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08/22/2008 Archived Entry: "The entire US Amateur Boxing Program needs a complete overhaul"
The Entire US Amateur Boxing Program Needs a Complete Overhaul
By Emanuel Steward
From 2002 -2003, I was the US National Director of coaching for the US Amateur boxing program headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO. During that time, I experienced much frustration plus my input and suggestions were seldom acted upon.
In Beijing China, the US Boxing team performances were very disappointing. This was not necessarily the fault of the US Boxers, or the coaches. It is the entire US amateur boxing program that needs a complete overhaul.
In 2002, a very wealthy west coast multi –millionaire became involved in the US Amateur boxing program. Over the course of the years, he invested millions of dollars, and was responsible for developing and organizing many nationally recognized business entities that became involved. He himself found it difficult and frustrating, as he was unable to work with the people who make decisions in changing the boxing program.
Since 2002, the Amateur boxing program has been through six executive directors. His intention was not only to revive the boxing program to its glory days of the 60’s 70’s and 80’s, but to make it a very popular program again. His main objectives are to improve our amateur boxers so they compete better on an international level, and become household names through regular televised broadcasts. This would ultimately help get the youth off the street, increase the financial compensation to the amateur boxers, and increase the popularity of the sport.
If we were measuring the amateur boxing program through network support and sponsors, we would not exist because there are none. In addition, the memberships are also declining and gyms are closing. As a result, this very successful business man and supporter walked away. There was complete dysfunction and lack of cooperation from the US Amateur boxing program.
Because US Amateur boxers often fail to participate in many International boxing events, our kids come into the Olympics with less experience. In many instances, there are hostile feelings from other countries, officials, and boxers. Unknown to other countries, our lack of participation is often due to lack of financial funding.
On top of that, our boxers deal with a selective, computerized scoring system that is usually “not favorable” toward American boxers.
During the 1988 Olympic Finals in Korea, Roy Jones was denied of the Olympic Gold medal. Over a decade later, the officials who were involved in judging, admitted that they had been paid to award the decision to the Korean boxer.
Going forward, America should actively forge relationships with other International boxing Amateur officials and governing bodies.
From 1983 – 1984, I personally trained and developed six boxers who won gold medals in the 1984 Olympics. They were: Mark Breland, Frank Tate, Pernell Whitaker, Steve Mc Croy, Tyrell Biggs and Jerry Page.
The US Amateur program and coaching staff in Colorado Springs often discourages relationships and coaching between the boxers and their own coaches. How can you dismiss the coach who is responsible for and responds to the needs of that athlete? These are the coaches who got them to this point. If it was up to me, I would not only want the personal coaches with the boxer, I’d pay their expenses and put them in the boxer’s corners. Nothing else makes sense.
The performance of the US boxing team in the 2008 Olympics was reflective of many of these problems cited previously; I was told that some of the boxers on the US Olympic team were disgruntled with the US program.
