Millman's comments on the residency program on June 30, 2008

[Dennis]

These are the words written by Jim Millman less than 2 months ago.

Ultimate Training
by USA Boxing CEO, Jim Millman / June 30, 2008
When most Americans think about athletes training for the Olympic Games, they likely imagine a regime that includes, on weekdays, a morning work-out before school or work, and another strong work-out after school or work. Weekends are intensive training, with the athletes at home for dinner and personal time in the evenings.
Overlapped with the general training schedule are the weekly and monthly training "spikes" for tournaments and competitions leading to the Olympics, including National Championships, the Pan Am Games, the Olympic Trials and Qualifiers, and World Championships.

For the past year, in preparation for the Beijing Games, USA Boxing has been working in collaboration with the USOC to stage the first Olympic Resident Training Program in the sport's history. Rather than athletes being able to enjoy the comfort of their home, friends, family, and personal coaches, USA Boxing's number one athlete in each of eleven weight-classes said good-bye to home 10 months ago, and moved to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs in intense preparation for China. Over the past 3 months, the U.S. Olympic Team qualifying process has reduced the Resident Team to nine boxers who have qualified for Beijing.

The advantages to the Resident Program for the athletes are numerous, as evidenced by the United States' rapid ascent in the World Amateur Boxing rankings (#2 in the world), and our Team's very strong current level of preparation for Beijing - - particularly compared to the Team's status just prior to Sydney or Athens.

These Resident Program benefits include:

Access in one place to top quality sports conditioning, medicine, psychology, and nutrition expertise and facilities.
A full-time, two-person coaching squad.
Well matched training and sparring partners.
A cohesive training and competition schedule with international emphasis.
The emotional and mental benefits that result from a team environment.
However, the USA Boxing Resident Program opportunity comes with a level of individual sacrifice that may be unique in all of sports.

Every member of the USA Boxing resident program left their families and their outstanding personal coaches in order to train at the Olympic Training Center and best prepare for a run at Olympic gold. Two-time Olympian and World Champion Rau'shee Warren had his first child in December and has missed the chance to see his newborn son, Rau'shee Warren, Jr., grow through his first eight months. World Champion Demetrius Andrade, Raynell Williams and Shawn Estrada all struggle with missing their young daughters, but made the move and see their children as inspiration as the prepare for the upcoming Olympic Games. Heavyweight Deontay Wilder's two-year old daughter, Naiyea, suffers from Spina Bifida and serves as his motivation and strength behind everything that he accomplishes.

For those boxers who don't have children, the move was no easier, but they all know that the facilities and staff at the Olympic Training Center will help ensure that they are best prepared when they step in the ring in Beijing.

In a quick first year on the job, I've become a huge fan of our Olympic Boxing Team athletes. It takes a unique level of courage to enter a ring to box. Basketball is an extension of the playground game, and sports like track and swimming are based upon how fast we can run or cover the length of a pool. But in boxing, success is as much about courage and guts as it is the skills, speed, and strength to excel.

For all they leave at home, and even more for all that they leave in the gym and in the ring, our Olympic boxers have already done America proud.

Spanning the Globe

Kudos to Tiger Woods, the USGA, NBC, and the city of San Diego for last month's brilliant US Open at Torrey Pines. I recall the late Olympic discus Champion, Al Oerter, talking about overcoming adversity as something he thought was the most significant test of a true champion. Oerter won one of his discus gold medals while competing with painful torn rib cartilage. At his other 3 Olympic wins, he was never the favorite. Woods evoked that same level of a champion's heart in San Diego. For anyone who golfs, the idea of finishing 18 holes - - let alone winning a major championship - - on 2 stress fractures and a bum knee, is...one for the ages.

Please direct any comments or questions to [email protected].

[Dennis]

They are not going to nickname him "Jimmy the Greek" or call him Uri Gueller or Nostradamus. He did not do a good job of seeing the future.

[Dennis]

He said:
"However, the USA Boxing Resident Program opportunity comes with a level of individual sacrifice that may be unique in all of sports."
Most of them sacrificied a legitimate shot at a medal!