Help Coach Rob Continue Helping
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I would like to share a story with you about a Brooklyn Boxing coach named Rob. Rob coaches boxing to under privileged children between the ages of 5 and 15 years old. His gym is located inside Pac Plex recreational sports center and is appropriately called “Born & Bread Boxing.” Rob is a volunteer coach who dedicates 4-5 hours a night 6 days a week to physically and mentally train and prepare his group of young fighters for their upcoming fights.
But Rob is more than a boxing coach. Rob is a mentor and positive role model outside of the ring, as well; particularly for two of his youngest boxing members, Shalar Nelson and Paris Taylor. Rob first met Shalar when he was just 5 years old and his mother dropped him off at the boxing gym because he was acting out in school. Many of Shalar’s relative’s, whom his mom disassociated from, including his dad and grandfather, were all involved in gangs. She wanted a better life for her son and turned to Rob for help. A few years later another mom who was having authoritative issues brought her 7 year old son, Paris, into Rob’s gym. Rob took one look at Paris and memories of Shalar’s first day fluttered his mind. Rob knew these kids needed more than boxing lessons and without hesitation he happily embraced the future challenges.
In an average week, Rob dedicates 30+ hours training and an additional 30+ hours outside of the gym providing structure and security for Shalar and Paris. Both boys train with Rob 5 days a week after school. Most days, Rob picks them up from school -one in Queens, one in Brooklyn- and brings them to the gym where they train hard for 4 hours. After closing the gym, Robs takes the two boys home with him where he helps them with their homework and wait for Rob’s wife, Marissa, to return home from work and cook them a healthy dinner. Marissa has a 10 year old son who also lives with her and Rob. 4-5 nights a week the 5 of them sit together as one family at the dinner table. After dinner, Marissa makes sure all three the boys are showered and reads bible verses to them as she tucks all of them into their bunk beds that Rob specially bought for them. Being that Marissa is a nurse, she doesn’t always make it home on time to cook for them. Rob and the boys don’t mind though because they usually end up going to their favorite Spanish restaurant. The boys love spending time with Rob and visa-versa. When they aren’t training or eating, Rob takes them to arcades, movies, block parties, or just spends time with them talking about life or answering the many puberty questions they already have. The boys turn to Rob for everything and always want Rob there. When the boys are sick, having surgery, graduating, having a birthday party, and even parent/teacher conferences – Rob is there for all of it! He does not do it for the money or the credibility; he does it out of the genuine goodness of his heart. He instills morals and teaches the boys to respect their elders, to be good in school and outside of the ring and to always strive for better in life.
Rob volunteers 100% of his time in the gym and spends his own money to fund any and all meals, activities, and equipment and travel fees. How does he do it? Rob recently saved his income tax money from his hospital maintenance job and whatever other funds he could over the last 6 months to be able to afford airfare, hotel and registration fees for upcoming tournaments and is even willing to work a second job so that he can continue doing so for future events.
Some of the boy’s recent previous achievements are listed below. The boys had to train hard and win all 3 of the following tournaments that Rob took them to in order to be able to compete in the JR National Olympics held in W. Virginia:
1.) N.C. Nationals- North Carolina, April 2015 –won the belt & Rob’s whole team won.
2.) Club Show – Trenton NJ, May 2105 – Took 1st place & won belt
3.) NY State Regionals – Lake Placid Olympic training camp, July 2015 – Took 1st place & won belt
*Shalar won all 3 and qualified for the JR National Olympics held in W. Virginia. Rob and Shalar were so excited but as their luck would have it, Shalar sprained his ankle in the schoolyard and was unable to compete. Instead of getting down because they could not compete in the JR Olympics, Rob prepared them for the Ringside JR Nationals.
Thanks to Rob, this week, the boys got a chance to fly to Kansas City to compete with other top fighters from around the world to participate in the Ringside JR Nationals (info below). This was a major accomplishment for the Boys and a proud moment for Rob. The next set of fights Rob plans on taking the boys to will be held in Connecticut and Washington DC. However, his ultimate goal is to get the boys to compete oversees in Ireland in November 2015 for the “USA vs. Ireland Nationals” which will expose them to different cultures of boxing.
When Rob and the boys return, I would like to surprise him by reimbursing him for all the money he has laid out for Paris and Shalar on this trip. Additionally, I would like continue raising funds for Rob and his team so that he can continue helping these young boys and reach his goal. Rob has financially given all he can to help these boys over the last 8 years. Please donate whatever you can to ease the next 8 for him. 100% of your donation will go towards:
- Travel Fees (Hotels, flights, meals, gas etc.)
- Mandatory Fees (USA Boxing registration, certification fees for amateur fighters, coaches’ licenses, USA club fees etc.)
- Boxing attire ( shorts, gloves, headgear, wraps etc.
- Dues for kids whose families are unable to pay dues.
Please share this link via e-mail, twitter, Facebook, etc.
