left in the photo above had passed away.  I still miss him.  Alan wondered how Kenny, Colonel's son, was holding up.  We haven't seen him since he came to the gym months ago.

I almost didn't go to Loyola Park because the temperatures have been so frigid.  But I just bundled up, toughened it out, and took the walk.  A recent trip to the doctor revealed that I have some muscle weakness in my left leg.  However, I didn't have as many problems with that leg as I walked to the gym.

I was wearing a hoodie that a Facebook friend, Scott, had sent me for my birthday.  The hoodie reads, "Don't let your president get your ass whooped," which is a statement directed at the racists and misogynists who voted for Donald Trump.  Those set of his supporters lately have been thinking that they can step to people of color and women any kind of way because their "hero" is now the president-elect.  I showed Alan the shirt, and he smiled.

Timothy, who usually spends a lot of the gym time taking pointers from his friend Lamar, sparred with Ro.  Lamar kept telling him to "trust your defense".

Lauren, the quiet law student, sparred with Kathy.  I kept thinking, "Lauren is a solid-built woman.  If she really put some power behind those punches, she'd give Kathy something to think about."  She did surprise Kathy with a straight punch in one of the later rounds.

Paul and his wife made some wonderful Christmas cookies which they brought in to share with everyone.  The mint chocolate cookies were especially good, and I ate more that I probably should have.

Barry has closed up the youth boxing program for the rest of the year.  I know he usually takes vacation around this time.  Paul, who is a volunteer, offered to keep the gym open for the kids, but Mary said no.  Alan's adult program has been open throughout the break period.  Christmas and New Year's Day are on Sundays this time around, so the park district will not be open on the Mondays following those holidays.  I won't be back down at Loyola until the new year.

Meanwhile, I have got done much of the stuff I wanted to catch up on down at LaFollette boxing gym.  I'm basically coasting until the winter session begins in January.

Coach Mama

Today was the last day of the fall session, and no one came to the gym.  Ariel usually doesn't come in on Saturdays, so I wasn't surprised.  Donovan and Maz have missed a lot of days, and I have no idea what's up with that.  The kids who barely attended like Summer, Jaymerson, Lauren, Morgan, etc. . . .oh, well.

James told me yesterday, "Miss Hillari, I have a rough cough, and I feel feverish."  He asked me to feel the side of his neck.  I also felt his forehead, and it did appear that the boy was running a little bit of a fever.  At that moment, I felt like I was James' mom, or a nurse in a school clinic.  That led to a conversation about tonsils.  James still has his, and I told him about mine being taken out decades ago.  I'm assuming that James wasn't feeling any better today, which would explain his absence.

Mrs. Gage came in this morning to register for a senior class.  Coach James told her that no registrations would be taken for anything at the field house until Monday.  That led to a debate between Coach James and Mrs. Gage about what the park district should and should not be doing.  You see, Mrs. Gage is one of those citizens who regularly voices their opinion when they believe things are out of line.  She lives across the street from the field house, and she is always watching.  She is also the mom of a fellow alumnus of the high school from where I graduated.  Coach James thought that Mrs. Gage was being unfair in her assessment of the park district.  However, everything she said wasn't wrong.  There's always room for improvement.

A Death In The Family

I had to go to Garfield Park today to attend an instructor's training.  I was a little pissed because I wasn't told about it until yesterday.  The day was planning to be a long, slow one.  The training wasn't as bad and unproductive like the others I had attended recently.  During a brief break, I decided to go up to Garfield's boxing gym to say hello to George.

George was busy watching two of his fighters sparring, so I waved to him across the ring.  "I just stopped in to say hi," I told George.  I looked up at the ceiling there was a robe hanging from it that had belonged to Ed Brown, a young man who had trained at Garfield.  Everyone didn't know Ed personally, but most knew about him.  He was on his way up, an undefeated contender who was scheduled to have a fight on the Showtime network in a few weeks.  Unfortunately, we'll never know what heights the young man could have reached in his boxing career. Someone rolled up next to the car that Ed and his sister were sitting in and opened fire.  His sister survived.  Her brother didn't.

