Boxing program attracts youth off the street

The Chicago Park District has a free boxing program for youth looking to use their hands for something other than playing video games or eating junk food. For those ages 8-17 and a Chicago resident the Gloves Not Guns program is free; for suburban youth t

So far there are 40 youth signed up for the program, which began Jan. 26 and runs to March 1. There are 2,000 youth enrolled in the park district’s year-round boxing program for youth, said Jim Rey, the park district’s manager of health and physical activities, who also coordinates the boxing program.

“Many of the youth in the boxing program are minorities, which consist mainly of Blacks and Hispanics,” he added. Marta Juaniza, assistant press secretary for the Chicago Park District, said the program provides free instruction and coaching and teaches youth the techniques of offense and defense. And while the Gloves Not Guns program is new, the overall boxing program at the park district has been around for 50 years.

“We have always had a boxing program for both youth and adults but this year we teamed up with USA Boxing for the Gloves Not Guns campaign in an effort to attract more kids off the street,” said Rey. “This is not only a way to get kids off the street but to also get them in shape.” There are two introductory boxing clinics available for youth at the park district.

They are from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 23 at Lindblom Park, 6054 S. Damen Ave.; and March 1 at Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph St. Juaniza added that the Chicago Park District’s youth boxing program has produced a number of professionals including Olympians Michael Bennett, David Diaz, Nate Jones, Leroy Murphy and former champion Montell Griffin.

Unlike other sports – like football – boxing is not a team sport so it allows participants to grow individually, Rey added. “Boxing helps improve your foot speed, eye contact and tones up your muscles as well,” he said.

“A lot of teens in the boxing program are on the football, basketball or wrestling team at their school.” Lawrence McFarland, 38, lives in the North Lawndale community on the West Side and said he plans to enroll his son in the next Feb. 23 clinic. “My son is a junior at Westinghouse High School and he sometimes gets into fights with gang bangers.

I do not want my son to get fed up with gangs messing with him and retaliate with a gun,” McFarland said.

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