Saw this update in the Los Angeles Times. Link is here.
[Updated at 11:27 a.m.: Patricia Manuel iced her injured right shoulder late Monday but after she awoke Tuesday in greater pain, she and trainer Robert Luna elected to withdraw from the double-elimination tournament rather than risk further injury. “I’m sorry my story ends like this,” Manuel wrote in a text message.]
Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day Two, 2/14/2012!
Women's Boxing Olympic Trials, The 24! Credit: Sarah Deming/Huffington Post
For those of you who tuned into the live video stream, you got to watch some very exciting boxing last night! We’re talking all the drama of a prize-fight with some surprising outcomes such as Franchon Crews‘ loss to Claressa Shields, 31-19. Of course, being a New Yorker, I was cheering on Christina Cruzand was not disappointed. She fought a terrific four-round bout against Virginia Fuchsdefeating her 15-12. One thing that came shining through was the caliber of the boxing! The competitors truly “brought it” last night!
Tiara Brown (r) & N'yteeyah Sherman arriving at Northern Quest Resort, Credit: USA Boxing
The brackets have been set for this week’s historic competition.
The four top seeds are the four top finishers from the 2011 USA Boxing National Championships held last summer. According to USA Boxing, the “unseeded boxer each drew a ping pong ball to determine her opening round opponent in the historic event at Sunday’s manual draw.”
That is pretty heady stuff indeed with the action set to begin tonight with a total of twelve bouts starting at 7:00 PM tonight Pacific Time.
Request for on-air voices during the Olympic Team Trials!
Women's Amateur Boxing, Credit: USA Boxing
The following has been forwarded to Girlboxing from Christy Halbert, USA Boxing and the folks at WNYC.org who will be airing a radio show every day this week to coincide with with Olympic Team Trials! Please answer the call!!! Please also be sure and subscribe to the podcasts here!
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Dear current and former boxers and coaches,
We want your help! This is not a plea for money – it’s a plea for your voice. As you know, this year women will box for the first time in the Olympic games. We want you to tell us what you’re thinking, feeling, and remembering.
Women Box: Fighting to Make History is a radio, photography, and web project (from WNYC Radio, the NPR affiliate in New York City) exploring the lives and minds of women boxers – especially those competing for a spot on the very first U.S. women’s Olympic boxing team. Our website, www.wnyc.org/womenbox includes beautiful photographs of women boxers, radio stories and interviews that take listeners inside their lives and minds, a Q&A with Coach Christy Halbert (head of USA Boxing’s Task Force on Women), and more.
Our work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, on NPR’s All Things Considered and Weekend Edition Sunday, as well as on WNYC Radio and www.wnyc.org/womenbox.
We will be airing a radio show (via podcast and the internet) everyday the week of February 13th as the women’s boxing Olympic trials take place outside of Spokane, Washington.
We want your voice on our show AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
It’s very easy – just call 646-829-4064 and simply leave us a voicemail message. We need your name and its spelling, a brief introduction to who you are (especially in the boxing world), and your thoughts and feelings this year (or this week or this moment) as young women from all over the country begin to compete for a spot on the first women’s Olympic boxing team. We also need your phone number, so we can call you back with any questions.
Your message may last for at least three minutes (it may also be as short and sweet as you desire). If you get cut off and need more time, feel free to call back and continue. If you have a land line (instead of a cell phone), please use it!
At least some part of your message will be incorporated into our broadcast at some point next week. You’ll find the audio of each episode on our website – www.wnyc.org/womenbox.
Please take a few minutes to call us as soon as you have a moment. We will only be able to incorporate messages that come in within the next few days. We look forward to hearing from you!
Marianne McCune, Reporter for WNYC Radio
and Sue Jaye Johnson , Photojournalist
Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials set to begin, February 13, 2012!
USA Boxing 2011 National Championships, Credit: USA Boxing
There will be just 24 women competing, 24 women who have worked harder than they ever thought possible to gain the right to compete in the first-ever Women’s United States Boxing Team Olympic Trials. Set to run for six short days from February 13-19, 2012, the women who represent the best that elite women’s boxing has to offer will once again, box their hearts out for one of three Olympic weight divisions spots that will see them go on to the 2012 Women’s World Championship Olympic qualifier in China this coming May.