A co-worker at LaFollette made a comment last night:  "Well, the guy was gang-banging."  We don't know that for sure.  Yes, it's common knowledge that Ed Brown had been shot before, and survived those attempts on his life.  His mom died in a tragic incident in a downtown nightclub over ten years ago.  His dad has a jail record.  Ed Brown had his own ups and downs.  But the fact that he had dedicated himself to a sport and was coming up, told me that he was trying to change his circumstances.

I can't shake the feeling that the young man's murder may have been motivated by jealousy.  I grew up in the same area he did, and I've seen people take beat downs from others who were angry that someone appeared to have a little more extra than they.  Many of the fights I was in while in grade school were instigated by kids who wanted to bring down the girl who had a higher reading score than most of the other students.  I'm too familiar with that attitude.  I was just thinking the other day that most people miss out on blessings because they are too busy complaining about the blessings that others have received.  However, most limit their "playa hating" to snide remarks and pulling mean pranks.  Then you have those who believe that others whom they believe won a golden ticket to something better should never be able to cash it in for the prize.

I just shake my head at it all.

And You Are. . . . .?

Matthew and Ben look ready to charge each other in the photo above.  There was a lot of sparring action at Loyola Park among the guys.  None of the women were in on it, including me.  Later, Matthew went in the ring with his dad, Alan.  I started to tell the both of them, "Fight nice!" as a joke.  I should have spoken up. Matthew fired a right hand at Alan then backed up near the ropes.  He had pulled a muscle in that arm but wanted to keep on fighting.  Alan refused and halted the action.  Matthew could feel where the muscle had popped out.  I sure hope that doesn't mean having to get surgery to fix it.

Matthew had brought a friend in named Alonzo.  People are always bringing friends into the gym to check it out.  When I figure out that an unfamiliar face is associated with someone who normally attends the gym, I think, "Oh, they're cool because they know them."  

I never think that about people who walk into LaFollette Park's boxing gym like that.  My first thought is usually, "Who is that and what do they want?"  Regardless if they know someone who is training in there, I prepare myself to bark at them for disrupting the class.  I know I'm going to have to get on someone for touching the equipment.  I know I'm probably going to ask -- no -- tell someone to leave, and I probably won't be nice about it.

It's probably because Loyola Park and LaFollette Park are in two different worlds from each other in terms of the vibes of the neighborhoods and mindsets of those who live around those field houses.  It's also the difference between dealing with kids at LaFollette and being around adults at Loyola.  

Fighting At Home

The gym was open the day after Thanksgiving, but it might as well had not been.  Ariel did not show up to the gym the day before the holiday, but her grandmother checked to make sure the gym would be open on Friday.  However, Ariel didn't show up, and neither did the other kids.  Friday was basically a wasted day.  The only thing good about it was the field house closed early.

I did get new fliers for the winter boxing class, and I was impressed.  Instead of printing them on half-sheets, a full 8 1/2 by 11 page was done.  My continued gripe, however, is that the printing department never puts exactly what I want on the fliers.  Some time ago, Mary, the supervisor at Loyola Park, said that it was a good idea to let parents know that the boxing class is not intended to be a self-defense class.  I've grown tired of parents who push their kids into the class with the expectation the lessons will ward off bullies.  I always ask to put a line in that states the class is not a self-defense class, but it never makes it onto the fliers.  There wasn't a lot of room to put that on the half-sheet flier (although it could have been done in a smaller type font), but there is certainly enough room to put that on the full-sheet flier.

Speaking of bullying, whatever happened to parents teaching their kids how to fight at home?  I know of people whose parents told them that if they didn't stand up to the kid or kids who were picking on them, their parents would spank them for displaying cowardice.  Times have changed - and not always for the better.

