’s e Student Rec Center n the far corner of th sunds of dribbling ba north gymnasium, so gs an The clanks and cl ketballs can be heard. the halls, travel back through of weight machines laps echo as patrons run s ep st ot fo of ds un and so mes a e gym. From below co th of p to e th nd ou ar tition of und: the steady repe more unexpected so d the llows of “punch,” an be s, itt m g in tt hi es glov avy bags. rattling chains of he st year, the Alabama Since its inception la of the e this far back corner ad m s ha ub Cl ng xi Bo bers ing outward as num Rec its home, expand e to me, the club has com ho is th In d. ar w up grow ansitiong to determine its tr a crossroads, pausin and ues to occupy a larger in nt co it as y tit en ing id rth gym. larger slice of the no
Club , the Alabama Boxing 14 20 in d he is bl ta Es rdless of e for everyone, rega brands itself as a plac t. e interest in the spor iv tit pe m co or ce en experi to spar, ed the organization in jo ve ha e m so le hi W day, ’s practices, held Mon others attend the club y for pl from 5–7 p.m., sim ay id Fr d an ay sd ne Wed eness not wship. This inclusiv the workout and fello drew g environment, but in pt ce ac an ed er st only fo ard Day. this year’s Get on Bo at 5 49 of d ow cr a in cers has put the club offi This extreme growth with e rcing them to grappl fo n, tio si po ue iq un in a th spurt to best handle a grow the question of how tgroup has already ou e Th . ns tio or op pr of epic mbative actice facility, the co e grown its former pr , and now occupies th er nt Ce c Re e th at arts room and the , the room next door om ro ts ar e tiv ba m co etball courts. two neighboring bask rrd not to outgrow ou ha ry ve ng yi tr re e’ “W it. t ou ab lk es,” Pelavin said. ta lv ’t se le to ub? Don cl t gh fi of le nization has been ab ru t ga rs or fi e th , The id sa in m he r, ad So fa of the epticism Rec Center members on all ends ith w ve ri At least, that’s the sk e th d th r an fo e s iv he rv su ficers are now the original pitc ectrum. The four of istrators had toward n sp e tio iv es tit qu pe a m is co It . within ub e boxing cl t how to best remain ou ng ri gu establishment of th t fi en ith ud w st ed task mpetitors or Honors College a group, allowing co as s ie Danny Pelavin, a juni en lit y, bi or pa st ca r hi d ei nth an y education g a welcoming enviro tin ea cr ill st t majoring in secondar bu rs h, ce is fi to flour ng. three additional of prefer to avoid the ri ho w e nc countered along with os sa t th rs r fi fo t ’s en ity inm te the Univers and it puts us in this g, in el fe ol co as they sought to crea ly al re “It’s a what get to sort of define we e er wh e tioned boxing club. ac pl re I g d in an st tere f you’re on into meetings, to be,” Pelavin said. “I “We were pretty far ub ri cl se e t th ge t to an w ve e ha ch w I ying, ‘Wait, ey compete against ea th , am te t se member someone sa os gh fi cr d la ne the club is position g a school-sanctio they do. We’re in th l al ’s ous. You’re not startin at th d an r, he ot t to go, if we choose where we wan club are you?’ n ca we re he w . id sa ,” he “Of course, we said no
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Finding Its Footing
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