COLORADO SPRINGS, Runde. (August 8, 2019) – Boxing coachEd Weichers, a charter member of the USA Boxing Alumni Association, guided the United States Air Force Academy from 1976-2014 to a record of 19 national collegiate boxing team championships.
Coach Weichers’ Fighting Falcons’ squads produced a remarkable 258 All-America boxers and 97 individual champions. His teams never finished lower than second in the nation for 27 years and he also served as president and vice president of the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA).
Coaching sports at a military school is much different, largely because student-athletes in most cases, vor allem Boxen, are not professional prospects. “Our Cadets were not trained to be elite level amateurs or pros,“ erklärte der heute 68-jährige Weichers. "In 1976, die Kosten, um einen Kadetten vier Jahre an der Akademie zu verbringen, betrugen $80,000 aber doch, in 2014, das Jahr meiner Pensionierung, diese Zahl war $417,000. Kadetten werden trainiert, vorwärts zu gehen und zu dienen. Sie fliegen, Kampf, Freiheiten gewinnen und verteidigen, die wir alle genießen. Boxen auf der nächsten Ebene ist nicht Teil der Diskussion. Ich habe damals Anrufe bekommen, dass unsere Boxer das nächste Level erreichen, Kämpfe in Tough Man Contests, usw. Meine Antwort ist und war immer konsistent: "Du bist nicht zum Boxer in der Air Force ausgebildet". Gefährden Sie nicht Ihre Pilotenqualifikation oder Kommissionsfähigkeit mit einer Boxverletzung.“ Die Air Force hat eine Investition in sie, and I urged them to go forward and serve. I send them back to the real purpose of the boxing class/program at AFA. It teaches them how to handle press, stress, fear and anxiety. Boxing gives them the self confidence and self esteem to make good decisions in combat under pressure. The ability to handle these pressures and make good decisions are the difference in life and death in combat.”
Coach Weichers, natürlich, attributes a large share of his success to the Cadets, who are intelligent, disciplined and team oriented. All Cadets take a mandatory core curriculum boxing course (10 lessons) their freshman year, followed by an intramural boxing program comprised of 40 squadron teams with a minimum of eight to a maximum of 16 boxers per team.
Weichers hat nicht nur mit diesem unglaublichen Feeder-System gearbeitet, der nächste Schritt waren die AFA Wing Open Boxing Championships, bei denen sich Kadetten freiwillig für eine Teilnahme an einem von 12 Divisionen zum Boxen für die No. 1 Stelle, einen Kaderplatz im Boxteam der AFA Intercollegiate zu verdienen, das an regionalen und nationalen Turnieren teilnimmt. Das Vorrücken 12 Kadetten repräsentierten die gesamte Air Force Academy.
"Endeffekt,’ Trainer Weichers bemerkte, „Diese Formel war ein perfekter Sturm. Ich muss zwei Leitern der Abteilung für Sportunterricht Anerkennung und Dank aussprechen, Col. Don Peterson undCol. Larry Fariss, und zwei Sportdirektoren, die maßgeblich zu unserer Unterstützung und unserem Erfolg beigetragen haben, Col. John Clune undCol. Randy Spetman.
“I was blessed with young men who I describe as overachievers. Cadets are tenacious. We built on an individual sport with a team concept. I had great assistant coaches, the best training facilities, and an environment of being surrounded by quality people in all phases.”
After he retired as head boxing coach at the Air Force Academy, Weichers led Team USA in 2014 und 2015 to five medals, including two golds, at the Pan American Games in Toronto.
“The plan was to hire Billy Walsh, who was the head coach of Team Ireland,” Weichers added. “I committed to sponsor Coach Walsh upon his arrival and make his transition smooth. I did that and Coach Walsh and I have become good friends. He is the correct man for the job, and he brings a great resume and reputation. He has helped turn the program around and created a winning culture. Team USA is back, ranked among the top 10 in der Welt, and that is a direct result of Coach Walsh.”
USA Boxing Alumni Association
Erstellt, um lebenslang zu verfechten, für beide Seiten vorteilhafte Beziehungen zwischen USA Boxing und seinen Alumni, –Boxer, Beamte, Trainer und Boxfans — Die Alumni Association verbindet Generationen von Champions, inspirieren und den zukünftigen Boxchampions von USA Boxing etwas zurückgeben, in den und aus dem Ring.
Die USA Boxing Alumni Association steht allen offen, die das Boxen lieben und mit dem Amateurboxen in Verbindung bleiben möchten. Mitglieder erhalten Zugang zu einer Vielzahl von Sonderveranstaltungen, die von der Alumni Association veranstaltet werden, einschließlich des jährlichen Empfangs der Hall of Fame der USA Boxing Alumni Association.
Beitritt zur Alumni Association, einfach unter registrierenalumni@usaboxing.org Für ein $40.00 pro Jahr Mitgliedsbeitrag. Neue Mitglieder erhalten ein T-Shirt, Schlüsselbund und E-Wallet.
Weichers joined the USA Boxing Alumni Association because he is a huge supporter ofJohn Brown, former President and current Vice President of USA Boxing.
“John had the idea or concept (to form the alumni association) and I looked at the purpose and thought it would be a way to honor and recognize those who contributed over the years,” Weichers remarked. “I hope that successful professionals from the past and present recognize those who contributed over the years. I also hope that they remember their roots were with USA Boxing and give back. We all had help and our start and success did not happen alone. Be humble and grateful and give back.”
Weichers is high on Team USA, especially its overall potential in the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan, Sprichwort, “We’re solid going into 2020. The key to success, meiner Meinung nach, is head coach Billy Walsh. He is very experienced. His reputation and resume are top shelf. Coach Walsh is well known and respected on the international level. He has the ability to reach out to other countries and make positive things happen for our athletes. He has adjusted the culture in our boxing program, identifying our strengths, and making adjustment where weak. Coach Walsh brings leadership and credibility. Bottom line, we have the right coach for the job in place.”
Weichers’ association with the NCBA led to his relationship with USA Boxing at various levels and capacities. He has always felt gratified to give back to boxing, as well as an obligation to grow the sport at every level.
“I was lucky/blessed to work in a place I refer to as Camelot,” Weichers concluded. “It’s an athletic paradise; core values, honor code, and a mission that anyone can connect with and admire. I can say that I am a better person for my experience at the Air Force Academy.
“I love the sport of boxing, because of what it did for me, in terms of molding my life. The gratification that comes with seeing how young men and women grow and mature, as a result of their experience with boxing was very positive.
And countless Cadets are better people because they were coached by Ed Weichers.
INFORMATIONEN:
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ÜBER USA BOXING: Die Mission von USA Boxing ist es, den Athleten und Trainern der Vereinigten Staaten zu ermöglichen, nachhaltige Wettbewerbsfähigkeit zu erreichen, Charakter entwickeln, unterstütze den Boxsport, und fördern und wachsen olympisches Boxen in den Vereinigten Staaten. Die Verantwortung von USA Boxing liegt nicht nur in der Produktion von olympischem Gold, sondern auch alle Aspekte des Amateurboxens in den Vereinigten Staaten überwachen und regeln.