Boxing Class Is Free, But Babysitting Costs Money

In this photo, I'm standing at the head of the table in a room at Brooks Park the day of their boxing show.  The other coaches were trying to get matches for their fighters.  Barry took the shot.  "Hillari, you're always taking pictures, but you are never in them," he said.

Yesterday was another light attendance day at LaFollette Park.  James was the only one who showed up for the kids' class.  Sometimes, I get irritated by James always pointing out the obvious about the other kids not showing up regularly. But he's got a point.  I've come to dread Saturdays because that has become the least productive day of the week.

The other James, who is in the teen class, showed up about ten minutes early with his mother.  Jamiya, his sister, wasn't with him, and their mother gave me no explanation for her daughter's absence.  "In order for them to learn this sport and to do well in it, they have to be here more than once every couple of weeks.  I can't put them in fights if they don't train enough.  When they miss days and weeks, they have to start all over again from the beginning.  Like any other sport, skill builds upon skill." I told their mother.  I pointed out that the adult class is now gone mainly because of low attendance.  "I'll try to get them here more often," the mom said, but I wasn't convinced based on her kids' track record. The mom didn't remember that boxing is not a seasonal sport, something I know I told her when she begged me to take her kids in the class even though it was the middle of the session.

Another teenage girl always shows up as James and Jamiya finishes up class.  She came in yesterday, and apparently doesn't realize that she is a distraction.  I don't know who she is -- perhaps a cousin, maybe a friend.  James let her play around with the kettlebell until I informed her she had to put it down because she's not registered for the class.  Seems like little missy had an attitude, but she needed to ask me if I gave a damn about her being irritated.

I changed out the bulletin board with the training schedule on it again.  I also updated some of the other signs that are up on the walls.  I'm curious to see how long a new sign which reads, "Boxing training is free.  Babysitting is $20.00 an hour" will last before someone notices it and makes a smart remark.

Brawls at Brooks Park

Several of the coaches attempt to make matches for their fighters at Brooks Park's boxing show in the photo above.  Portage Park and Brooks Park seemed to have the most success with boxers getting fights.  Alan wasn't able to get a fight for John, but he did get one for Rojan.  Solomon, one of Barry's fighters, got a match as well.

It was a hardship driving up to Brooks Park.  I didn't know that construction was happening on the route I took there for blocks.  It was bumper-to-bumper, stop-and-go traffic.  What should have taken an half-hour turned into a journey that took over an hour.  Parking was tight in the small lot in front of the field house but I managed to squeeze into a spot.

Solomon and Rojan's fights didn't take place until later in the evening, so there was a long wait.  In the meantime, there were a lot of good fights leading up to theirs.  In my opinion, the best fight of the night was between two girls who looked no older than seven or eight years of age.  One girl was from Brooks, and I believe the other girl fought out of Portage.  The Brooks girl was on fire, landing most of her punches in the face of the other girl.  The Brooks girl won.  I was jealous because other than Ariel, I have no girls with the toughness the two young girls had in the ring.

No, Ariel didn't show up, and I knew Donovan, Maz, and James were not going to show up, so I had no one to put into the show.  It's too bad since Brooks Park is the last show I scheduled to have LaFollette Park fighters participate in this year.  Actually, the last show on the boxing show schedule is Scottsdale Park.  But now that Rick, the coach at that park, has retired, it's likely that show will not take place.

Rojan's fight appeared to be close, as he and his opponent looked to have traded an even number of punches.  But Rojan was hesitating too long at times to take shots, and the other guy kept backing Rojan into the ropes.  The other guy won.

I ran into Cynthia Tolaymat, who along with her husband, is a fight promoter. She and her husband were sitting next to Jesse White, who is the Illinois Secretary of State.  Mr. White was friends with my late dad for years.  "I really liked your dad and stepmom; they were lovely people," he told me.  While I was talking to Mr. White, professional boxer Adrian Granados came over to speak to him, and I got to meet him.  I didn't know that Granados had once trained through the park district.  He has a fight coming up soon on the Showtime network.  Frez Oquendo was in the audience, too.

