By BARBARA WALKIN

Senior FN Reporter

barbara@nasguard.com

Boxing will return to the YMCA on a big scale beginning Tuesday, September 8, said 'Y' executives, coaches and administrators of the YMCA Amateur Boxing Program.

Making the announcement this week were Terry Goldsmith, assistant coach and administrator; Nathan Davis, lead coach and Karon Pinder-Johnson, YMCA executive director.

"We will begin on Tuesday, September 8 and classes will be held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday," said Goldsmith, former YMCA executive director.

He noted that on Tuesdays and Thursdays classes will be held between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. and on Saturdays between 10:00 a.m. and 12 noon.

Goldsmith confirmed that the coaching will be led by veteran coach Davis, who has extensive experience in amateur and professional boxing.

He added that the safety of the athletes will take precedence.

"The safety and health of the boxers will be closely monitored to insure their safety," noted Goldsmith.

"Safety is paramount," he reiterated.

"So we look forward to building, as it was in the 1970s and 1980s, when we had the top club in Southern Florida and The Bahamas, when we had most of the Bahamian national champions coming out of Freeport," said Goldsmith.

"Fighters like 'Pretty Boy' Floyd Seymour, Sherman "Tank" Williams, 'Cowboy' Williams and Jervis Rogers ... all these national champions came out of this YMCA, from the YMCA Boxing Club at that time.

"So we look forward to creating a team which we hope will be entered in the Olympics elimination championships over the next couple of years and hopefully get some boxers through to the Olympic Games in London in 2012," said Goldsmith.

Pinder-Johnson noted that the YMCA is "just happy" to once again present boxing to Grand Bahama.

"Boxing is a sport where parents can rest assured that if their children need a little more discipline, this is the sport where that discipline is had."

She said that there are two professionals, Goldsmith and Davis, that will be running the program for the YMCA.

"And we are very pleased that we are able to extend the program free of charge for the first three months at this time," Pinder-Johnson, noting that there will only be a small registration fee of $5 for each participant.

"We just welcome the parents to bring your kids down ... of course, we want to remind parents that it's not just a baby-sitting opportunity, but we are looking for parental support," she added.

"Parental support in any program at the YMCA tends to take it to the next level and when we are dealing with children all stakeholders should be involved," said Pinder-Johnson.

"So we welcome the parents along with their children to come on down and be a part of the YMCA Amateur Boxing Program."

Davis, a former amateur and professional boxer, said that he is taking this opportunity to give back to the young men and women in Grand Bahama.

"I am here as the boxing coach, not only to teach boxing, but discipline," he added.

"If you want your kids to come down to the 'Y' there is no other healthier place, clean environment and professionals to deal with your children."

He explained that boxing is also a character building sport. "Sometimes parents may be afraid for their kids in boxing because it is a contact sport, but we have people that will closely monitor the teaching and sparring sessions."

So, Davis added, "we welcome participants from ages 10 to 35 to come down and join the program."