Set to compete at the Northern Quest Resort in Airway Heights, Washington, just outside of Spokane, these resilient competitors representing the Pan American Games, USA Boxing National Championships, Golden Gloves Championships and National PAL Championships, have not only fought hard-won competitions, but the long odds of battling through the lingering doubts about the sport and whether women should fight at all. Still, they have all come to do battle, and to a person, shall be shouting out a mantra of “I want to win.”
Win or lose, these women should remain forever in our hearts as the champions they truly are! THEY ARE THE CHAMPIONS!
U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Women’s Boxing Qualified Athletes
Flyweight/112 lbs
1. Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y. (Pan American Games representative)
2. Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas (USA Boxing National Championships)
3. Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md. (USA Boxing National Championships)
4. Cynthia Moreno, Phoenix, Ariz. (Golden Gloves Championships)
5.Virginia Fuchs, Kemah, Texas (National PAL Championships)
6. Alex Love, Monroe, Wash. (National PAL Championships)
7. Taversha Norwood, Marietta, Ga. (National PAL Championships)
8. Latonya Wingate (King), Harrison Township, Mich. (National PAL Championships)
Lightweight/132 lbs 1. Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash. (Pan American Games representative)
2. Tiara Brown, Lehigh, Fla. (USA Boxing National Championships)
3. Lisa Porter, Northridge, Calif. (USA Boxing National Championships)
4. N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio (USA Boxing National Championships)
5. Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif. (Golden Gloves Championships)
6. Patricia Manuel Long Beach, Calif. (National PAL Championships)
7. Bertha Aracil, Yonkers, N.Y. (National PAL Championships)
8. Asia Stevenson, Washington DC (National PAL Championships)
Middleweight/165 lbs
1. Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md. (Pan American Games representative )
2. Alyssa DeFazio, Peoria, Ariz. (USA Boxing National Championships)
3. Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa. (USA Boxing National Championships)
4. Tiffanie Ward, Hacienda Heights, Calif. (USA Boxing National Championships)
5. Tiffanie Hearn, Louisville, Ky. (Golden Gloves Championships)
6. Claressa Shields, Flint, Mich. (National PAL Championships)
7. Andrecia Wasson, Centerline, Mich. (National PAL Championships)
8. Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif. (National PAL Championships)
Whether it’s prepping for the first EVER women’s boxing Olympic trials next week or waking up to the fact that there are some fabulous women boxers out there, women’s boxing has arrived!
WNYC Radio has had a fabulous series running entitled Women Box: Fighting to Make History which has included remarkable photo essays by Sue Jaye Johnson as well as radio interviews with Olympic contenders, amateurs boxers, coaches and pro boxers.
Last night, WNYC hosted an event at The Greene Space in lower Manhattan that featured Photojournalist Sue Jay Johnson, 16-year-old Claressa Shields who will be competing in the upcoming Olympic Trials in Spokane, Washington, World Champion Alicia “Slick” Ashley, Golden Gloves contender, Heather Hardy, and host Rosie Perez.
The sold-out event adds momentum to what has become a veritable crescendo of positive media stories that have celebrated the tenacity, hard work and plain courage of these remarkable athletes.
The Greene Space event link is hereand includes the video!
That old chestnut, if you have your health you have everything!
Yesterday was my medical test day. I’m pretty much talking soup to nuts … what with EKG’s, lots of blood work and then an afternoon at Mt. Sinai Hospital getting hundreds of pictures taken of my esophagus and stomach from the “inside” view.
Sheesh. It was enough to make me heave, which I’m proud to say I didn’t, but having been prone on a surgical table for 45 minutes with lots of tubes, IV lines and the like, I do have pains in odd places today that are inexplicable such as the weird spot on my left jaw and the sore in my mouth just below my lip on the right side.
Hiatal Hernia, Credit: Medicine.net
Things are mostly okay with a few surprises — such as a Hiatal Hernia and some funny looking inflammation in my stomach.
For those *not* in the know (such as myself twelve hours ago), a Hiatal Hernia is when part of the stomach pushes through the diaphragm into the space were the esophagus passes through to the stomach.