It was a good night, for the most part.  Tomorrow, it's back to LaFollette, and trying to figure out how to keep the youths interested in the sport.

Two Years Ago Means Nothing Today

Ben (on the right) eyes John during their sparring session at Loyola Park in the photo above.  It was a good night of sparring as the ring canvas stayed occupied. I was too stiff to spar again, even though I would have otherwise.

Back at LaFollette Park, I was highly irritated when once again, Jermaine showed up to ask about signing up for the boxing class.  Jermaine was hanging around the gym along with his younger brother and his cousin Marquis when I first started working there.  My records in the equipment room don't go much past 2015, but I don't think Jermaine was ever formally signed up for the class.  There was a lot of confusion regarding registration back then which I have straightened out.  "Is there a boxing tournament?" he asked.  "Brooks Park is having a boxing show tomorrow, and that is the last one we're going to this year," I answered.  "Aw, man," Jermaine sighed.  I don't know why he thought he could participate seeing how he's not in the class nor has he trained for a fight.

Jermaine a couple of boys who were a few years younger than he had trailed behind him into the gym.  I had to keep yelling at them to stay off of the equipment.  Jermaine asked if he could have a paper form to fill out.  The last time we had the same conversation, I told him that the park district stopped doing paper forms two years ago.  "My parents don't know how to use computers," he said.  "Then they have to come in person to sign you up," I replied.  He held up his cell phone for me to see.  "I can call them right now and get permission to be in here."  "It doesn't work like that.  If they don't know how to use a computer, they have to come here in person to sign you up," I said as my irritation kept rising.

"But I was in here two years ago," Jermaine said with a smirk.  "That was two years ago," I said with no trace of humor in my voice.  The boy ticks me off because he has potential, but he refuses to act on it.  Now that I have three kids who have won trophies under me, I don't have patience for kids who want to brag that they take boxing yet don't put the work in.  Jermaine obviously thought I was stupid because he kept trying to slick talk his way into the class without following the steps.  "I have to have your parents' permission for you to be in here, Jermaine.  I'm NOT about to do something that I'm not supposed to do and jeopardize my job.  I like to be able to pay my rent.  Do you understand?" I snapped.  He and his little entourage left after that, but I don't believe Jermaine comprehended the message -- again.  Give it another few weeks or months, and he'll be back in the gym with the same con game again.  After hearing it so many times, I know Jermaine is not serious about the sport.

Maz, Donovan, nor James will be at Brooks Park tomorrow.  Maz's braces are bothering him, and they need to be fixed before he takes on another fight. Donovan claimed he didn't know about the show, but I remember talking to both him and his parents about it some time ago.  James just didn't want to go.  It's just as well because James still hasn't begun to lose the weight he needs to lose in order to get a fight.  That leaves Ariel, who expressed interested in going to that show.  But she didn't show up to train today, so I'm not totally sure that she will go to the boxing show.  I have a feeling I'll be there alone.

No Support For The Sweet Science

James was the only one who showed up, so today was a long day in the gym.  The seasonal sports coach had a bake sale in the auditorium, and when his class was over, James headed upstairs to the event.  I followed behind him.  James brought some chips and cookies, while I just had enough to pay for a brownie.
As I sat in the empty gym savoring the brownie, I thought about how the event looked as if it was organized well.  In addition to the bake sale, there was also a card game tournament going on for the adults to participate in.  All of the funds would go to support the seasonal teams.

