I received this email on April 22, 2005. If there are any viewers with knowledge of boxing that can volunteer to help her
with her gym, it would be appreciated. She is looking for volunteers in the Washington, DC area. The gym is located in Montgomery
County, Maryland. Viewers around the world who would like to volunteer advice, I am sure she would appreciate your support.
topics: HELP!
What you should add to your website is how to get retired boxers off
their butt and out helping kids learn the sport.
For two years now, I have been coaching between 10-14 young people in
the sport of boxing. I took out a loan on my house and bought speed
bags, heavy bags, double end bags, jump ropes, mouth guards, gloves,
headgear, groin protectors, breast protectors.... and weights....and
wraps...and video tape...and this and that. The only problem, I don't know a
dang thing about boxing and no one will help me.
The kids I coach are society's rejects. They been cast aside because
come from poor families or they have Spanish last names or they're
failing ins school or they've had a run in with the law.
No matter where they've come from, they've landed in my home, in my
basement, in my make shift gym. Clearly they want to be here because they
keep coming back.
The only problem with all of this is that I do not know a thing about
boxing and I can't afford to take them clear across the state to the
Sugar Ray Leonard Gym in Landover Maryland so we do our best with what
we've got.
I need help. I need a boxer with experience to help me coach these
young people. They are committed to their training; we train twice a
week...now three times since three of them will have their first fight in
July 2005.
If boxing is the hook that keeps these 10-14 kids off the streets, out
of trouble and away from the drug seen, then all I really need is
someone to teach them how to box. I've taken them as far as I can on what
little I know.
Darline D.H. Bell-Zuccarelli
JAB BOXING ACADEMY
307 Woodland Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Phone/Fax: 301-869-3864
MY RESPONSE:
Hi Darlene:
You should be commended on helping the children. We need more people like you to help our kids that have gone astray.
I will post your email on my website. I will ask boxing instructors, retired or otherwise to help you in your quest.
I think you should turn your home gym into a non-profit business. This way, you can earn a salary for
helping the children and to receive donations from individuals and organizations.
I will post a link on the page of books on how to set up a non-profit business at the end of the article. I will
add you to my newsletter list on boxing business news to help you. There are plenty of retirees that are looking for
something to do. There are lots of would be coaches that will help you out of the goodness of their heart. I think
some of the best sources to advertise for volunteer coaches would be the local county newspapers, the Washinton Post Newspaper,
The Washington Times and The Washington City Paper. Since you are doing this for charity and no profit. They have
sections in the papers set aside for charitable organizations to advertise for free!
Feel free to email me any time for assistance.
Sincerely,
Mike Ballard, The Business of Boxing
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