San Bernardino Boxing Club Helps Teach Young Children Valuable Life Lessons

Sports aren’t just good exercise. They also teach children valuable lessons in life.

In San Bernardino, many are learning those lessons at MTC boxing club, where coaches are also helping them stay away from gangs.

However, the club is having financial problems and the owner is hoping a weekend boxing show will keep the kids in the ring and off the streets.

At the boxing club, kids are taught how to fight, but more importantly they are learning valuable life lessons including honesty, dependability and responsibility.

“Better their education, mainly that’s what we mainly look for to get an education,” Kimmy Quiroz, the owner of MTC gym, said. 

Quiroz has been teaching kids boxing for more than 20 years.  His other main goal is to keep them away from gangs.

The 73-year-old was once a gang member in his younger days.

“I talk to all the kids and tell them what I went through. I tell them you can go one way or straight ahead, one or the other,” Quiroz said. “If you go off track then you are going to be getting in a lot of trouble.”

The gym is located at Victory Outreach Church.

Pastor Ralph Jacquez says the MTC boxing gym is shaping young lives and producing good citizens.

“I had a break down on my car, a young gentleman who owns his own tow truck company I shared with him I’m a minister at Victory Outreach Church and he says ‘you know I grew up at that boxing gym that’s right there in the church and that helped me to stay out of trouble and not get caught up with all my friends were doing,’” Jacquez said.

The gym operates on a very small budget.

Quiroz says he doesn’t charge parents a lot because he knows money is tight for many people in this lower income community.

“Enough for them so their parents can afford it,” Quiroz said. 

A lot of the equipment needs to be replaced, but Quiroz says unfortunately they don’t have the money for it.

To help with some of their financial issues, the club is holding a boxing show fundraiser at the gym on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Admission is $15, but for children five and under admission is free.

“We’re going to have 23 bouts.. they’re all competition bouts.. we welcome all boys and girls to come out,” Coach Marcella Carrillo said. 

The money raised will help pay for new equipment and travel expenses for out of state competitions.

“The money runs out real quick when you go to these big tournaments back in Kansas, Missouri,” Quiroz said. 

And according to the kids who come here to learn more than just boxing, it’s worth every single penny.

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“I started doing a lot better in school, I started behaving more,” Marisa Martinez, a boxer at MTC gym, said. “It keeps me out of trouble.”