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MY COACH SAM "THE MAN" COLONNA
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Windy City Boxing Gym
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"Home of the Chicago Golden Gloves" |
Office Manager: Willie |
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Left: Sam "The Man" Colonna. Center: Windy City Gym boxing ring. Right: Sam & I after winning National Golden Gloves title.
I boxed at Gold's Gym in Aurora for two years. For a few months I had been training at a new gym, Eriks' Boxing and Fitness. I met Sam Colonna at a Chicago boxing show in the spring of 2000, just after I had won my first national championship. I had heard stories about this man. I was impressed. People called him "Sam 'the man' Colonna." I had recently done an exhibition with his boxer, Nora Reyes, for a grand opening party. She was an excellent boxer and we planned to get together for sparring. I introduced myself to Sam and asked him if it would be all right if I set a date to spar at his gym, Windy City, with Nora. He was very nice and welcomed me anytime.
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Windy City Gym is a long way from home (50 minutes - 1/1/2 hr. depending on traffic). The travel time is very difficult to fit in my already busy schedule. I began meeting Nora for sparring once a week. I was amazed at Windy City Gym. The place was completely full of hard working boxers, real boxers. I just stood in wonder: real boxers...good boxers...professional, amateur and recreational. Sam worked them all the same - hard! Since I had begun boxing for simple exercise and had never followed boxing I did not recognize the "famous" faces in the gym until they were pointed out to me. I was in awe! The two sparring rings were never empty. The gym that summer was so hot I could not believe people could work so hard in the heat. Sam just kept telling us that the heat from the lights during competition would be no bother in comparison to the heat of Windy City Gym. "Drink some water!" he'd shout. "You don't want to get dehydrated!" |
Pictured with sparring partners after each winning Chicago Golfen Gloves titles: Nora and Lucinda. |
The whole gym seemed to function in family togetherness. Athletes were working hard and pushing one another to new levels of skill and endurance. One boxer gave another water in one sparring ring and turned to help someone else get out of headgear and gloves after sparring finished in the next ring. I began to recognize faces and feel a part of this wonderful gym. I looked forward to my once a week sparring for the challenge as well as the camaraderie of a gym full of serious, committed boxers that lived the same lifestyle and shared my dream. By the end of the summer I could not imagine being without this gym and Sam Colonna. Sam had never invited me to switch gyms and I knew he was so busy with all of the Windy City boxers but I was determined to talk him into training me too! We talked about my goals and my need to find a good coach with time to work with me at least three times per week. He agreed that if I could find time to get to Windy City Gym he would find time to train me.
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Lecture at 2002 Golden Gloves Nationals |
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Sometimes, I know, Sam wonders what he got himself into. Since the first day that I walked into that gym Sam has been trying to break me of the bad habits I picked up the first two years of boxing, before Windy City, and even leftover karate habits. Poor Sam gets blamed for my failings in competition by direct comments such as "What are you teaching her?" when I don't do well. Well, Sam's 20 years experience has given him the patience of a saint. Every day he works with me to break my bad habits and improve my skill, always controlling his frustration with my unpolished technique. He carefully supervises my safety, understands my monthly weight gain and iron depletion and is considerate of personal issues such as children, work and money Sam is a good man, a kind friend and a rare, dedicated and concerned coach to every single boxer he trains. He is the best and I am so thankful he doesn't give up on me! Sam "the man" I am so glad you are in my corner. |
The appeal of Windy City Gym has never worn thin. It is my favorite place in the whole world. It is my home away from home and the place I know I belong. The two-hour drive each day is spent looking forward to my workout and then reviewing it on the way home.
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***Title pictures courtesy of Bob Marovitz (WBAN)***
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