Boxing makes a mark in parks and recreation
By Clarence Thomas, Jr.
Basketball, football, baseball, soccer, and tennis are staples in the sports diets of Americans and are routinely offered through parks and recreation programs. But one sport that’s finally making its mark is boxing.
Referred to as “The Sweet Science” by enthusiasts, boxing’s beginnings can be traced to ancient Iraq, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The sport has since been popularized by renowned sanctioning bodies, notable names, big purses (paychecks), and media blitzes at the professional level that serve as motivation for aspiring athletes interested in participating as bigtime fighters. For parks and recreation programs, however, boxing has become an alternative offering for novices and competitors and can be accessed for little or no cost in municipal-owned facilities, like those in Brownsville, Texas, Columbus, Ohio, and Macon, Ga.