According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, “Your diaphragm normally has a small opening (hiatus) through which your food tube (esophagus) passes on its way to connect to your stomach. The stomach can push up through this opening and cause a Hiatal Hernia.” (Link)
Many patients who have been diagnosed with a Hiatal Hernia (such as myself) don’t exhibit any particular symptoms other than GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) and may only discover that they have a hernia after undergoing an Endoscopy. (An Endoscopy is a surgical procedure which entails a GI specialist viewing your esophagus through a tube that passes through the esophagus and the stomach all the way to the small intestine. It is also known as an Upper GI Endoscopy.)
The diagnosis of a Hiatal Hernia is also found in patients who have Barrett’s Esophagus — and such is the case with me.
For those who’ve never heard of Barrett’s Esophagus, “it is a condition in which the cells of your lower esophagus become damaged, usually from repeated exposure to stomach acid. The damage causes changes to the color and composition of the esophagus cells.” (Mayo Clinic Link.) The process, known as “metaplasia” actually changes the cells from the normal ones found in the esophagus to the type of cells normally found in the intestines! To quote some more from the Mayo Clinic write-up, “A diagnosis of Barrett’s esophagus can be concerning because it increases the risk of developing esophageal cancer. Although the risk of esophageal cancer is small, monitoring of Barrett’s esophagus focuses on periodic exams to find precancerous esophagus cells. If precancerous cells are discovered, they can be treated to prevent esophageal cancer.”
Acid Reflux, Credit: Greater Baltimore Medical Center
GERD is the usual precursor to Barrett’s Esophagus. In my case, the thinking is that I’ve had this for many years, but because my symptoms were not related to the classic heartburn of old Alka Seltzer commercials, but rather as sore throats and coughs, what I had always thought were seasonal allergies turned out to be LPR or Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease. In other words, discomfort in my throat, not my stomach!
Often called “silent reflux” this particular permutation of gastric reflux is often linked to GERD as well as a risk factor for developing Barrett’s Esophagus and other Esophageal conditions. As well, Hiatal Hernias are also often seen in GERD and LPR patients. (LPR Link)
All of these conditions require diagnosis, treatment and follow-up by skilled GI and ENT specialists and should be taken seriously.
There are also important steps that patients such take to help mitigate the discomfort and risks associated with these conditions. Changes included the following suggestions:
– If you smoke, quit.
– If you are overweight, commit to returning to a normal weight for your height and body type.
– If you don’t exercise on a regular basis, you should strongly consider starting.
– Eat small meals/snacks 5-6 times per day, instead of 3 large meals. This helps to digest food faster, especially if you eat one type of food at a time rather than loading up with lots of different foods as once.
– Try to take a walk after eating. A twenty-minute “constitutional” should do it. This really aids the digestive process.
– Stop eating 3-4 hours before lying down/going to bed
– Invest in a wedge pillow (gradual include to 6 inches) and use this for sleeping at night.
Also realize, that you can affect the outcome of your own health — and while things may not return to perfect, your commitment to yourself and doing what you can to help yourself, really does make a difference.
An interview with Chevelle Hallback, Women’s Boxing Champion for the Ages!
Chevelle “Fists of Steel” Hallback first laced up the gloves in 1996. Given that women’s boxing didn’t have many amateur boxing opportunities, she dove right in and fought her first professional fight less than a year later in 1997, earning her first win against Connie Plosser. Hallback has fought continuously since then with an impressive 28-8-2 (11 KOs) record.
On March 2, 2012, Chevelle Hallback will do it again, fighting a rematch against Terri “The Road Warrior” Blair (11-15-3, 6 KOs) at the Civic Center in Tampa, Florida. In a year of firsts, this will be the first female main event boxing match in the state of Florida, an honor bestowed on Hallback in her first fight fought at home since she began her professional career!
“I’m looking forward to fighting at home for the first time in my career,” Hallback is quoted as saying. “Terri and I had a great battle in 2007. She’s fought the best, has never been stopped and I’m training hard to make this an exciting fight for all the fans. I appreciate Terri for stepping up for this fight.”
The “must see” March 2nd card is promoted by Estrada Entertainment Productions in association with Tampa Baby Boxing Promotions and Reyes “Macho Times” Promotions. (Ticket information can be found at www.tampabayboxing.com.)
