Veteran of the ring restarts Terre Haute boxing club
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) - George Reedy traded punches in boxing rings all over the country for 25 years, the last 15 as a professional.
Since his retirement as an active pugilist in 1998, he's officiated several pro bouts.
So Reedy, now 60, believes he knows a thing or two about the sport often referred to as the "sweet science."
In February 2016, he re-started a group known as the Terre Haute Boxing Club, which previously existed under different leadership. For the first couple of days, only three members showed up for training sessions at Ryves Youth Center at 1356 Locust St. That number quickly jumped to seven.
"Then it went back down to three because some of them couldn't handle the training," Reedy said.
"I won't let 'em spar or hit the bag for the first two days," he continued. "They've got to know how to throw a punch first. That's how I was trained. How can you learn anything if you're getting the hell beat out of you?"
Now Reedy has 10 members, mostly youngsters with a couple adults. Seven of them are planning to compete in the Indiana Golden Gloves amateur tournament, which is taking place every Thursday evening through April 13 inside Indianapolis' Tyndall Armory.
Four THBC competitors have three-round matches lined up for March 30 and two others are preparing for April 6 matches. A female member, Kiara Morse, is hoping another Indiana female will enter so that she'll have a match as well.
For March 30, Reedy will be guiding Trey Steadman (95-pound weight class), Jose Kennedy (119), Damean Aguilar (135) and Eli Joy (100). On April 6, Archie Steadman (165) and 39-year-old B.J. Steadman (undecided on class) will be competing. Trey Steadman and Joy already have 2016 Silver Gloves state championships under their belts.
Aguilar is 15 and Joy is 13. Both Sarah Scott Middle School eighth-graders are glad they took up boxing six months ago.
"I've learned how to defend myself and I feel like I'm getting somewhere in life because boxing can take you places," Joy said. "Before I started this, I mainly stayed at home and was bored a lot of the time."
"It really helps me relieve my stress and anger," Aguilar mentioned. "I've learned everything from George. I used to think I knew how to fight until I came to boxing (sessions) and I learned a lot. I've learned how to defend myself and box. I like my left hook now. It's gotten stronger than it's ever been before, .. and I like dodging a lot of punches."
Joy and Aguilar think their boxing skills have developed tremendously since they started.
"I've got a good coach here," Joy noted. "I've developed more than I thought I would."
Joy's goal for the Golden Gloves tournament is to win the championship in his weight class.
"I'd say I'm good at just about everything, especially moving my head and staying away from punches," he assessed. "I don't think my opponent will be ready for that."
"I would love a knockout," Aguilar said from his perspective, but he'll take a victory any way possible.
If anyone else - ages 8 to 40 - wants to work out with the THBC, call Ryves Youth Center at 812-232-1447 or show up at Ryves Youth before a free training session at 5:15 p.m. Monday, Wednesday or Thursday.
Ryves Youth Center contains six heavy bags but no ring (although one is expected by this summer). Reedy made sure to praise Ryves program director Jim Edwards for allowing training sessions to take place inside the building.
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Source: (Terre Haute) Tribune-Star, http://bit.ly/2mwJHyH
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Information from: Tribune-Star, http://www.tribstar.com