Oops, I did it again

So I’ve been going to the boxing gym again since this past fall. Working out. Sometimes throwing punches at guys where they play defense (did it with a pro this week who’s about to fight a southpaw to get him a refresher on how the angles are different). Even, lately, some light sparring with our coach.

I’m in my early 60s — old, slow, decent but not great shape (I like to say I’m in good shape for the shape I’m in), know a lot of tricks.

And our coach also has encouraged me to do some coaching … show someone something, point out things they can do better or mistakes, etc.

Well, I’ve been to a couple amateur shows where we had guys fighting. Going to a pro show this weekend. But with the amateur shows, we don’t always have a coach there (two younger guys’ mother is certified and she corners them and does it well, but she’s not at the gym teaching) and they just sort of help each other out. It’s not organized.

So I bit the bullet. I went online the other night and registered with USA Boxing and took the mandatory online classes required for coach certification and passed them. Once I clear the background check … I’m a coach again.

My job keeps me busy so I am not at the gym for long hours or every day. Our main coach handles that (he commutes several hours on weekends to be with his woman and their child, so he’s usually around Tuesday-Friday, opening early Friday and leaving in the afternoon, so that cuts out the amateur shows that almost always happen on weekends. It’s his show, but we have two or three other coaches/coach helpers … and now I’m one of them.

I also work a lot of weekends, but it looks like I’m going to be taking over the amateur program. If I’m able to go, I’ll be the lead coach at amateur shows. If not, I’ll be organizing it so we have it figured who is going to be in the corner with whom and such.

There’s another amateur show two weekends from now. My background check should clear by then, so I’ll be making my re-debut if so!

I. Am. Back.