Girlboxing had the opportunity to speak with Chevelle Hallback who graciously took time from her training schedule to talk about her upcoming bout, her career and her hopes and dreams for the future.
1. You have a fantastic rematch coming up on March 2nd against Terri “The Road Warrior” Blair, what can you tell Girlboxing readers about this fight?
This is going to be a great fight! This is our second time meeting and when I say her name speaks for itself, I mean she is a warrior. She’s been in there with everyone that is a somebody in boxing. I don’t think her record really speaks for her [11-15-3, 6 KOs] because she is an amazing fighter. The truth is, she got the short end of the stick in most of her fights.
Our first fight [in 2007] was a hell of a fight. It was a tough fight. I came out with a win [78-74, 79-73, 77-75, 8×2], but it was a close fight.
With the upcoming bout, the first time I’m fighting at home, history is being made. The first time a female fight will be the main event on a boxing card in Florida. I can’t ask for anything more. I’m just excited about it and grateful!
2. When you fought Blair in 2007, you were quoted as saying, “It was rough. She never hurt me in the fight, but after the fight, those body shots she landed bruised my ribs.” What are you looking for in your rematch with Blair?
She is a “come get you”, “come right at you” style fighter, but I train for everything. I’ve found through experience that when you think a fighter’s going to come straight at you and you train just for that, they may switch it up on you fight night. To prepare myself whatever they may bring, I fight for all different styles. I don’t know what Blair’s going to do this time around, so I’m training for each and every style of boxing that you can think of.
3. Your last two fights were in Europe against Miriam Lamare and Cecilia Braekhus, both great fighters in the female light welterweight division. You’ve made it known that you are itching to have a rematch against Miriam Lamare after a controversial loss in November of last year. How is that going?
Hallback vs. Lamare
I want a rematch with both, to be honest with you. Right now, I’m starting out with Miriam Lamare, I really, really believe that I got robbed in that fight. I really believe that I beat her hands down. The Braekhus fight, it could have gone either way.
I’m going after Lamare first. I personally asked her for a rematch, but I haven’t had any feedback. After the fight my boxing advisor asked the matchmaker of the fight could we have a rematch and he was like, “no,” at the time.
In terms of a rematch I want it. I want to do this again. I went to her woman to woman. The fans want it, even her fans were saying that they wanted a rematch. I feel that I was robbed, and I’ll even go back to France. I just want the opportunity to get a rematch. [See below for video of Chevelle Hallback’s fight against Miriam Lamare.]
4. Can you tell our Girlboxing readers a bit about your boxing career.
I started training on March 20th 1996 to be exact when I first went into a boxing gym, and I turned pro in 1997, I think it was February of 1997. I’ve been doing this for a long time. I don’t have an amateur background. I never fought any amateur bouts at all so it was on-the-job training! But I progressed fast.
I am a student of the game and I used to study fighters like Roy Jones, Jr. and old fighters like Sugar Ray Robinson. I wanted to fight like them. Fighters that had awkward and unique styles.
I’ve been boxing for a long time, but I never took any serious damage during my career and I thank God for that.
5. What are your goals after you’re upcoming match against Terri Blair?
It’s been a long time, but my goal and my dream is to be the first woman to fight on HBO. There’s never been a women’s bout on HBO, not even Laila Ali. That’s my goal. I’m going to keep going till either one of two things happen: I reach the goal or my body tells me it’s time to quit. Right now my body is not telling me that! Like I said, it’s a plan and a goal and I’m striving for it.
I also want to tell Girlboxing readers, no matter how old you are if you feel that you’re capable of anything you keep going pursuing your dream, because if you don’t you end up saying, “I wish”, “I coulda’ woulda'” and it’s too late.
6. You’ve also had an amazing several months because you started the Fists of Steel Boxing Academy, how is that going?
I just started it this past July and it is going great! I love it!
With any business it takes a while for it to build, but it is coming along and I’m happy about it. I have an amateur now and I have a pro fighter, I have my kids and I also have classes. I even have a professional football player taking one of my classes and he loves it.
