Friday, Aug. 13, 2010
Bigger, Stronger, Faster gives teens an outlet for aggression, keeps them fit
By David Witte / Sports@losbanosenterprise.com
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ReprintSure, it's a boxing club. But coach Darryl Barger doesn't like to call it that.
He calls the Bigger, Faster Stronger program he runs for local teens a sports defense class.
"We teach defensive skills," Barger said. "The bigger is weightlifting. Stronger is what you learn from the skills, and faster is running."
The program was associated with a national Bigger, Stronger, Faster program, but Barger didn't like that the program focused on Olympic-style weightlifting, which can be complicated and confusing, which can be discouraging to younger students. Instead, Barger held on to the name, but focuses more on the general fitness of boxing.
"We gear it around the use of boxing," Barger said. "Everything is to learn how to defend yourself. And I have kids in here from beginners to high school."
Some of his students have really taken to the boxing part of the program. They groaned when he pulled them away from the punching bags to run six laps around the Los Banos Junior High fields Aug. 11. Yet they all went out, in the sun, to complete the exercise.
"They can leave at any time," Barger said. "There's no 'You have to stay' ".
The club is free, with most of the equipment borrowed from schools, such as the weightroom at the junior high, or picked up from garage sales.
"Give a kid a pair of gloves, and they have something," Barger said. "It's a chance, for some of them, to maybe get out of a situation."
Or, as in the case of Los Banos High sophomore Miguel Castro, it's a stress reliever.
"For all those people who want to get their stress out, I would recommend going into boxing," Castro said. "It really helps you get your mind off of stuff. Six months ago, my uncle passed away, and boxing really helped."
There is one hard and fast rule for the club: no fighting.
"Usually the boxer is the one who gets in trouble, because he's training his hands to be a weapon," Castro said. "That's one of the things I keep in mind, is if something happens to me on the street -- if they rush me, I understand, I have to do something about it -- but if it's me, trying to look for trouble? No. I would never use it."
Starting a fight results in an immediate boot from the class, and it has happened before.
"I was close to getting kicked out, but I didn't. I'm glad," said 14-year-old Isaac Gonzalez, who added the incident in question was not his doing. "It's helped me out a lot, and it's a good thing for people who are into fighting, because it shows self control. And it's a really good workout."
Some of the older students have taken to the sport so much that they are planning on taking on opponents in amateur tournaments this winter.
"I was looking for a bunch of sports," said Xaivier Mata, a 15-year-old Los Banos High student. "And now this is the only sport that I have."
Barger said he might not be able to help his students who want to compete.
"My expertise only goes so far," said the English teacher, who also coaches water polo at Los Banos High.
Some of Barger's students voiced a wish that they could take pride in the club as a sanctioned team sport.
"We want to join it as a sport," said Karen Moreno, 13.
Added Diana Valtierra, 14, "Everybody's going out for soccer and football. We wish we could tell people we're joining boxing."
The class is open to students from fourth grade through the end of high school. It's free, and all that's required is to sign a waiver -- and the approval of one's parents, of course.
"I'm glad I joined it. I put a lot of work into it," Castro said. "My mom told me I couldn't come because of my grades, and I ended up getting my grades up."
For 17-year-old Kevin Gonzalez, Isaac's brother, the class helps him keep in shape for the soccer season.
"Yeah, it helps with that, plus upper body strength," Gonzalez said. "That doesn't help with soccer, but it looks good."
Enterprise reporter David Witte can be reached by phone at 388-6565 or by e-mail at sports@losbanosenterprise.com