Ringside with the CGA Boxing Team
Thursday, April 20, 2006
by Cadet Hermie Mendoza, ’07
All the lights were dimmed except for the ring lights. The music was ready. The ring was ready. The fighters were ready. Yet the crowd that night felt uneasy and unusually quiet. There was no bantering or cheering for the fighters, but rather there was the low mumblings and murmurs of not knowing what was going to happen. Amongst the quiet conversations, the crowd rustled their pamphlets in anticipation and skepticism. What was going to happen?
[Photo Caption: Sizing each other up?]
Before the crowd could even have time to comfortable relax, the music began blaring and ushering the quiet excitement. Fighters emerged in full regalia: hand wraps, boxing gloves, mouthpieces, headgear, and trunks. Behind the fighters marched and stood the coaches, poised and composed. This was the beginning — an ushering of a new era for Coast Guard Boxing.
Coast Guard Boxing roots lay in the famous boxers of yesteryear. Names like Burton Gilliam, Bill Packer, Lew Jenkins and Jack Dempsey twinkled in the marquees; these boxers packed the warehouses and arenas like modern day boxers such as Roy Jones Jr. and Erik Morales. Nowadays the history and legacy of Coast Guard boxing lies in the hands of those individuals in the CGA Boxing team.
The legacy of CGA Boxing was rejuvenated on February 25, 2006, with the introduction of a dazzling series of fights amongst team members. This spectacular event was the creation of Cadet David Smith, ’06 , due to the team’s need for a culmination for their very competitive and exciting season. Initially, Cadet Smith envisioned the fights to showcase the team’s boxers and to be a low-key show for community. However, CDR James Sylvester, ’71, who as President of the Alumni Association is in charge of the Alumni Center on campus, eagerly approved the idea and suggested that the fights occur during the weekend of the musical in order to attract the Alumni in the area. With CDR Sylvester’s support, Cadet Smith’s dream became reality and transformed into a spectacular fighting event.
According to Cadet Smith, such an upgrade in an event is very significant in that plans had to be made to ensure a smooth fighting event. Even more startling was the fact that such an event had not occurred at the Academy since the last great CGA Boxing team of yesteryear. Consequently, the amount of hard work put into organizing the event at Meade Gym, or the boxing gym in the Alumni Center, was enormous. For example, flyers had to be made to advertise about the event, furniture was needed and set up for the guests, a sound system was installed for a more authenticate atmosphere, and medical staff had to be coordinated just in case for emergencies.
Besides the difficulty of organizing such a big event, it was even harder to find volunteers to make and ensure the fights were successful. But many friends and fellow team members stepped up to the plate to help. From Sara McGuigan, ’08 , handling the sound system to Pete Vermeer, ’06 , taping each fight to Alex Yuille, ’06 , taking pictures to Brian Henderson, ’09 , creating the pamphlets while Brad Clemons, ’06 , organized sign-up sheets for boxing t-shirts, the outpouring of help from fellow team members and cadets significantly contributed to the success of the fights. In addition, Coach George Lopez and Coach Tom Barile played another important part by proving the running commentary, the announcements and introductions for each round, and coaching their fighters in their spare time amongst their busy personal lives. More importantly, LCDR Diaz-Rosario was the Master of Ceremony for the evening. He also coordinated much of the event’s logistics. From the approval of the chain of command to the awards given for CDR Sylvester and CDR Kermit Meade, ’51 , a prime donator to the CGA Boxing team; he has supported the team from day one.
Along with the deluge of help, the success of this spectacular event also lays in the jabs, hooks, and uppercuts of the fighters. These boxers fought with their heart and soul and itched the crowd onto their feet. The once quiet room quickly transformed into the bantering, yelling, and cheering often seen in the large boxing arenas. No one in the crowd knew that this would happen, but that is the reason why boxing is so electrifying.
Once all the awards had been given, compliments and praise were dished out freely from the Alumni such as CAPT Wisniewski and CDR Sylvester like the ice packs the fighters would need later. That day was not only special for the fighters but it was also special for those in the crowd — the Alumni, the supporters, the professional boxers, and the cadets — who witnessed a reawakening of sound bodies and sound minds. That day will forever be the day that CGA Boxing was rejuvenated, renewed, and restored into the hearts of the cadets and the Alumni. The restoration of CGA Boxing was important in fashioning a new bond from the hand wraps and sweat between the Alumni and cadets, but it will cease if this spectacular event does not continue to be held annually.
Regardless of all the cuts and bruises from that day or what the future has in store for the CGA Boxing team, boxing will continue to be beautiful and inspire cadets. And those cadets who have experienced the exhilaration of boxing know for certain that they have changed. The beauty of boxing is not in the punches and fancy footwork — it is in the fighter’s ability to conquer his or her worst fears. |