Don’t forget to check out the link below for the JR Nationals in Kansas City where Shalar is competing though August 9th… Stay tuned for updates!
http://www.ringside.com/ringside/rwc-fact-sheet
If you live in the area and would like to attend any of current or future fights, kindly contact us at [email redacted] and I will be happy to arrange.
Thank You!!
But Rob is more than a boxing coach. Rob is a mentor and positive role model outside of the ring, as well; particularly for two of his youngest boxing members, Shalar Nelson and Paris Taylor. Rob first met Shalar when he was just 5 years old and his mother dropped him off at the boxing gym because he was acting out in school. Many of Shalar’s relative’s, whom his mom disassociated from, including his dad and grandfather, were all involved in gangs. She wanted a better life for her son and turned to Rob for help. A few years later another mom who was having authoritative issues brought her 7 year old son, Paris, into Rob’s gym. Rob took one look at Paris and memories of Shalar’s first day fluttered his mind. Rob knew these kids needed more than boxing lessons and without hesitation he happily embraced the future challenges.
In an average week, Rob dedicates 30+ hours training and an additional 30+ hours outside of the gym providing structure and security for Shalar and Paris. Both boys train with Rob 5 days a week after school. Most days, Rob picks them up from school -one in Queens, one in Brooklyn- and brings them to the gym where they train hard for 4 hours. After closing the gym, Robs takes the two boys home with him where he helps them with their homework and wait for Rob’s wife, Marissa, to return home from work and cook them a healthy dinner. Marissa has a 10 year old son who also lives with her and Rob. 4-5 nights a week the 5 of them sit together as one family at the dinner table. After dinner, Marissa makes sure all three the boys are showered and reads bible verses to them as she tucks all of them into their bunk beds that Rob specially bought for them. Being that Marissa is a nurse, she doesn’t always make it home on time to cook for them. Rob and the boys don’t mind though because they usually end up going to their favorite Spanish restaurant. The boys love spending time with Rob and visa-versa. When they aren’t training or eating, Rob takes them to arcades, movies, block parties, or just spends time with them talking about life or answering the many puberty questions they already have. The boys turn to Rob for everything and always want Rob there. When the boys are sick, having surgery, graduating, having a birthday party, and even parent/teacher conferences – Rob is there for all of it! He does not do it for the money or the credibility; he does it out of the genuine goodness of his heart. He instills morals and teaches the boys to respect their elders, to be good in school and outside of the ring and to always strive for better in life.
Rob volunteers 100% of his time in the gym and spends his own money to fund any and all meals, activities, and equipment and travel fees. How does he do it? Rob recently saved his income tax money from his hospital maintenance job and whatever other funds he could over the last 6 months to be able to afford airfare, hotel and registration fees for upcoming tournaments and is even willing to work a second job so that he can continue doing so for future events.
Some of the boy’s recent previous achievements are listed below. The boys had to train hard and win all 3 of the following tournaments that Rob took them to in order to be able to compete in the JR National Olympics held in W. Virginia:
1.) N.C. Nationals- North Carolina, April 2015 –won the belt & Rob’s whole team won.
2.) Club Show – Trenton NJ, May 2105 – Took 1st place & won belt
3.) NY State Regionals – Lake Placid Olympic training camp, July 2015 – Took 1st place & won belt
*Shalar won all 3 and qualified for the JR National Olympics held in W. Virginia. Rob and Shalar were so excited but as their luck would have it, Shalar sprained his ankle in the schoolyard and was unable to compete. Instead of getting down because they could not compete in the JR Olympics, Rob prepared them for the Ringside JR Nationals.
Thanks to Rob, this week, the boys got a chance to fly to Kansas City to compete with other top fighters from around the world to participate in the Ringside JR Nationals (info below). This was a major accomplishment for the Boys and a proud moment for Rob. The next set of fights Rob plans on taking the boys to will be held in Connecticut and Washington DC. However, his ultimate goal is to get the boys to compete oversees in Ireland in November 2015 for the “USA vs. Ireland Nationals” which will expose them to different cultures of boxing.
When Rob and the boys return, I would like to surprise him by reimbursing him for all the money he has laid out for Paris and Shalar on this trip. Additionally, I would like continue raising funds for Rob and his team so that he can continue helping these young boys and reach his goal. Rob has financially given all he can to help these boys over the last 8 years. Please donate whatever you can to ease the next 8 for him. 100% of your donation will go towards:
- Travel Fees (Hotels, flights, meals, gas etc.)
- Mandatory Fees (USA Boxing registration, certification fees for amateur fighters, coaches’ licenses, USA club fees etc.)
- Boxing attire ( shorts, gloves, headgear, wraps etc.
- Dues for kids whose families are unable to pay dues.
Please share this link via e-mail, twitter, Facebook, etc.
Don’t forget to check out the link below for the JR Nationals in Kansas City where Shalar is competing though August 9th… Stay tuned for updates!
http://www.ringside.com/ringside/rwc-fact-sheet
If you live in the area and would like to attend any of current or future fights, kindly contact us at [email redacted] and I will be happy to arrange.
Thank You!!
Organizer
dana cortopassi
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY
