MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Inside of the ring at Elite Performance Foundation boxing gym, Coach Randy Dixon's motto is you can do no wrong.
“We’re just trying to provide a better quality of life for our young kids,” Dixon said.
Monday through Friday, you can catch Coach Dixon in the gym where he holds a boxing summer bootcamp for kids ages 8 to 18.
“A lot of kids don’t box, girls or boys. So, when we put gloves on them it’s a different feeling for them to hit the bags,” Dixon said.
What’s special about this camp are the lessons the kids take with them outside of the ring while training inside.
“We use boxing to help create discipline. Accountability along with discipline makes for a good strong child or young person,”
The training also helps kids learn new ways to deal with anger issues, depression, and anxiety.
Coach Dixon says he was fortunate to learn discipline and healthy ways to deal with stress at an early age. He started boxing when he was 7 years old after his uncle introduced him to the sport, and it was something that stuck with him the rest of his life.
“It was just that discipline I needed as a kid to keep me on the right path because I was headed the wrong way. So, it saved my life,” Dixon said.
Now his life is dedicated to providing the same opportunities to other kids.
“Having a mentor figure helps bring out them. It lets them be them. It lets them be comfortable with being who they want to be,” Dixon said.
With Coach Dixon in their corners, whether they choose to keep boxing in the ring or keep fighting in life, he knows they’ll be equipped to take any punch the world throws their way.
The Elite Performance Foundations Boxing Summer Bootcamp are still taking in kids. Classes cost around $20 per session and scholarship options are available to families who qualify.
The gym is located at the Old Hickory Ridge Mall in suite 340.