The VMI Club Boxing Team held an inter-squad boxing event recently that consisted of nine bouts. The exhibition was held at 8 PM on Friday November 11th which was Veterans Day, VMI Founders Day and the night before the Big VMI / Citadel Football Game.
The boxing ring along with over 150 chairs were set up inside VMI’s “New Barracks” Courtyard. VMI Club Sports Director Carter Chatwood believes this is the first time this has ever happened. Boxing officials, EMTs and a doctor were all present to ensure that a fair and safe fight was conducted.
Chatwood and the VMI boxing coaches came up with the idea over the summer as a precursor / warm-up to the 2017 USIBA Boxing National Championship (United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association) that will be held this March on the campus in Lexington. They hoped to give the boxers the opportunity to box in front of a large and loud audience while also receiving instructions from actual officials who will be working the Nationals.
“It got the Corps of Cadets excited about supporting our boxing team this year as we prepare to host Nationals,” said Chatwood. The significance of the date allowed a large number of retired and active duty military personnel to attend the event – which was a good thing, given that VMI commissions a large number of graduates into the services every year.
While the two and a half hour event was conceived by staff, it was planned and executed by the cadets themselves – 950 of whom attended. The unique sporting spectacle was launched by the VMI Color Guard and Pipe Band marching the boxing team into the barracks.
The USIBA Boxing National Championship will be held at VMI March 23-25th.
