Back row (Adults): Bill Demmer, Moses Manuel, Kevin Shacks, Olga Barabanova, Aaron Easley and Bob EveryFront row: Tyree Vick, Kenyatta Gee, Tommy Vick, Rashawn Vick
This photo is courtesy of the Lansing/Dewitt Sunrise Rotary Club
By Deborah M. Walker
Crown Boxing Club of Lansing is more than just boxing. A refuge for youths, Crown Boxing Club offers a great place to hang out, while teaching youngsters important life lessons said Bob Every, Executive Director for Crown Boxing Club of Lansing.
“My main focus is to get kids off the streets and give them an alternative to extracurricular activities that are good and wholesome,” said Every.
Started in 1976 by Every, Crown has gone through several name changes, however, its fundamental values have remained the same. Already a boxer, Every said he wanted to make the transition into management and pass on the legacy of commitment that was given to him.
“I was a boxer myself and I grew up around the mid-Michigan area. I was involved in a program that was nationwide called the Golden Gloves,” said Every.
The Golden Gloves boxing organization was started back in the 1920’s Every said. Back then every community had a boxing program. This was because of the large influx in immigrants after WWI and WWII. Cities needed a safe recreation to keep youths out of gangs and off the streets and boxing was it.
Every said he began boxing at the age of 15 and competed for about 10 years. According to Every, he stopped boxing to go onto college and get his degree. Not wanting to give up boxing all together, he went on to become a coach. Every said he coached for an organization called Capital Caravan, who hosted the Shriners Circus and Golden Gloves Boxing.
“It was basically an organization where fathers were Shriners and sons became Shriners, their son’s sons became Shriners. As we got more towards where we are today, less and less people were joining the Shrine,” said Every.
Because the number of participants dropped the Capital Caravan decided to make a choice. For financial reasons the Golden Gloves boxing was dropped. Not wanting to see boxing leave the area, Every stepped in and that is how he got into the management side of boxing.
Every said there are many benefits to a wholesome sports program. Fundamental values learned in boxing are the core characteristics to being a productive citizen. Boxing teaches more than just throwing a punch or dodging a blow; it teaches youths how to survive.
“The components that are involved in the sport are generally the components that every citizen or human being needs to really go forward in life. It develops confidence, it develops work ethic, it also develops the experience with working with people and how to get along with people,” said Every.
Bobby Leija, boxer at Crown Boxing Club of Lansing, said boxing has changed his life and given him more opportunities than he could have ever imagined.
“It’s brought me a long way because I was into a lot of bad stuff when I was young. I finished school because of the gym. They told me if I didn’t graduate I couldn’t come back. I got a high school diploma, I got an Associate’s degree in Construction Management,” said Leija.
“It’s just a good environment. It’ll keep you out of trouble. It keeps kids off the streets. Plus, I like to work out and you can’t get into trouble for fighting here,” said Leija.
Leija said he has been boxing for half of his life. He started when he was 14 and now at 28 Leija boasts a near perfect boxing record only having lost 2 fights in his career.
Every said it is important to give back to the community. Helping others is something he values and has worked hard to do; when people give back to the community everyone benefits. Every said he was just doing his job.
“I think people like me who feel like there is something to give back to the community and they feel a need to give back to the community in a way that somebody from the community gave to them when they were young. People generally pick out what they are good at doing and they offer that up to the community. I was good at organizing boxing. I was good at teaching boxing and so it was a logical choice for me to give back to the community in that way,” said Every.
Every said over the years he has seen many breakout fighters come through his doors. According to Every, some boxers have gone from amateur boxing to professional boxing because of their level of skill; these fighters realized at the amateur level, Golden Gloves, that they were ready for more. However, even with natural talent it takes commitment and a strong work ethic to make it to the next stage.
“I think we all aspire to achieve to our greatest height that we can,” said Every. “You can only do so much with what God gave you, but sometimes God gives people a lot. I’ve had boxers that have fought for world championships. I’ve had boxers that have fought, and won, national championships,” said Every.
Every has strived to make it in the boxing world. He was on the 1967 American boxing team and in 1968 he fought in the Olympic trials.
Every said it is up to the fighter to determine his or her success in boxing. His goal has been to make sure the opportunity to succeed is available for all fighters he said. Although some goals are loftier than others, all participants should have the chance to follow their dreams.
“The whole idea is that through your participation in boxing you kind of find your way. There are some people that are involved in boxing and boxing like any sport that you want to be the best at requires tremendous dedication,” said Every.
To show off that talent, Every said Crown Boxing Club of Lansing does host events although it has been a while since an event has taken place. Crown Boxing Club has put on an array of amateur and professional boxing events. Spanksgiving, a boxing event that used to be hosted by Crown Boxing Club, used to be held at the old Lansing Armory. The show was called Spanksgiving because it was held the day after Thanksgiving.
“We had many of those shows in the past. The general public loves them. They love to come and watch the local kids box,” said Every.
