Boxing may be thought of as violent or simply a literal headache, but sophomores Shiro Yamazaki and Daniel Talancon use it as an alternative form of exercise and reveal their experience in a very unofficial club.
Unlike “Fight Club,” spreading awareness about the group is encouraged. It even has its own Facebook group. Meetings consist of training in Merner Field House late at night until Yamazaki develops a regular schedule. All of the 15 members are friends of Yamazaki who heard about it through word of mouth, and most recently, through social media. This academic year marks the unofficial club’s entrance onto Facebook. So it is official in the sense of “Facebook official.”
The club, according to the college, is unofficial, meaning that any t-shirts, signs or merchandise can not have “North Central College” on them. Yamazaki said that he and Talancon are currently focusing on endurance and have done workouts at Bennedetti-Wehrli Stadium. It is 8:30 p.m. on a Monday night, EDM blares through the wresting room speakers as Yamazaki and Talancon practice a new combo involving several uppercuts. Although participation in the club is down, Yamazaki remains optimistic and his attitude is a reminder that it is just friends having fun and working out together.
“This works for me, but structure would be better for the club,” said Talancon. Part of the issue involving the club being unofficial is the huge injury liability that the college would be held accountable for. However, the only injuries currently reported by Yamazaki and Talancon from their own endeavors are sore limbs.
Talancon explained that when you first start boxing your wrists aren’t used to it and that this area in particular is a place that is especially sore. He requires that people bring their own mouth guards, but first timers needn’t worry about bringing gloves or other equipment. Yamazaki said he orders most of his equipment through Amazon. The club’s turnout has recently dipped but in the past it has been as high as seven to eight people.
Talancon said he ultimately joined the club because “it keeps me busy and I am friends with Shiro anyway.” Yamazaki’s advice to those thinking about participating would be to come to multiple meetings.
“It doesn’t take long before it feels natural,” Yamazaki admitted that at first he himself didn’t enjoy the sport, but stuck with it while he was at the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse because of the sense of community and family he felt from his friends while training with them.
That is what Talancon and Yamazaki look like while they are training; friends. Yamazaki explains that they do not spar as is prohibited by school guidelines. Sparring is defined as full body contact sport which Yamazaki clearly separates from boxing.
More information about the strictly unofficial club can be found on Facebook by searching “The Unofficial NCC Boxing Club.”