My amateur fighter, Rebecca just won a fight at the state level. I was very excited about that and my pro fighter will be fighting on the undercard of my fight against Terri Blair on March 2nd.
7. You’ve been in the sport as a pro since 1997 and you’ve witnessed a lot. What are the two or three things that have really changed in women’s boxing since then?
Well, number one, women will be fighting in the Olympics! That’s huge for women’s boxing!
There are more women fighting and it seems that there’s usually one women’s fight on every boxing card these days, especially when it comes to local shows because the women are as good as the men. And more females are getting involved too.
When I first started, I went to the amateur shows, but there was no one to fight. Either they weren’t in my weight class or they didn’t have the skills. That’s why I turned Pro. Now the amateur shows are amazing. There are many more women fighting and the turnout is much bigger.
We still have a long ways to go, but with the Olympics and with what I’m trying to do, we might get it to the half way point where it’ll tip over and get into the spotlight in a positive way … but from when I first started, there’s a huge, huge improvement.
8. If I mention Chevelle Hallback to a room full of female boxers they swoon! They don’t call you “Fists of Steel” they call you “Abs of Steel.” You mean a lot to the sport and continue to inspire a lot of women from professionals on through “Saturday” boxers. What do you tell your own boxers in the gym to keep them going?
First of all, especially when they come in, I ask them, what they want to do and what their goals are. I then tell them what to expect and what the path they’re going to take will be. If they’re there for at least a week, I remind them of their goals and of what they first told me — when I do that I’m talking to them on the inside. It helps people. It is not an easy sport. Sometimes we have to bleed for it.
Most important of all though is when you say you want to do something and you’re determined, and you have it in your heart and in your soul to do it, and you go through whatever you have to go through to do it, at the end of the day you can say, “I did it.”
I think that’s the best reward that anyone can have.
You say, “I did it,” and no one can take that from you. You can give a person a gold medal, or titles or belts, and they’re going to get old or vanish, but what can never be taken away is that you did it. And that’s what I tell my fighters and that’s what I’ll tell Girlboxing readers.
9. Do you have any closing remarks?
Yes. Tell them, Chevelle Hallback is here — and I’m not only doing it for me, but for women’s boxing and for women to do this in the future, “big time”!
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Chevelle Hallback vs. Miriam Lamare Rounds 1 – 8 (Fight starts around 12:00 and is in French)
Chevelle Hallback vs. Miriam Lamare Rounds 8 (end)-10
Stereotyping women and other issues in the fight game.
Female Boxer in Pakistan, Photo Credit: Reuters
Watching how the mainstream media has grabbed a hold of women’s boxing as something to promote in positive terms is nothing short of marvelous. Whether it is media in the US, Europe or Asia, however, questions of a women’s “place” in the ring still linger even as national teams ready themselves for the 2012 Olympics.
What I’ve found most interesting are the spate of recent media pieces coming out of Asia. Here are a few examples.
Stereotyping women cannot work anymore and men who claim that women cannot match their abilities are in deep trouble. Even those who choose to stay as homemakers can bring in value addition to their families.
After being asked by the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) to start a women’s boxing programme in 1996, the plan failed due to protests by hardliners who opposed the idea of females gearing up to step in the ring.
However, after a lapse of almost 16 years, the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) – facing the rage of conservative groups but surrounded by talented women – has decided to hold exhibition matchesin April.
TANG ERMIN (Translation): These girls who we’re training have a passion for boxing. In the past, these girls didn’t have an opportunity to participate. They could only watch the boys fight. They’re very focused on the sport now because they’ve been given the chance to become a boxer.
Whether it is the dangers of the ring, such as the one that has seen Ishika Lay on her long road to recovery from second-impact syndrome, or something closer to home, such as the sudden illness of a relative or friend, living each day to its fullest is an important mantra: even when that means walking away from the things we love to do.
That means not only pursuing your dreams, but knowing when to sit out because the risks are too great.
Have a headache after sparring that won’t go away? Go and get it checked out and follow the mantra: when in doubt, sit it out.
