It was my day off today with the key word being "day". I pretty much lounged around the house today until about 5pm. And as my run finished so did the day... and so did my day off apparently. I had just arrived home when text messages started flooding my phone. One was from one of my mini-Hulkies, asking if I was going to train with her tonight, another was from Snickers telling me it was getting busy at Hulk's and another was from a new members. So on that note, I quickly showered, cooked up a mean dish of spicy chicken, whole wheat pasta and laced up my runners to then run to Hulk's. Thirty-six minutes, a record time to do all that.
My food hadn't really been given any time to settle or digest in my tummy but I had to get to the club. And it was a good thing too, me showing up that is. By 8pm Hulk's was buzzing with Hulkies training and the energy was awesome -- love the energy that comes with a packed Hulk's. At our busiest point tonight, I counted 26 people in the club. I couldn't help but giggle over the fact that this "problem" -- us being so busy with so many members -- would never have and could never have occurred at UP (our previous boxing club). You'd be lucky if you could have six people at once skipping there.
With a big club comes big expenses but also big opportunity for big crowds to come out to training. So as long as the big crowds come the big bills are covered.
We had two new young guys join tonight -- good friends and both in their mid 20's. And when they entered the club and approached me at the juice bar, I could just feel their excitement and energy. People give off energy and some people just bring such positive energy -- it's contagious. As it turns out, one of them speaks English so my excitement with meeting them totally went up a thousand notches. They were new to boxing but already after only one beginner lesson tonight, they wanted to spar. Talk about holy enthusiastic energy!!! I ended up pairing them up with the Chicken Godfather's son and both of them went a round with him, one even managed to go two rounds, bit both ended totally exhausted! It was as hilarious as it was impressive to see these two young energetic guys step into the ring after just learning the simple 1-2. Their punches were wild and their footwork was as scattered and wild as their hooks but you had to give it to them for even stepping into the ring. Mad props to them.
I only anticipated staying until 9pm, two hours, but we had a steady stream of Hulkies showing up to train and at 11:30pm we still had ten members exercising. What a night, that's all I can say. It's nights like this that really reiterate why I do what I do, why the struggle to do it, and it really refreshes my love for boxing. UP Boxing Club's motto is "Like the first time" and tonight I really saw the first time enthusiasm and awesome energy in those who came tonight, particularly in those two young guys -- the "Byung Cheon Duo" as they are now referred to as.
Our club motto is "better than yesterday" and while I really try to live my live according to this and push my members to try harder, be better and realize they are so much stronger and healthier than yesterday, it's nice to see parts of UP, like their motto, reveal themselves in how I view, react and appreciate our club and its members. I may no longer be apart of UP Boxing Club but it most definitely is still a part of who I am.
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