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Amro Al Kazimi
English 150
Ms. Blanchette
3/13/2014
1, 2, 3, . 9, 10, Its over!
Everything goes blank, all what I learned in practice goes right out of the window. I get
nervous and I shake real bad, but the adrenaline rush right before you go in there is what keeps
me going. You dont rely on thinking, its just all muscle memory and trying to respond with
movement, describes Olivia Meyer, a sophomore at Iowa State when asked about the feeling
she gets right after stepping in the ring. In case you havent figured it out yet, Im talking about
boxing. I attended the boxing clubs meeting last Thursday and met with team member Meyer
and club president Cody Campbell. Prior to the interview, I had no idea what a great club ISU
boxing is. It combines everything I was looking for in a club: practices that are more than a
chore to go to every week, a fun way to meet new people and make new friends, and an
excellent way to get in shape!
The club started in the late 1900s and their mission is only to get bigger and better.
Campbell, who is a transfer student and currently a senior at ISU, explained that the team is
aligned with the NCBA (National Collegiate Boxing Association) and that they compete with
other schools in the association. Assuming the new members have zero experience, the club
begins training them from the very basics, and depending on how committed and how well they
do, they could go on to compete with others. Campbell added that in order to begin competing
with actual opponents and not a punching bag, they need what is called a passbook, a document
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that states that the player is ready, and more importantly, eligible to compete. The players
evaluated and trained by a coach who is a former college wrestler and has a lot of
experience in boxing. Some of the clubs rules include completing the class that initiates you
into the system where you can begin competing. In addition to that, $60 dues must be paid at the
beginning of the semester. The club has their own designated ring in the basement of State
Gym where they practice three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at 6
p.m. ISU boxing also hosts a fight night where members and non-members can come together
and watch boxers have at it in the ring.
Meyer informed me that she was looking for another sport to play in college because she
had done soccer in high school and wanted to get away from that. She found her passion in
boxing during her freshman year and that was when she started pursuing the sport seriously.
Campbell on the other hand explained that his passion for boxing started before college. When I
was a senior in high school, I had a bag in my basement that I used to pound on to release stress.
But it all became formal when I came down here, he clarifies.
Facing an opponent in the ring, or sparring, can be dangerous and could lead to injuries.
Even though you go through the class to learn how to protect yourself, when you step in the ring,
there is always a possibility of getting an injury. We all get the common injuries like busted lips
and bloody noses. But that is not too bad, Meyer explains. She then added that just last week,
she suffered from a not-so-common tympanic membrane perforation, a blown out ear drum
which she got during a sparring session. Luckily she wont have to miss any boxing time and her
daily practice routine is unaffected. Campbell also explained how the coaches do a terrific job in
ensuring injuries are at a minimum while still reaching high intensity level practices.
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Whether we like to admit it or not, society does label some sports as mens sports vs
womens sports. Upon being asked about that, Meyer agreed that boxing is a predominantly male
sport. When she started boxing, she even had to face opposition from her mother trying to talk
her out of it. She also informed me that most of the new members they have every semester are
guys. However, she believes that society is starting to become more accepting of women playing
boxing as she compared it to men playing volleyball, a sport that is said to be dominated by
women. Campbell, on the other hand, believes that anyone with the proper mindset can do
boxing, regardless of their gender. There are female boxers on the team and the ISU boxing club
does not discriminate based on that. He also adds that boxing is a misinterpreted art. Instead of
it being about fitness and having the right strategy, it is confused with being all about
masculinity.
When asked about why one would choose boxing over any other sport, Campbell
explained that he chose boxing because of the contact. He states, Boxing incorporates
staying fit along with the contact sport and the challenge that I was looking for. The
senior thinks the key to success is sticking with it and attending practices. Boxing is a
different sport, if it fits you, youll know it. Youre not going to be a champ the first day.
Meyer agrees with Campbell and thinks that new members should not be intimidated
because everybody starts new at one point.
The boxing clubs coach also wrestled in college and sparred against some professionals.
Campbell believes that the club benefits immensely from his expertise on contact sport during
the 3-days-a-week practices. On what advice he has for potential members like myself. As for
my experience with the club, I attended a beginners class that was just getting introduced
to the basics. After being informed with all the rules about the club mentioned above, the
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coach went on to explain the steps. It turns out, it is a lot harder than I thought. Starting
with the feet, there is a certain stand that the boxer must stand in which allows for his
easier mobility; pulling your dominant foot in front and tilting both feet at an angle of 45.
Also, the way you hold your arms are significant because they are used to both protect your
face and ribs and to fight back. They then went along to describe the different punching
techniques such as the jab and the hook.
All in all, ISU boxing is certainly a unique club. It has chances for everyone; whether
you just want to learn the beautiful sport or participate in collegiate competition. It is a club for
both guys and girls with danger levels, generally low, but depending on how competitive you
want to play. It has got highly skilled coaches and staff that are willing to work with you for you
to get better. The boxing club is one of those clubs where once it becomes a chore coming to
practices, you know its not for you. However, if you find a passion in boxing, you are in for a
blast!