It has been nearly 13 years since closing the doors to the Price Elks Boxing Club. Now, after all these years, a new breed has taken the ranks of coaching local youth to the art of boxing and has once again joined the state boxing program. Already the group is sending one local boxer to the regional Silver Gloves championships.
The Price Elks Lodge 1550 is once again sponsoring this youth club, this time, with much anticipation and hopes of giving local youngsters a place to call “home” just as it was when coached and lead by the late Ray Montoya who passed away just four years ago. Now, one of his sons, Mark Montoya has accepted the offer of coaching this legendary boxing club along with knowledgeable friend and coach, Rick Morales.
The years of experience between these two boxing coaches has already enabled one local fighter a state title with the club’s first match in Salt Lake City on December 10.
Jeffery Salas 15, at 112 pounds, from the Price Elks Boxing Club defeated the state champion from Salt Lake City. Salas left a great impression on not only the attending crowd, but other boxing club coaches and officials. In fact it was such an impression, that Jeffery also received the Most Outstanding Boxer award for the night.
In their first match, after training three months, Rookie Bales 11, at 8o pounds, and Timothy Legate 15, at 119 pounds, both failed to bring the gold medal home. But with their great attitude and another month of training, they will be very competitive for their next bout.
Having won the state Silver Gloves Championship, Salas will now move on to the Regional championships held in Los Angelas, Calif. on January 6,7 and 8.
The Price Elk’s Lodge has been working vigorously on raising money for this and for the club. After all these years of not being used, all the equipment has to be replaced. Many locals have already donated much and are asking anybody else for their help as well.
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