Earlier, an adult inquired about the adult boxing program just as I figured someone would.  They looked surprised when I told them that portion of the boxing program is now discontinued.  As time goes on, I'm finding it very hard to believe that the adults ever wanted a program there -- for themselves or for the kids.  I wish I could have fundraisers to get more equipment in the gym that is sorely needed.  It's not that I haven't tried to do that.  But the interest in the program from the surrounding community is just not there.  Not enough parents and guardians of the youth in the boxing program are actively involved like the parents whose kids play seasonal sports.  I guess I could take comfort that my program is not the only one that has been ignored in the park district.  But it makes no sense for people to complain "they never put anything over here for OUR kids" or "there's nothing here for us" when they don't inquire to see what is available.  Then when some program is canceled, the same people grumble about, "something is always being taken away from us" when they refused to support it while it was there.

Day Before Election Day

The boxing gym at Loyola Park was well-attended.  Even Igor - muttering to himself, as usual - was on the premises.  Matt, Alan's son, was there, too, along with Gabe, whom I hadn't seen in awhile.  "Sebastian will be going to school forever," Gabe grinned when I asked about his brother.

Matt sparred with Michael.  He also sparred with Ben and got in a good uppercut during one of the rounds.

I would have sparred, but I had been extremely stiff all day long.  Earlier, I had gone to the store to pick up a few groceries.  I practically stumbled back to my apartment.  Both knees were shaky, and my right leg felt like it was made out of concrete.  My right shoulder and the back of my neck were sore.  My prescriptions will run out soon, so when I pay a visit to the doctor, I'm going to get to the bottom of why I'm always stiff and slow-moving.

Emily sparred with Kathy; both Alan and I were giving her pointers.  She did get some decent body shots in on Kathy.

Tomorrow, I will have nothing to do in the gym at LaFollette because the gym is being used as a polling place.  Guess I'll catch up on some administrative stuff.

Better Than Watching Paint Dry

Ariel, pictured above, did not get a fight at Humboldt Park this evening.  I was disappointed, even more so when a girl she could have fought showed up just as the boxing show began.  "I want to box," I overheard the girl say.  If that girl had boxed before, as I heard her bragging to her friends, she would have known she had to be at the show at least an hour ahead of time to get weighed in.  Thomas waited for people as long as he could, but he had to shut the scale down fifteen minutes before the show began.

Once again, James did not get a fight.  Unlike Ariel, who stayed to watch the matches, he went home after receiving the news.  It comes down to this -- James has to lose weight.  As long as James weighs in bigger than the average size nine- year-old who show up to get matches, James will never get a fight.

Several from Loyola Park -- Alan, Rojan, Paul, Michael -- came to the fight.  Michael got there too late to weigh in, and there was no fight for Rojan.  A man named Mr. Barak, who sat next to me in the audience asked why it seemed no adults participate in the boxing shows.  "Most of the adults are just in it for the workout.  They don't want to compete," I explained.

Maz's dad, Irving, was a great help to me during his son's fight, which was the fourth one of the evening.  He worked Maz's corner with me.  Maz was paired with a boy from Seward Park.  I kept telling Maz to get closer to his opponent to throw effective body shots.  Irving kept telling his son to tuck his chin in.  Maz's opponent was bleeding a little after the first round.  I noticed his opponent smirking at times during the action.  But Maz didn't lose his cool.  Maz's mouthpiece fell out during the last round, and I scrambled to rinse it off and get it back in.

Maz, shown here with his proud dad, won his fight.  That makes the third kid -- behind Ashley and Kishawn -- who have won matches since I've been running the gym.

That was better than the Cubs winning the World Series.  There was some talk about the baseball team's victory after 108 years of not winning at the boxing show, but thank goodness, there wasn't much of it.  "I'm glad they won," Alan told me, "but I couldn't watch the game.  I'm not a baseball fan.  It's like watching paint dry."

Four For The Show

I held the pads for Ariel.  Luckily, she reminded me to take off my glasses.  One of her punches got through and hit me in my left eye.  I checked it.  It's okay. I think.

