CHANGE MY LOCATION
Local
California News
Multimedia News
Fighting to stay off the streets
SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY
Related Topics: BALTIMORE
)
Billy Dendy, 16, of Baltimore, left, works out in the ring with his coach, Mack Allison III. Allison runs an after-school program where kids as young as 8 learn how to box. The coaches describe the program as a family for the kids.
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Upton Boxing Facility in West Baltimore trains youths of all ages to throw a good jab, do well in school and stay out of trouble.
The message has many young participants hooked.
“We’ve been waiting here forever,” Jaquon Oakley, 9, said one recent afternoon, when the doors for the after-school program opened at 3:03 p.m instead of 3 p.m.
“They love coming here,” Janice Cherry said, following her two grandchildren, Trey Oakley, 10, and Jaquon into the gym.
“[Upton Boxing has] after-school programs that assist in homework; they have a computer lab, fitness gym and, of course, snacks,” Cherry said. “They even have modern dance lessons for young ladies, so it’s not just boxing.”
Yet boxing brings the boys and the girls — as young as 6 — to the gym every day after school to train.
By 5 p.m., more young fighters arrive, excited for practice. They rush to retrieve headgear and mouthpieces from their X-Men backpacks.
But before warming up they hurry through their homework under the sign that says “No Hooks Before Books.”
Practice begins when coach Mack Allison calls out to start stretching and warming up — 52 jumping jacks, 20 push-ups and 20 laps around the gym.
The fighters joke with their friends as they circle the gym. If they carry on too much, Coach Mack said, he “love[s] to send them over to the corner to read when they’re acting up.”
“We make sure they have their notebooks,” Coach Mack said. “If they don’t have their notebooks, then we’ll send them home. We emphasize education over boxing.”
Upton is not just a training ground for youths who want to box, he said. “Some of the kids just aren’t fighters, so we tell them to come in and just hang out. After practice we play basketball or throw the football around. ... We teach them how to smile.”
“This gym is like a family,” professional fighter Willie Williams said, as young fighters ran behind him in a game of tag. “The kids come in here and have people that care for them. Sometimes we don’t even box at all. We’ll set up the TV and watch movies and eat popcorn.”
More information
» Upton Boxing Facility
1901 Pennsylvania Ave.,
Baltimore
443-984-2588
mmccarron@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
6:09 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 20, 2008 re: "‘Put the guns down,’ boxing coach says"
Report as inappropriate
4:02 PM MST on Mon., May. 12, 2008
re: "Let teens fight it out in the ring?"
Report as inappropriate
6:53 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 25, 2007
re: "“Dream” continues for local boxer"
Report as inappropriate
8:51 AM MST on Tue., Jul. 24, 2007
re: "Jail time offers perspective for ‘The Persecutor’"
Report as inappropriate
African American Woman said:
sounds like a grate idea, back in the day you had a good fight today and lived to laugh about it and become best friends the next day.
4 agree | 2 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Havre De Grace resident with family in Edgewood said:
This would be a great idea. I support you 150%.
2 agree | 2 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Digital Williams said:
Thanks Dave, for your coverage of the Beltway Boxing scene! Nice seeing you at last Friday's card! Keep up the good work!
108 agree | 115 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Digital Williams said:
Hey Ron! Nice meeting you at last Friday's card! Great articles on two solid Beltway prospects. I appreciate your coverage of the Beltway Boxing scene! Keep up the good work!
96 agree | 109 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree