The Ellwood City Police Department Boxing Club packs a one-two punch. One, they mentor area youth and two, they provide an outlet for fitness.
Located in the basement of the borough building, the gym has a ring, punching bags, and nostalgic newspaper clippings and posters papering the walls and telling a rich and interesting story of the organization’s history.
The ECPD Boxing Club has been working with youth for decades and the coaches have generational ties to the group. Jack Maine Jr. has been part of the organization since the 70s when he was throwing punches in the ring. Now Maine coaches. His son is part of the organization and his dad Jack Maine Sr. was one of the coaches along with John Dahl who worked to secure a gym for the program.
Bob Boyle is also a coach and has been for 23 years. Before coaching, he got his start in boxing right in the ring.
Boyle and Maine said it wouldn’t be the program it is without the coaches that came before them, Ben Bartle and Chuck Gibbons.
“They have to be mentioned,” Maine said. “They really worked hard to build this program.”
The gym is open to all area boys and girls (currently the program has three girls) aged 10 and older on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 6 to 8 with no charge to participate. The boxers are asked to join USA Boxing.
However, keeping the program going is becoming a challenge without funding. In most cases, Maine and Boyle pay for many things out of their own pockets. The group is seeking donations to continue programming.
Endorsed by Ellwood City Mayor Anthony Court—who said the police department is accepting donations on the group’s behalf—the club is seeking help to keep the organization running and to be able to pay rent for the gym space.
This is a wonderful organization,” said Mayor Court. “I am proud to say it has been a major part of the community for years. We want to keep this organization going strong and to keep it on top.”
Aside from being a place for mentoring and conditioning for local, tri-county youth, the program has also been a safe haven for “at risk” kids. Kids who needed a little guidance, focus, and structure have been recommended by the police department to the program.
Maine said the kids are taught self-discipline, respect for adults, and respect for themselves.
“I love working with the kids,” he said. “We even encourage them to keep their grades up in school.”
Boyle agreed with Maine, he said his decades of dedication pay off when he sees the youth involved in something they love.
The group welcomes anywhere from five to twenty-five kids during the gym hours, and they are always accepting new boxers.
ECPD Boxing Club has traveled all over the U.S. and a few international destinations to attend events and fights. Some locations on their resumes include Tennessee, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Cuba, Ireland, and Armenia.
And before you think that Ellwood City is too small of a town to produce a championship boxer, Rosalindo Morales Jr. is a 26-year-old graduate of Lincoln High School who started pursuing a boxing career since the age of 13. He started boxing as a hobby at the ECPD Boxing Club and fought his way to being signed to professional boxing full time. Before starting his professional career as a boxer, Morales was named The Western PA Golden Gloves Champion five years in a row as well as The Pennsylvania State Golden Glove Champion in 2016. Morales was also a qualifier in the 2015 U.S. Olympics trials. He had his first professional match at the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh in 2017. Rosalindo’s next upcoming match is Friday, March 20 at 7 p.m. at the Sokol Club, 2912 E. Carson Street, Pittsburgh.
Morales is just one of the beloved boxers featured on the gym’s wall of nostalgic memories.
If you would like to donate to the ECPD Boxing Club, checks can be made out to Jack Maine, Jr. and either sent to the Ellwood City Police Department, 525 Lawrence Ave, Ellwood City, PA 16117 or donations can be dropped off at the police station.
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- L-R:-Jasper Schweiger, Bob Boyle, Jack Maine the 3rd, Jack Maine Jr., Mayor Anthony Court, Ian Depietro, Carmen Peluso rep. For Title Boxing, & Nate Chandler. In front — Michael Walters & Drake Moore.
Glad to hear about the Boxing Club. My brother Chuck Gerson was a boxer in the early 60s in Ellwood City. He was trained by Humpty Rocco. At that time he was the only boxer in Elwood City and was fortunate to have a trainer who was a former boxer. Chuck won the Golden Glove Championship in Pittsburgh and a busload of Ellwood City went to see the fight.