Ariel, Donovan, Maz and James are the four I have for the boxing show at Humboldt Park.  Little James was waffling about whether or not he's going to attend.  Sigh. . . .that boy's focus has just been gone lately.  Today he left the gym early again.  Later, I checked with the seasonal sports coach about the field house football team's schedule.  "The football season is over.  Basketball is starting now," he told me.  James has no reason to leave class before the hour is over.  I worry about his chances if he gets a match.

I'm not worried about Ariel.  Leonard, one of the attendants, came in the gym and watched while she worked the punch mitts with Maz.  He was impressed.  "She looks like she knows what she's doing," he grinned.  I have complete confidence that Ariel will win against anyone they put her against.  I just hope there will be a fight for her -- that's my current worry.

Track practises have kept Donovan out of the gym twice a week, but he has begun to miss other days, too.  Donovan wasn't in the gym today, so he missed out on what sparring he could have gotten in.

Maz revealed that he has fought before and won a few fights.  I am so glad that his father, who used to box, also trains him at home.  I expect Maz to do well.

Tomorrow should be interesting.

Sparring-A-Go-Go

Professor stands in the doorway in this photo and watches as Robert, Rojan, and Matthew work out.

The ring at Loyola Park was busy as one sparring session after another took place.  The first few sessions were all-female ones, featuring Kathy, Lauren, and Gabs.  I begged off because my knees had been super wobbly all day long.  The pain killer I took before I went to the gym hadn't kicked in fast enough to make a difference.

Then it was the guys' (Matthew, Rojan, Robert, Connor, Lawrence, Alan) turn to show out.  I ended up monitoring the sparring between Matthew and Alan. I don't remember how many times I yelled out, "Break!" to those two, but it was a lot.  I could have sworn I heard Alan tell Matt, "Who are you angry with down at your job?" after Matt caught his father with a hard punch.

Alan reminded me that Humboldt Park's boxing show is next week.  He's planning on taking some people.  I'm hoping the ones in my gym that are usually up for going to shows -- Donovan and James -- can attend that one.  I was suggesting that Maz should attend the show at Brooks Park in late November. His parents said for me to let them know if he will be ready for that one.  Right now it looks as if Maz may not qualify.  He's been missing days in the gym here and there.

What I ain't gonna do is chase youths down about showing up at the gym on a regular basis.  My attitude about that is not going to change even as the youths' training time will expand next year.  The park district is offering an opportunity, but if the youths don't want to take it, I can't make them.

Going, Going. . .Finally Gone

The adult boxing class at LaFollette Park is now officially off the schedule.  Today, I expanded the hours for the youth and teen winter classes which will begin in January.  The number of participants who can register for those classes were raised as well.

I tried with the adult class.  If I had not asked for that class to be canceled, I'm sure the park district would have eventually ended it.  The main issues were too few registrations and low attendance numbers.  I expected to have a vibrant class similar to the adult boxing class at Loyola Park, but it just did not work.  Initially, I was told that adults were eager to have a boxing class at LaFollette, but that proved to be false.

Now I'm thinking that an adult boxing program was a bad fit for LaFollette from the jump.  The kids and teens need that program more.  Youths in neighborhoods such as Austin need as many positive programs as possible to keep them away from what lays in wait for them out in the streets.  Some of the youths don't fully commit to the program.  Too many of them are forced into it by parents who think they're doing what is best for their kids without actually asking the kids what they want.  Other parents and guardians use the class as a time killer to keep their kids away from the house as much as possible and try to put me into the position of being a glorified babysitter.  But at least the kids do show up.  I do get a few kids who are actually interested in the sport and are willing to put in the work.  Most of the adults just wasted their money by disappearing after showing up once or twice.

Of course, this means I'll have to rearrange my lesson plans again.  But I feel that the change will make the program more manageable and give it more room to grow.

Sparring With 13 Year Olds

Summer sparred with James during the youth boxing class at LaFollette Park. James did a little better than he usually does, but Summer got more licks in than he did.  I can't seem to break James out of the habit of pushing his opponents with his fists as opposed to punching them.  Summer didn't knock him down, however; Donovan did that when it was James' turn to face him.

