[Interview by Pattee Mak – March 23, 2013]
Coach Kendrick Ball owner and personal trainer of Camp Get Right Boxing Gym, 55 East Millbrook Street, Worcester, Massachusetts has his hands full in 2013. Not only does he own, operate and train his students in his full boxing gym complete with two rings, an octagon cage, heavy bags, double end bags and everything else that an amateur or pro fighter needs to prepare himself or herself to step into the ring or just come and train for the fun of it. This year Kendrick Ball was named one of the coaches to go to the Regionals in Lake Placid, New York, the USA’s in Somona, Washington and the Golden Gloves Nationals in Utah. Last year he was picked for Team New England for the Golden Gloves Nationals in Mesquite, Nevada.
Pattee Mak: Damm… when do you sleep? You are all over the place. Let me start out by congratulating you for being picked as a coach for these tournaments. Lets start with the Regionals in Lake Placid. When were they?
Ball: Thank you for congratulating me. The tournament was held February 15-17.
Pattee Mak: Who picks the coaches for the tournaments?
Ball: For the Golden Gloves Bob Russo and Jim Perella for the USA’s.
Pattee Mak: March 30 through April 6 you will be in Spokane, Washington for the USA Nationals and then May 13 through May 18, 2013 you’ll be in Salt Lake City, Utah for the Golden Glove Nationals. For those who don’t know tell me what your role is in these tournaments.
Ball: For Washington there are many fighters from New England for Region 1. Myself and Alex Rivera from Rivera Brothers Boxing will be working the corner with the fighters from this area. We will be considered their go to trainers and mentors for this tourament. Owen [Minor] is my fighter and Rashida [Ellis] is Alex’s fighter. For Utah, I’m the head coach for the National Golden Glove 2013 Team. It’s an honor to be able to work with different guys and different skill levels. I’m thankful to Bob Russo for allowing me to work with the New England Team. I get along with everyone and relate with them.
Pattee Mak: I believe there has been some recent changes made by AIBA, the 2013 USA Boxing National Championships will include two age groups – Youth (17 and 18-year-olds) and Elite (19-40-year-olds) for male/female divisions and I believe it’s based on your birth date. Boxers in the youth age division will not have the option to compete in the elite division. How do you feel about this change?
Ball: I don’t mind about it. It doesn’t affect any of the fighters that I have.
Pattee Mak: In addition to the different age divisions, I believe there will be two separate divisions in the male elite age group, one competing with headgear (senior division) and one competing without headgear (elite division). Only the boxers competing in the elite division (no headgear) will advance to international competition. Any comments?
Ball: I’m not concerned about the nonadvanced. But I’m concerned about the no headgear.
Pattee Mak: How are you concerned about the no headgear?
Ball: I’m not a big fan of it. Because of cuts and you would be more in line with concussions. Even though some feel that a little bit of padding doesn’t protect you but I believe it does.
Pattee Mak: Bouts will now be scored using the 10-point must system. Tell me more about this point system.
Ball: I haven’t really looked into it. More similar to the pros. So it’ll be as who is the more aggressor and I’m looking forward to this system instead of the old one.
Pattee Mak: Do you think this will confuse amateur fighters?
Ball: Yup I think it will. No more running. You got to stay and fight.
Pattee Mak: I think it’s a great idea. Get the amateurs ready for their pro debut. I think they should change the rules and make all bouts the 10-point must system.
Pattee Mak: Who from your gym is going to the Regionals?
Ball: Owen Minor. He won the bronze medal in the Golden Gloves last year so we are looking to win the Regionals this year. Owen is a self-motivating, hard worker, dedicated and always prepared to fight.
Pattee Mak: Tell me a little bit more about Minor’s amateur boxing career.
Ball: Owen just won the Northeast Region and we are going to the Nationals for the USA & also he won the Golden Gloves so we are going to Nationals for that. Owen has won the Rocky Marciano Tournament 2009, 2010 and 2011, Fall River P.A.L. 2011, Golden Gloves, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, Northeast Regional Championships, National Golden Gloves Bronze Medallist and USA New England Championships 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013.
