Boxing club helps youth develop confidence in the ring and in their everyday lives

Years ago, when Ricky Evangelista said goodbye to his mother at the airport before she returned to Mexico, she took him in her arms and told him to keep boxing. Evangelista, now 18, started boxing when he was in third grade and bounced around from gym to gym until he landed in the boxing program at Kosciuszko Community Center on Milwaukee’s south side in eighth grade. When his mother left, Evangelista kept his promise and threw himself into boxing.

Each week, he trained for roughly 24 hours while attending school and working for his dad's drywall finishing business. During each of his matches, his sisters would video chat with their mom so she could cheer him on. “It motivated me more,” Evangelista said, knowing that his mother was supporting him from afar.

Today, their family is reunited, and Evangelista remains as committed to boxing as ever. Evangelista was recently admitted to Marquette University. He has applied to several scholarships, including the university's Urban Scholars Program and a scholarship through USA Boxing.

He has plans on becoming an immigration lawyer to help families with experiences like his parents. Evangelista said he never imagined that boxing would open so many doors for him, but through the sport, he’s met friends, mentors and grown his self-confidence. “It helped me develop discipline and to stay committed to everything in my life,” Evangelista said.