Later, Summer complained about her head hurting.  "That's what happens in boxing," I told her.  I still don't get why some kids are so surprised about being hurt that after the first time they spar.  "Boxing is a hurt business," I told her, repeating something that I heard a professional boxer -- I think it was Joe Frazier -- say.

Maz and Lauren were the only two who showed up to the teen class.  Lauren immediately let me know that she did not want to spar with Maz.  She was worried about Maz going hard on her.  I sparred with Maz, who like Lauren, is thirteen years old and a little taller than I.  He has good footwork, and he moves well around the ring.  I was bopped in the nose a few times.  We did go light because I had left my mouthpiece at home.

After seeing that, Lauren changes her mind about sparring.  But she wanted to spar with me.  "Please go light," she said.  She's good at swatting punches away, but like James, she loves to hug the ropes.  I told her not to allow me to keep backing her up into them.  Lauren also has to put her punches out there.  She was very hesitant about doing that.

I talked to Steve about canceling out the adult boxing class, but I waited a little too late.  If a class or activity is not removed before a certain date, the computer system updates it to appear the next session.  There may still be a way to take it off before the end of the year, but I'm not banking on that.  I might still have to look at an empty gym during the adult class during the winter season.

Returning Fighters

Sarah takes aim at the speed bag at Loyola Park boxing gym in the photo above.  She has returned to train, and I heard Alan asking her to bring her mouthpiece in the next time.  It appears that he's eager to have her spar and compete again.  But Sarah wants to ease back into the routine.

I sparred with Kathy for the first time in about three months.  Ben was impressed with how I slipped some of her punches.  I wish my feet could have moved as fast as my head was.  Kathy danced around the ring, and I plodded after her.  She caught me in the face with a right; the impact left my teeth shivering.  Good thing I was biting down on my mouthpiece.

John (whom I learned recently got married), Ben, and Rojan went around for several rounds a piece of sparring.  Alan was asking people about going to Fuller Park's boxing show, which is later this week.  Some of those guys may attend.  I'm staying at "home" at LaFollette.  I have too many kids who are new and not ready for competition.  Also, not many people want to go out south, where Fuller Park is located.

The Ben who is at LaFollette Park walked into the gym late last week.  Surprise, surprise as Gomer Pyle would say.  His father said his son has been playing football, which is why he hasn't been in the gym.  Football?  This is the kid who seemed to keep waiting for perfect conditions to participate in a boxing show? Ben now has no problem with being tackled and knocked down in a different sport?  "I'm going to sign him again for boxing soon," his dad said.  It's now the fifth week of the fall session, I believe, so Ben will be coming in a little late.  Luckily, there's one spot left in that class.  But even if Ben returns, I'll be dealing with yet another kid who is trying to do more than sport at a time.

Mr. Hopkins Is On Point

Claressa Shields is FINALLY on the front cover of The Ring magazine.  She should have been featured there four years ago when she received her first Olympic gold medal.

Before the article about Ms. Shields, there is an excellent opinion piece by Bernard Hopkins entitled "Boxing Is Losing Black Kids".  He hit on most of the things that frustrate me as an amateur boxing coach -- unmotivated, soft, and undisciplined youths; lack of support for amateur boxing programs, especially from parents and guardians; the closing of amateur boxing programs; youths being lured away by football, basketball, and dreams of being rappers.  He could have also added the problem of youths confusing professional wrestling and MMA with boxing.  They know more about what's going on in the WWE and the UFC than they do about professional boxing.

Mr. Hopkins stated that he did not believe that boxing would ever go back to the time of having "multiple African-American superstar fighters after this current generation".  Unfortunately, the man is probably right.  Boxing has fallen out of favor not only with Black youths but with all American youths in general.  The field house I work in sits in an area populated by both Black and Latino youths.  Gentrification is slowly creeping in, and I've seen some white people occupying some properties nearby.  But getting any of those youths, regardless of their ethnicity, to sign up for the boxing program and stick with it is a hard task.

