 When All-Marine Boxing Team coach Ron Simms decided to hold a weeklong camp for novices, he did so with a purpose.
“I’d like to see if we can find some people to fill in some of our lighter weight classes,” said Simms. “Maybe some people who never really thought about boxing, but might like to give it a try.”
By all accounts, I was not the kind of camper Simms was hoping for — 37 years old, 15 pounds overweight at 203, and afraid of getting hit in the face (or anywhere else for that matter) — but the coach and his fighters were gracious to a fault as I huffed and puffed through the first Marine Corps Installations-East Boxing Training Camp at Camp Lejeune.
The Feb. 23-27 event drew six campers, including yours truly, and dozens of inquiries from wannabe boxers across the base.
“Every time we get a little publicity, people start calling me, asking about the team,” said Simms. “I even get calls from civilians in Jacksonville who want to know why there isn’t a boxing program for them.”
Unlike those people, I know boxing is not for me. It is an incredibly demanding sport that requires strength, stamina, speed, balance and fearlessness — attributes I do not possess. But, as the sports editor for The Globe newspaper, I felt the camp offered a rare opportunity to glimpse a snap-shot of the dedication it takes to be an All-Marine boxer. Admittedly, my participation was limited to just three out of the nine training sessions. I excused myself for newspaper responsibilities, mostly as a cover story so I could nurse my broken body back at the office.
After our first morning introduction and Simms’ explanation of his goals and expectations, the campers joined the nine team members for stretching, a warm-up jog around the Area 3 Gymnasium, and then two trips around the plyometric exercise circuit.
According to Simms, plyometrics are exercises designed to develop explosiveness and strength — two very important requirements for anyone who dreams of stepping into the ring. Our circuit included lots of jumping, punching and abdominal work. Each participant was paired with an All-Marine boxer, and I was lucky enough to find myself under the guidance of Andre Ramirez, the sixth-ranked amateur featherweight in the nation.
Aside from feeling awkward and slow, my first trip around the circuit was a success. The trouble began at the start of the second round, which, according to my wobbly legs and burning paunch, would be more about survival than finishing with style.
I gratefully declined to show up for the afternoon session, muttering vaguely about the looming newspaper deadline, and limped out of the gym to my cushy office chair.
The next morning I returned, ready to take on the plyometric torture again, only to find the training schedule had us out instead for a brisk, three-mile run and complimentary wind sprints (I finished last).
“How do you feel,” asked Bryant Tune, a rising star in the amateur heavyweight division.
“I feel old,” I said.
Tune responded with a grin. “You’re only as old as you feel.”
Again, I begged off the afternoon workout (deadlines, deadlines, deadlines you know).
Wednesdays at The Globe are indeed deadline days, so I used the legitimate excuse to skip a day of training to rest my weary body and aching muscles that had not been used in years.
For my third and final workout, I joined the camp for the daily boxing workout and was paired with Jimmy Aleszczyk, a 152-pounder who has been with the All-Marine Team for the past three months. Aleszczyk proved to be a patient, thoughtful mentor as he put me through the paces for 12 rounds of throwing jabs, hooks and footwork. Despite my youthful instructor’s kindness, the only thing that kept my rubber band legs and lead weight arms from quitting after the 10th round was Coach Simms’ threat echoing in my head, “If anybody has to stop before we finish, you’re all going to do the whole workout over again.” I hope my fellow campers will appreciate the agony I went through to keep that from happening.
As I reflect on the experience (and continue to apply heating pads to my aching body every night) I know I made the right decision to live a day in the life of an All-Marine boxer. These men have more determination and dedication in their pinky fingers than most folks have in their entire bodies. Better yet, they are gracious in their willingness to share their expertise with anyone who cares to try to keep up with them.
I know I speak for everyone aboard Camp Lejeune when I wish them the utmost success as they represent the Marine Corps in future boxing tournaments across the country and around the globe. I can think of no finer men to carry the Marine Corps flag into competition.
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