It has been an extremely eventful past few weeks for the team and extended RCA family. The RCA team and family have grown in size; old friends returning with a reinvigorated dedication to their training. There have also been some trying times to the members of our family. Reflecting on this, I can’t help but be reminded of one of the greatest principles I have learned in my time as an athlete and now as a coach: perseverance.
Boxing is one of the few arts that truly forces you to push through both athletic and personal obstacles. While you may have the support and the assistance of both coaches and teammates, you can only overcome obstacles in training through harsh self-introspection and perseverance. In my time as a coach, I have seen several faces come in and out of the gym. Many have started the journey with a plethora of excitement and enthusiasm, however, when the realities of real training begin, they are often the first to quietly disappear. I am truly inspired by the few athletes -- both competitive and recreational -- who have committed themselves to the art and to their training. While they may have had their personal challenges along the way, they have always found their way back to their path.
In this life, just like in boxing, there will always be hardships and people that will cause us to question who we are and where we are headed. The most important thing that we need to remember is that we can never give up on ourselves and that we must always persevere and stay true to ourselves and the vision and goals that we hold most dear.
“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! “
-Rocky Balboa