I know we all tend to ignore the long-term effects of our actions or even cast a “blind eye” to their very existence, but headaches and the like are also symptoms of acute problems that can be dealt with much more readily early on. Sometimes it is only a matter of facing down the demons that seem to haunt us when we contemplate the “why” question that prevents us from taking the next step — say to a doctor’s office. Not to do so, however, is to play a dangerous game of roulette with one’s own health and well-being. It is also an example of breaking a cardinal rule that can best be translated as cheating at solitaire.
Here’s another one: Do you have indigestion every time you eat a slice of pizza? Or in the absence of that, cough after every pasta or pizza meal? Has it seemed to escalate at night lately, even when you don’t eat pizza? Go and get that checked! And P.S. … stop eating pizza and pasta till you know what’s going on. At the very least you might have GERD (Gastric Esophageal Reflux Disease), but it also might mean (depending on your age), that you are starting to see changes to the actual make-up of your esophagus (Barrett’s Esophagus) which can lead to “no joke” complications.
I bring this all up because so many of us “live” with things that we think are nothing that end up being a big something in a hurry when we least expect it. When that happens the effects are often horrendous, both to the individual undergoing treatment and to family and friends who suffer along with each bump in the road.
Athletes presumably have a great sense of their bodies – certainly of the cause and effects of too little sleep, poor eating habits and so on; however, that doesn’t always translate into evaluating the relative risks of injuries or of even recognizing that the twinge in a shoulder is really a rotator cuff injury about to blow.
That’s when we all have to take some responsibility not only for our own health and well-being, but for what we see going on around us by taking to heart the “if you see something, say something” mantra. Sure, you might be accused of putting your nose into someone’s business, but you well might recognize something that your sparring partner just doesn’t see.
Part of living each day certainly translates into living it with gusto, but we also need to be cognizant of all the aspects of our day, even the things we’d rather ignore. The problem is the things we ignore have a way of slamming us in the face whether we acknowledge them or not, and for my money, it’s better to face an issue head on than wait for the unexpected surprise.
***FLASH*** Girlboxing on the radio starting at 9:00 AM!
Girlboxing will be on the radio this morning speaking with John M. Phillips on his Courts & Sports radio show. We’ll be talking about head injuries in sport, Ishika Lay, her injury and recovery, Olympic Boxing and the first ever female boxing Olympic trials in Spokane, Washington, and maybe even a little about the Superbowl.
As often happens after big events whether boxing matches won or lost or worse yet, called as a draw; or in the world of work where major projects are completed and all that is left is the mundane, the hardest part is pushing through to the next big moment, especially when there isn’t one in the offing.
That idle time aka “the devil’s workshop” can wreak havoc with your conditioning whether it’s your physical prowess in the ring or the mental gymnastics you apply to a new task, not to mention that steady spiral to that pesky inertia again where nothing seems to move and one feels wedded to nothing more than bad television, too much ice cream and an otherwise cranky disposition.
Rather like empty streets in the in the morning which one can walk around in at will with no one to jostle you or impede your way; the waiting period can be your opportunity to perform all those personal maintenance tasks you never get to. Such as … have you been to the doctor lately? Had your mammo, colonoscopy, bone density scan, round of blood tests? Okay, I know I’m revealing my age a little bit here, but you can get the point. Had a massage? Been to a museum? Cleaned out your closets? Seen your grandmother? Started that blog? Wrote that short story? Signed up for a computer class?
We all carry our lists around of “things to do” whether it’s the daily list of chores of the pick-up dry cleaning variety or the larger ones that have to do with family, friends and importantly our own personal growth.
Given that I am in the middle of just such a period, I can really, really relate to anyone having difficulty getting “on the stick” so to speak. Suffice it to say, I am grateful to have the chance to write about it in Girlboxing, and thank you all for indulging me as I thrash about trying to get my motivation on!
I will say that while I haven’t quite made it to 300 sit-ups yet this week (I’m at 225 with 14 hours and counting till my midnight deadline), I have made my weekly goal of modified push ups — well, actually, I’ve exceeded that one: 60 = goal, 75 = attained.
Okay, we are not talking about a climb to the top of Everest or running a marathon, the little things do count towards the larger goals, even when those goals are not in focus. And sometimes, those little things add up to opportunities you never considered for yourself, and those sorts of surprises lead you right back to the winner’s circle again.
