A Fighting Chance
When thinking of the iconic Bronx neighborhood, Martial Arts might be one of the last things that spring to mind. Yet, for the young people of ‘Fight Back’, it is everything.
Fight Back is a Laureus USA-supported project which uses martial arts to boost the confidence & self-esteem of young people in The Bronx, NY
Michael Quiles arrives early to lead a stretching session for the younger kids and reflects on his early days at ‘Fight Back’. “When I first came, I didn’t like anybody,” he says. A fellow participant even recalls Michael as “a very troubled-child”.
Yet, ‘Fight Back’ founder Sensei Will Lawton saw something in Michael when no one else seemed to believe in him. “I brought him in,” he said “and what I told him is how to use his anger in another way. We’re going to use it to compete.”
“I believe that ‘Fight Back’ itself saved Michael’s life. We all came together as a family and saved his life.”- Magdelina Souza, Instructor, former student
That sense of family Magdelina alludes to is palpable the moment you walk into the Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center, home of ‘Fight Back’. Kids of all ages are laughing and running around, seemingly forgetting the difficult environment that surrounds them on a daily basis.
Adina Farrell has been a member since she was 5 years old and, 15 years later, has grown from a quiet, shy girl to one of the programme’s most popular project leaders.
The Bronx is an area of the US with the most people living below the poverty line which causes complex issues like youth violence and obesity to persist. Laureus-supported Fight Back uses martial arts to boost confidence and self-esteem of young people in the community to ensure they have the power to be resilient in the face of such adversity.
This programme has caught the eye of many high-profile sporting celebrities: Boxing icon Wladimir Klitschko, athletics legend Edwin Moses, tennis hall-of-famers Martina Navratilova and Monica Seles, and football superstar Raúl Gonzalez have all been moved by the power of sport at ‘Fight Back’.
“I was very impressed with the discipline that these kids have which you need for martial arts. This really is the way to change lives and make a difference. It was a very emotional day for me.” reflected Raúl, who scored a record 323 goals in his 16-year career at Real Madrid, played more than 100 times for Spain and is also a Laureus Academy Member.
Nelson Mandela once said “Sport has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand”.
Mandela’s legacy is alive and well in projects like “Fight Back”, where Martial Arts have changed these young people’s lives and has allowed them to reach for the stars. This is the power of sport.
About Fight Back and Laureus Sport for Good
Laureus USA-supported project Fight Back’s goal is to reach out to high school students of the Bronx at risk of dropping out, to teens involved in gangs and violence and to the mobile classes within the shelter system. All over the country, Laureus Sport for Good USA supports community-based organisations in their delivery of programmes which lead to positive social, health and education outcomes for young people in under-resourced communities. Sport can be a tool to solve problems like obesity and youth violence. Since 2013, Laureus USA has helped train and place over 1,000 coaches at local community programmes, impacting 180,000 youth.