here is the letter from coach bill, amateur boxing was his life for a long time, i would be happy to say i did just half of what he acclompished.
agree of disagree with him as the former usa boxing president
i believe he always has amateur boxings best interest at heart.
thanks coach..!! im happy to call you coach and a friend.
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From: "Bill Meartz" <10count>
On January 1, 2007 I am stepping down as president and head coach of West Portland Boxing, Inc. After 28+ years as a coach and another 10+ as a boxer I am ready to start enjoying some of the finer things in life and making time for other friends and family.
I have turned the program over to Jason Marquoit who will be the new President and Head coach. I will remain on the BOD as an advisor and at large member and if ever needed will open the doors for Jason. I want to thank all of you for your years of friendship and ask that you support Jason as he adjust to his new role. The fact that Jason has a great support team of good coaches Leonard Trigg, Ron Woodward, Mike Montejano and others makes this possible for me to do some of the things I need to do. (See my son, visit my mother and take Rosie somewhere for her Birthday beside the Tacoma Golden Gloves.
Happy New Year and "Thank you for the Memories"
Bill Meartz.
my follow up email to his -
Coach bill,
I have to admit i was a little sad for selfish reasons to here this news,
I want to thank you personally for all you have done for me,
from the time I was a young knuckle head kid walking into the gym for the first time,
.back when i thought boxing was just like a rocky movie ...lol....
Yourself, Charlie and Guy showing me the difference between a jab and a left hook,
Now 11 years later where your still mentoring me on a coaching level,
Coach you have built ONE HELL of a legacy,
You have trained thousand of boxers, they dident all grow up to be champions
but i know they all took something from boxing with them, and applied it to life,
Boxing gyms like ours have been built around the ideas and example you have set for us to follow,
So instead of saying Goodbye, I want to say Thank You...
Coach Jim and the Westside Pal Boxing Gym
P.S. -
Congrats Jason, your the guy coming off the bench after Jordan retired......lol......,
your the right guy for the job thought, good luck and congrats,
anything we can ever do, you know where were at.