Pattee Mak: He is definitely very busy also.
Pattee Mak: Once the Regionals are over what’s next for Minor?
Ball: After that we are going to the Nationals for the Golden Gloves and after that we will decide if we want to turn him pro or not.
Pattee Mak: Why not the Olympics?
Ball: I think because of his age it’ll be too long to wait for that. Maybe if he gets on a travel team then maybe we can wait it out.
Pattee Mak: Now I know that you love your students, but excluding your own students you must have seen some talent that you thought to yourself this kid is going to go far. Do you remember anyone in particular?
Ball: Rashida Ellis from Rivera Brothers Boxing near the Boston area.
Pattee Mak: Why did she stand out?
Ball: Her skill level is unbelivable. To be so young and the way she sees things. Her skill level is amazing. I’ve never seen anyone at that age with that skill level. Her skill level is comparable to men in her division.
Pattee Mak: How long have you been a part of USA Boxing and a coach?
Ball: Four years.
Pattee Mak: Tell me about your past boxing experience.
Ball: I used to box as an amateur. I won the JO’s twice back to back in the lightweight division. While I was in Lake Placid I fell in love with working the corner. I didn’t progress to the next round, but on the flip side I ended up working the corner with Carlos from the Worcester Boys Club. Carlos was my coach at the time and I fell in love with working the corner. Then I ended up with my first child and I took some time off from boxing. Once my son was old enough, I started to home train him and ended up bringing him to the Worcester Boys Club and then I switched him up to Sean Fitzgerald’s gym and that’s where I started to work with Rashad Minor (4-1-0), who’s my cousin and along with my son. Unfortunately that gym closed and then Sean and I partnered up and opened our own gym for a few years. After that, I ended up opening up my own gym, which is where I’m at right now. Camp Get Right.
Pattee Mak: Camp Get Right. Where did the name come from?
Ball: I was sitting here thinking if I’m gonna have somone come here and if their skills isn’t right then they could come here and you are gonna get right. I’ll observe your skill level and critique your body mechanics and make it right.
Pattee Mak: For anyone who wanted to go and workout at your gym can you tell me the hours, the daily and monthly cost and any start up costs?
Ball: Hours are 12:30 – 7:30 Monday through Friday and 12:30 to 4:00 on Saturday and on Sunday we provide a women’s boxing class. The fee is $50.00 a month for adults and $40.00 for students. Daily rate $5.00 for students and $7.00 for adults. No start up costs, it’s month to month.
Pattee Mak: Do you offer any one on one personal training?
Ball: Yes. With myself and I have about 5 different trainers. One in particular is retired professional boxer Sean Fitzgerald (29-2-2), Rashad Minor (4-1-0), Freddy Potenti and also Daniel Odamtten who trained Ike Quartey (37-4-1) who was a 2x world champion. The charge depends on the boxer.
Pattee Mak: For someone who may feel intimated at first to try your gym, what would you like to say to them?
Ball: Just come and try, I guarantee you are gonna fall in love with it. You don’t need to get into the ring at all. Females are welcome also.
Pattee Mak: Do you train any professional boxers or any train out of your gym? Let’s name some names.
Ball: I work with Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (22-0-0) when he’s not in Texas, Luis Viramontes (3-1-1), Jay Bakanowski and Rashad Minor (4-1-0). Rashad’s been training hard and is looking for his next fight. We’d love to have him fight Kimbo Slice, we feel we can beat him even though he’s a knock out artist. Pattee, you get me a contract and we’ll sign it.
Pattee Mak: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me. Let me know how your fighter does at these tournaments. Feel free to comment below or find me on facebook or on twitter @PatteeMak.
Don’t forget to “like” Camp Get Right Boxing Gym page on facebook and also stop in and visit them if you are in the Worcester, Massachusetts’s area.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
Kendrick,
Best of luck to you and Owen this week in Spokane.
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