According to Every, the Lansing Dewitt Sunrise Rotary helped out a great deal with Spanksgiving. They supplied all of the products for the concession stand during Spanksgiving and even supplied all of the workers. All of the proceeds were donated back to Crown Boxing Club.
“Those are the types of people and service groups that get involved and really make sure that Lansing is a great place to live for kids and a great place for kids growing up,” said Every.
Crown Boxing Club even has something for the little ones. In the past boxers had to be at least 10 years of age. That has changed now boxers as young as 8 years old can sign up.
Safety is a top priority for boxers. Because of this, age and weight, restrictions are placed on boxers. There is no more than a 4 or 5 pound weight difference between combatants to make sure that the fight is equal from a physical standpoint.
“USA boxing, who is the governing body of amateur boxing in the country, set up and regulate boxing through these various rules that they implement,” said Every. “They make it as safe as they possible can given that this is a contact sport.”
If a boxer does get hurt in the ring there is insurance provided by USA Boxing. The insurance is included in the $50 a year registration fee. For example, if a boxer breaks his hand in the ring and needed a cast, AIG insurance would cover the cost at no charge to the boxer as long as the boxer was registered with USA Boxing.
Although Crown Boxing Club does not charge a fee, each fighter must pay the registration fee if they want to be a part of the USA Boxing tournaments.
For parents looking to get more involved with the program at Crown Boxing Club, participation is welcome although limited. Parents can sign up to be spectators or transporters. Parents are not allowed to come into the gym and take part in the coaching, although they can observe. Sometimes parents are needed to bring boxers to matches out of town, in that case they can be utilized in that way said Every.
“We open our gym up and allow parents to come in and watch their kid train. We think it’s healthy for them to see the type of work that their youngsters are doing,” said Every.
The boxing world has changed a lot over the years said Every. Today, women boxers are just as important as men. Women are no longer reserved for diner cookers or dishwashers said Every. Women have a mind of their own and want to compete in sports too.
Olga Barabanova, boxer at Crown Boxing Club, said she is glad that the sport has changed and women are now given a chance.
“There is no difference between men and women,” Barabanova said. “We do have certain rules, certain weight categories you haft to be in all the time… now we have the same opportunity as a man does.”
Barabanova is just as disciplined about boxing as any man she said. She sets limits for herself and is mindful of her daily routine, which is important in boxing.
“I’m always in shape,” said Barabanova. “I do have rules, my own rules. I do have certain foods which I can eat and some that I cannot. I always watch what I’m doing daily.”
Barabanova gave some words of advice. Always control yourself and watch out for the dirty fighters that are out there she said. There are fighters who use elbows and other illegal moves to hurt their opponent. Barabanova said it is important to play by the rules.
Every said his coaches keep Crown Boxing Club running smoothly. Coaches Arron Easley and Moses Manuel are competent and able to run the club whether he is there or not.
“In an environment like ours where contact sports is a regularity, you have to be careful, you have to have somebody you can trust to do the right thing in every situation,” said Every.
Easley is not only the head coach at Crown Boxing Club; he is a teacher as well. Easley said he uses his education and experience to help keep youngsters on the right track. He enjoys passing on good life experiences and being a role model for the younger generation.
“It motivates me to stay involved. Seeing the young kids come in and being able to help them to become productive citizens and learn a little about the sport of boxing and about themselves,” said Easley.
According to Easley, boxing builds up self-esteem. Over time students naturally build up their confidence and become more assertive and outgoing.
“We have lots of kids that come in just wandering in from the neighborhood. They may hold their heads down for a week or two and then once Coach Moses and I get to know them pretty well, they start to act a little different. They start to get involved in the sport. They become more confident in themselves and their abilities, they transform into different people.”
Each of the coaches brings something different to the organization said Every. Manuel’s experience with the Armed Forces gives him a unique approach to dealing with youths they perhaps could not find someplace else.
“Moses is a career military man. He has a great rapport with these kids in ways that maybe Hawk and I can’t… Having that military experience here helps,” said Every.
Leija said Moses is like a father to him. The two even attend church together. Leija said Crown Boxing Club is one happy family.
Every said he has to thank John and Bill Demmer for making Crown Boxing Club possible. Every said he approached Bill Demmer in 1991 about possibly helping him find a location for the boxing club. Demmer stepped in and provided Every with a building. Since opening Demmer has never charged the club for utilities, heat, or rent.
Every said his future plans is to stay open. According to Every, boxing is timeless. What youngsters go through form generation to generation may be different; there are some basic human elements that never change.
“The gym that we provide serves the same purpose today as it served 40 years ago when we got started. It’s our intention to stay open to allow kids to utilize our facilities, to be a part of our program and give us the opportunity to teach them some of the life skills that they’re going to need to have to be a better citizen in the community that they live in,” said Every.
For more information about the Crown Boxing Club of Lansing, give them a call at 517-367-0100 or stop by 1010 Ballard Street, Lansing, MI 48906.
