Boxing Snapshot

You're there for hours. It's hot. You're trying to find some small wedge of space to set up two chairs and tape your fighter's hands and try and calm him down and build him up at the same time. While dozens of other fighters and their trainers are all around you trying to do the same. You wait. You warm up. You wait some more. Trying to find that fine edge between warmed up and ready to fight and too anxious. Trying to do the same with four other fighters. Figuring out which of the thirty bouts is in the ring, how many more until one of your guys are up. Getting him gloved up. Finally, one of your kids is called to the ring. He's anxious...no matter if it's his first fight or his whatever number. Bell. Fight. End of the round, in the ring, once again trying to both calm down amd build up. Keep instruction short, to the point. My mantra to my fighters is "relaxed and strong"...that is the zone you're trying to hit. Fight ends. More tension waiting for the decision, assuring your fighter they fought hard and well and its all good no matter what, that judges are impossible to predict. Decision. Win. Loss. On to the next fighter, while trying to deal physically and emotionally with the one who just fought. Four hours. Five hours. Hot. Loud. Crowded. End. Tired beyond words.

And it's glorious. Crammed into the New Shiloh Baptist Church rec hall, our kids (when I say kids,that means younger than me!) fought their hearts out. We won a few,dropped a couple. No matter. I am so proud of each of them and honored they put their trust in me (even if they don't always listen!). Very happy that lots of our other kids showed up to support their mates. As always, the camaraderie of fighters, especially two who just spent the last 20 minutes trying to hurt each other, is something you have to experience. There are huge things you learn about yourself and others in fighting. Important things.