I’m traveling up the Hudson River by train this morning from New York City to Saratoga Springs.
To say that I’m feeling footloose is not to fully appreciate how free I feel in mind and spirit. Perhaps it’s because I have two days off as a celebration of sorts: I’ve been invited to speak at my college to the incoming group of graduate students about writing the final project. I’ll also do a small presentation on my thesis, Boundaries in Motion: Women’s Boxing. It’s a lovely honor, one that I truly appreciate. Beyond that it means I get to talk about the wonders of women’s boxing as a metaphor for perseverance, hard work and effort, and the feeling of accomplishment that one can have at attaining a goal.
I also appreciate that it’s a good thing to revel in one’s own accomplishments from time to time. So this is a bit of an “atta’ girl” to myself, which I figure that all of us need from time to time. Meanwhile, I’ll get to hang out at the indoor pool or tool around the town of Saratoga Springs while the students are busy having their minds blown with all the dawn till midnight roster of activities that graduate school residencies are famous for.
I am talking true post-grad heaven here.
Otherwise, it’s on to the next goal! Crunches on the train!
Miracles happen, Ishika Lay on the road to recovery!
Back in October at the 2011 PAL Championships as Ishika Lay lapsed into a coma in critical condition at St. Vincent Mercy Hospital in Toledo, Ohio, her family, friends and the boxing world worried that she might not recover.
Ishika Lay in Recovery, Photo: Florida Times Union
Ishika Lay, a consummate athlete who had been well on her way towards a berth in the upcoming Olympic Trials, has turned the proverbial tide, and while she has lost her shot at representing the United States this year, she is well on the way towards recovery nearly four months later.
It is believed that Ishika Lay suffered from Second-Impact Syndrome. While not as well-known as other head injuries, Second-Impact Syndrome occurs when an athlete already reeling from a blow actually succumbs to a second blow days or even weeks afterwards. As in Ishika Lay’s case, she had taken a shot while sparring ten days before, and had even complained of headaches, but had otherwise not been encouraged to see a doctor or in anyway treat her symptoms.
In her first PAL bout, the likely winner of the contest, she was never hit hard, but athletes suffering from Second-Impact Syndrome can fall horribly ill even from the lightest of impacts due to the fact that their brains haven’t had a chance to recover from the initial impact. This is the likely scenario that felled Ishika Lay.
As noted in Garry Smits article entitledWomen’s Boxer Ishika Lay recovers after coma, the mantra “when in doubt sit it out,” must become the new normal in boxing. In Ishika Lay’s case, while it would have meant disappointment at being scratched from her PAL match, she wouldn’t have otherwise undergone her life-threatening ordeal.
Thankfully, Ishika Lay is on the road to recovery with thrice weekly rehabilitation on an outpatient basis at a hospital near her home in Florida, and lots of additional therapy at home with her mother.
Girlboxing sends lots of love Ishika’s way with the sure knowledge that she is being remembered in a lot of prayers.
The specter of the debut of women’s boxing at the upcoming 2012 Olympics has led to a plethora of interest in the sport!
“Women who box love it for the same reason guys do, boxing requires intense physical and psychological discipline, the ability to overcome fear and anger.” – Morning Edition
Franchon Crews, Photo: Sue Jaye Johnson
This weekend NPR opened a series on women’s boxing which aired on Sunday’s Morning Edition. The piece is wonderfully affirming and I encourage everyone to listen to it and to read the accompanying article.
The first installment, entitled ‘I Am A Boxer’: Fighter In The Ring, Lady Outside It includes sensitive interviews with boxer Bertha Aracil and other fighters vying for an Olympic berth at the upcoming Olympic Trials in Spokane, Washington next month. The piece also gets to the heart of gender, an issue that continues to dog the place of women in the sport. The series is co-produced by Marianne McCune and photographer Sue Jaye Johnson.
Sue Jaye Johnson’s video and photo essay, Bout Time in The New York Times Magazine section was also published yesterday and is another “must read” piece.
Oh, and in case you need any reminding, women have been boxing for a LONG, LONG time. The following is from Pierce Egan’s book Boxiana: Or Sketches of Ancient & Modern Pugilism, published originally published in 1830!
Girlboxing 