The situation is enough for any amateur boxing coach to want to throw the towel in.  It is only the love of the sport and the fact that sometimes we get one or two kids who are really interested that keeps most of us around.

Chilling At Hamlin Park

The video above shows an interesting gentleman that I met at the Hamlin Park boxing show named Phil.  In his younger days, he was a boxer as well as a bodybuilder.  He was showing me pictures of himself doing both 50 years ago.  He has trained boxers, as well.  Phil was showing me how he trains boxers to step into their punches, and how to pivot so they can put more power behind them.  Phil was one of the judges at the show along with Gary.  I can't wait to get back to LaFollette Park to pass Phil's wisdom to the youths.

Alan was there for awhile.  He had expected Rojan to show up, but Rojan wasn't able to make it.  I had stayed home on Monday night, thinking that Loyola Park was closed for Columbus Day.  Alan told me the gym was open, so I missed one of my workout days.

Ernest, Kenny, Barry, Jeff, Gerald, Marty, and Marlon were the other coaches present.  Marty didn't have any fighters with him, but the other guys did.  Both Donovan and James told me they could not attend the show, so I had no fighters with me either.  I helped Barry in the corner with Solomon, one of his fighters. Solomon fought one of David Diaz's fighters; he did well but didn't get the win.

It was chilly in the basketball gym where the ring was set up.  All the windows in the gym were open.  The temperatures are dropping fast in Chicago; during the day, the temps reached the upper fifties but had gone down to the forties when the sun set.   I was already a little chilled when I got to Hamlin.  I left my car at home and decided to take the bus instead.  Not willing to accept that summer is past, I just wore a hoodie with a very light jacket over it.

A young lady who played "The Star Spangled Banner" on her violin at the top of the show also had a fight (check out her story here at http://wgntv.com/2016/10/11/violinist-finds-new-way-to-manage-chronic-pain/). She knocked down the woman she with whom she was in the ring.  Barry exclaimed, "She's really working the jab on her!"  The violinist won her fight.

I've got about two weeks to try and get the youths at LaFollette prepared for Humboldt Park's boxing show.  I'm going to need a whole lot of patience.

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.

Calmer Times At Simons Park

The boxing show at Simons Park was a much more pleasant experience than what I experienced there last year.  I still get irritated when I think about De-Fetrick's ugly meltdown and the fact the guy walked off with the athletic cup I lent him for his fight.

None of my fighters were there, which was just as well.  The only two who were qualified to go would have been James and Donovan.  KeVonte has some skills, but the kid's attendance has become sporadic.  KeVonte also has a major problem with following and taking direction.  Maz hasn't been back since his bike was stolen the last time he attended class. Some of the kids, like Kewan for example, have taken to showing up late and leaving early if they show up at all.

I spent part of the time at the boxing show working the corner of Jamal, a boy who fights out of Taylor Park.  There was no one from his park to help him out; I don't know why.  Jamal did not win his fight, but he put on a good showing.  I was surprised when the kid who beat Jamal came over to the corner after to fight to shake my hand.  "Thank you!" I told him as I shook his hand.  Sometimes, the boxers in the other corners don't acknowledge me afterward.  I was appreciative of the fact that kid did.

The latter part of the show I spent judging the remaining fights.  The main event was between two adults, a couple of heavyweights named Don and Johnny.   Johnny kept waiting too long on Don to make moves.  Don stepped up and the majority of the punches were on target.  Johnny was clinching Don a lot.  The unanimous decision went to Don.

Friday is sparring day.  I didn't allow any sparring this past Wednesday because the only person prepared to spar was James.  Donovan didn't come in and Jaymerson is not allowed to spar.  As for the other kids, they all showed up late with no explanations nor apologies.  Now I have put down a new law:  when people show up late, they don't get to spar that day.