I feel like we are given opportunities every week to do something for someone and we have an opportunity to change someones life for the better in little or big ways. I also feel like we have an obligation to hop on these opportunities to bring a bit of kindness to a world that can be so dark and unforgiving.
A Couple of months ago after one of the boxing classes I coach one of my students came up to me and ask to talk in my office. So after class we had a conversation. He said this was going to be his last class. I said ok and naturally asked if everything was ok? He had a hard time meeting my eyes and kind of stared down and finally told me his dad had just lost his job and things were tight for them.
It’s funny when you hear people tell you about struggles they’re having and the sense of shame that comes along with it. I could tell he didn’t want to talk about his families struggles but was comfortable enough with me to tell me what was going on. I don’t think there is anything to be ashamed of as we all go through periods of times in our lives where we have to walk through the valley and have to scale back up the mountain one step at a time to get back to the top. I’ve been there.
I had a choice to make in the moment, I could’ve said good luck buddy, it’s been great to have you, when you get a chance you should keep boxing and be done with it. For some reason my first reaction is always how can I help? What is the best way for me to make the biggest difference in this kids life.
So I told him not to worry about it, to keep coming, don’t worry about the money. I also told him he had a responsibility to come to every possible class he could and to tell his friends how awesome Radix was.
He kept training with me all the way through tell last week Thursday where he did his last class before leaving for University. He came so far in time here, his boxing skill to start was very basic and I video’d him on his last day running through combos on the bag and pads moving with a real sense of control, speed and power in his punches, movement on his feet and head movement. It was a thing of beauty. After class he gave me a hug and just said you don’t know how much this has meant to me. It was hard to say goodbye, I tagged him in a instagram story of the video I took and said I was proud.
He messaged me back after watching the video and the photo above is our conversation. I’m not gonna lie I got a little emotional. You always have a choice to do something for someone in need. It didn’t cost me anything to let him train for free, it was just a choice I felt was right. The difference that was made in a young impressionable life was priceless.
Always take that opportunity, maybe one day you’ll be the one who needs a helping hand.
-Coach Dan