Silver Gloves Stars Shine THIS Weekend

January 9, 2010

Tournament features the “Best of the West”

Forget about the rest, this weekend’s 27th Annual Silver Gloves Regional Tournament will showcase the “Best of the West” in amateur boxing! The USA Boxing tournament’s semi-finals are TODAY at 6 p.m., with the finals held TOMORROW, Sunday at 11 a.m.

As a supporter of both amateur and pro boxing, I encourage you to check out the non-stop action from the young, but tough, boxers from California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico. If you’re in the Los Angeles area today and tomorrow, come out and see for yourself America’s fresh crop of future stars in the ring.

With the age range from just 10 years old through early teens, both boys and girls from the surrounding states will be lacing up in this advancing tournament. The prize is a berth on the Regional Team, which gets you an advance pass to the National Silver Gloves Tournament held next month in Independence, Missouri.

Starting with Thursday’s registration, these dedicated junior, intermediate and senior boxers (and their coaches and family) have all dedicated so much hard work and sacrifices just to get to this point.

You’ve heard of “soccer moms”? Well, on the amateur boxing circuit, I often meet whole “boxing families” that support their little pugilists. And I always enjoy talking to the boxers, their parents and coaches. The parents are not overbearing, showbiz types that push their children toward fame and fortune.

You gotta remember it’s boxing–a highly-disciplined sport where hard work is the priority. So the child has to really want this for themselves if they are going to reach their goals.

While meeting the pint-sized punchers, I can see that desire and hope in their bright eyes. It’s unmistakable. The passion they have for boxing is what steers them to continue to the next level. In amateur boxing, there are so many plateaus to reach before their main goal: The Olympics. And after realizing that dream, they have hopes for a successful pro career.

But for the skilled youngsters I met during this tournament, they already know their dreams are still a long decade away.

So with passbooks in hand, they patiently wait to check in, register and head over to study the matchup board to see when they will be fighting. It’s a full schedule for these weekend warriors with Preliminaries, Semi-Finals and Finals taking place in this Region VIII competition.

But kids being kids, there is also plenty of free time for fun.

I met up with a group of 10-13 year olds from Colorado who couldn’t contain their excitement after landing in sunny SoCal.

“It’s three degrees where we live!” one boy exclaimed. Some were wearing shorts and thin cotton shirts, attire that wouldn’t work well in the altitude of snowy Colorado. The foursome I got to know are from the Delgado Boxing Club and the Backyard Brawlers. The boys are so cute and charming, but at that age they probably don’t want to be called “cute” as they were all very proud of their toughness in and out of the ring. Already experienced on the canvas, they ticked off their list of accomplishments and championships already won.

One of the kids, Gabriel Garcia, age 10, then showed me some of his slick moves as he shadowboxed, complete with sound effects. I asked him who his favorite fighters are. “Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Pacman, Shane Mosley and Miguel Cotto!” he replied. “But ‘Money’ is my very favorite.” Garcia, who already sports some bling in his earlobe, then did his best Mayweather moves for us.

Their coach Jeff Byrd laughed as he watched over the pack of boys. He also told me the children got to take a road trip to the beach before their Silver Gloves arrival.

My new little friend Gabriel reverted back to being just a kid again as he proudly pulled a seashell out of his pocket for me to admire. One of his pals chimed in that he found a silver dollar on the shore too. They are really enjoying their extended holiday vacation, while still hoping to bring home a first-place trophy.

Coach Byrd has been around amateur boxing for a while. His son can be looked upon as a mentor to these young athletes. Nineteen-year-old Louie Byrd is a 2008-2009 Golden Gloves Champ and even went to Russia where he won a championship there too.

The traveling, camaraderie, experience of the competition is a great opportunity for these boys and girls. Some of the boxers tell me that not only was it their first trip out to California, it was their very first plane ride ever!

“That’s what it’s about,” Joe Zanders, Director of the West Coast Region, relays to me. “That is what we want for these kids–the experience, the competition, their development. They get to learn while traveling all over.”

Burgeoning friendships are also part of the competition. “The kids think they’re enemies, but they become friends,” Joe explains. “These same kids who fight later become teammates when they go the National Championships. Then they’re together on the same team!”

Zanders has been involved with USA Boxing for 36 years, overseeing eight states in the region. “It’s an interesting challenge, but I really enjoy it,” he adds. “And in the last 17 years, we’ve had a National Team title 15 years out of those.”

Joe is just one of the countless individuals who are fully committed to supporting amateur boxing. In the L.A. area, I see many of the same faces at various shows, all of whom are just as dedicated to the sport as Zanders. USA Boxing’s Dick Jones, Greg Fajardo, Delilah Rico and Elisa S. Fajardo were already set up, well organized and rarin’ to go when registration opened up and are mainstays at local amateur shows and tournaments.

Boxing really is a family affair for many of its loyal supporters. Fajardo had his two-year-old son Jerry in tow, and he shows me that the toddler already has his own custom boxing trunks that somebody made for him! He holds up tiny black satin trunks as we all laugh at the baby’s new outfit.

And Rico’s teen daughter, Denise, is an amateur standout and a role model for young girls. Now with women’s boxing entering the 2012 Olympics, these are “make it or break it” years for both the girls and boys.

On the long matchup boards, there was also a lone board with to the right that held yellow name slips. The white slips were for male boxers and the yellow strips were for female fighters. Standing nearby was Leslie Saldana, a local 15-year-old, was waiting to see who her opponent would be.

She is trained by Stan Ward, a former pro heavyweight who fought Ron Lyle and Mike Weaver who was also George Foreman’s sparring partner. Leslie was with her father and another female fighter, pro boxer Jennifer “The Razor” Barber. Jennifer, a super featherweight, has spent many amateur days patiently waiting it out at the tournaments, just like Leslie. But she is now proof that all the hard work pays off. Barber is a 2007 NABF Champion with a pro career of nine victories with four knockouts.

During this weekend’s finals, remember that while you watch the bouts with all the different age groups, safety is always the top priority during the matches. Wearing protective head gear, tank tops and larger-ounce gloves, the small sluggers also fight in shorter rounds, while still hoping to get the judges’ decision. Amateur style of fighting is very different than the pros, but the heart, will and determination is at a purely professional level.

And Los Angeles has turned out many Olympians through the decades, including Gold Medalists Oscar De La Hoya (1992 Barcelona Games) and Paul Gonzales (1984 Los Angeles Games). Other local superstars are Shane Mosley (1992 Olympic trials) and Fernando Vargas (1996 Atlanta Games). And if you want even more proof that this town breeds contenders–L.A.’s own Shawn Estrada and Javier Molina were both members of 2008 Beijing Olympics who have now gone on to successful pro careers!

So keep an eye on all the Silver Glove participants this weekend…you never know who the NEXT Olympic star will be!