Sunday, May 30th, Whaling City Wrestling Club's youth program made its 2010 debut at the Battle in the Valley Tournament hosted by Farmington High School.


   Whaling City Wrestling Club's coach Rashib Robledo was pleased with the way the kids wrestled and how well they conducted themselves throughout the day. Although there were only four wrestlers from the club, it marked the beginning of a new era for New London youth wrestling.

 

The following kids competed in the tournament:


Nicholas Ramos-- Middle School division
Keith Verdini--Middle School division
Deyvon Verdini--Elementary School division (3rd place)
Hashim Barnhill--Elementary School division (3rd place)

Congratulations on a great day!

 


Update from Kent Ward, Program Director:


   We are moving forward with our work in the First Baptist Church and hope to have the new wrestling room operational in July. During the summer, some of the organizations partnering with Heavy Hitters will be initiating their programs in the Church and together we will be working to establish a community center for the people of New London and surrounding towns.

A word about the wrestling program:
The Whaling City Wrestling Club has established a program for Heavy Hitters USA called "On the Mat, Off the Street". This program is comparable to the "Gloves, not Guns" program provided to Heavy Hitters by the Whaling City Boxing Club. The purpose of this wrestling program is to introduce area youth to wrestling and provide them with the skills and ability to wrestle in a school program if they so choose. The priority is to get these kids off the street and into something meaningful where they are supported by good coaches who are even better mentors. The lessons these kids are taught about hard work, perseverance, respect, honesty and dignity are lessons that will be woven into the fabric of their lives. This program is presently operating at the Strike Zone on Bank Street every Saturday morning from 10:00 to 11:30 AM. at no fee along with the "Gloves, not Guns" program.



Saturday, April 24 - Heavy Hitters USA visit to the Coast Guard Academy


    The Coast Guard Academy is excited to invite Heavy Hitters USA and various students from the surrounding Greater New London Area for an immersive day on campus. Students will interact with cadets, athletes, and administrators as they tour the facilities. This event looks to support the efforts of New London’s superb non-profit organization: Heavy Hitters USA. In addition, the Academy will continue to host events like this as we celebrate 100 years in the City of New London. See you Saturday!!


Program

- 10am - Arrive @ CGA

-Tour-Activities

-Free Lunch For Students

-Videos


    For more info contact:

Mr. Orlando Peace

Tel: 860-449-3179

Email: opeace@comcast.net



April 14 - Applebee's Fundraiser


gloves not guns     Heavy Hitters USA would like to thank everyone involved with the April 11th fundraiser hosted by Applebee's Restaurant in Groton, Connecticut. This event was very successful and benefited Whaling City Boxing Club's "Gloves, not Guns" youth program. Special thanks to Applebee's and their wonderful staff; Mr. Orlando Peace, HH USA Program Coordinator and his "crew" of kids and coaches; and extra special thanks to the event coordinator Kelsey Kaiser, her family and her ever supportive teammates on Whaling City's Lady Luck Boxing Team. We would also like to express our appreciation to everyone who purchased tickets and attended this event. Your support helps make our program a success!



We need your help!


Heavy Hitters, through various donations, has raised a portion of the money necessary to purchase a mat for its new wrestling program to begin this summer in the First Baptist Church in New London. The 42'x42' Dollamur Flexi-Roll Mat will cost $8995.00 without logos or shipping. This program will be conducted by present and former college wrestlers working on all aspects of wrestling and providing valuable information to middle school and high school wrestlers on how they can take this sport to the next level.

No donation is too small. 100% of the funds will go to the mat fund and all donations are tax deductible.

Thank YOU!


A word about the November 20th Event
from Kent Ward, Program Director for Heavy Hitters USA


    Sixty-one years ago, boxing was discontinued at the United States Coast Guard Academy, the year I was born. Maybe it was fate that, having been involved with boxing for over forty years, I would have some small part in the return of a boxing event to the Academy, located in the city where I grew up. Probably not, but Heavy Hitters USA certainly had a very prominent role in its return. With the help of Mr. Al Valenti, boxing promoter from Boston and the Connecticut USA Boxing Program, Heavy Hitters USA was able to bring the United States Marine Corps Boxing Team to New London for the first time. The Coast Guard Academy, through the efforts of their boxing coach Chris Soto, hosted the event and did a great job. Billard Hall, where the competition was held, was filled with energy, enthusiasm and cadets that were helpful throughout the event. One could almost feel the presence of the ghosts of boxing past smiling with pride in the arena they had competed in themselves so many years ago. There were also fans from New London who had never been inside the Academy gates before. Because of boxing, the playing field had been leveled and the cadets and the New London fans stood side-by-side for a moment that many will never forget.



Coast Guard Academy Boxing Show



    I would like to thank everyone involved with the production of this event and the sponsors and donors whose contributions helped Heavy Hitters defray some of the expenses. I would especially like to thank Mr. Orlando Peace, Program Coordinator for Heavy Hitters USA, for all the work he did and continuously does for the program, and Chris Soto and Tom Barile, CGA boxing coaches, for the work they do with their boxing program and for opening the “doors of possibilities” for the Heavy Hitters program.

Best Regards,
Kent Ward




(click to see more pictures)


September 15th - "Gloves not Guns"program is well under way




September 7th - We are expanding


    Heavy Hitters USA is proud to announce that our youth programs will be expanding into space provided by the First Baptist Church of New London, located at 268 State Street and Washington Street. Pastor Thomas Hogsten has invited us to use a section of the Church, formerly used as a gym, to run our Strength and Conditioning Program and our Wrestling Program. Pastor Hogsten, with former ties to USA Wrestling, recognized our organization and knew we had limited space available. We will also have a use of classroom and meeting areas to provide further services to the area youth and young adults.

    We will continue to use athletic development as a tool for developing life skills and strategies for productive living. Everyone at HH USA would like to thank Pastor Hogsen and the First Baptist Church for providing us with this exciting opportunity!!!



May 30th - First "Gloves Not Guns" clinic took place at the Whaling City Boxing Club


Partnering with the U.S. Olympic Committee, Heavy Hitters USA initiated the nationwide program with over 30 kids in attendance. The clinics continue throughout the summer, introducing kids up to 18 years of age the fundamentals of boxing and strength and conditioning. As with all programs at Heavy Hitters, physical training is accompanied with life skill lessons to build perseverance, self-esteem and a sense of community

 



March 28 - Thank You Everyone for attending
our Amateur Boxing Show!


Click to see the
events photos >>>>

Trophies Sponsored by Jon Hyde/Connecticut Bail Bonds


 

 


Special thanks to our supporters for their continuing belief in the people and programs of Heavy Hitters USA:

 

• Mr. Arnold "Skip" Jordan and the Dominion Power Group;

• Mr. David J. Reindel and the Reindel Family Foundation and National Endowment;

• Lisa M. Beers and the Waterford Group Charitable Foundation, Inc.



THANK YOU!!!


  • June 11
    Heavy Hitters USA is proud to announce the sponsorship of a New London- based dance team called IKOD ( Immortal Kind of Dance). The group has over 30 dancers, several of whom are boxers from the Whaling City Boxing Club and from the Heavy Hitters program. This very talented group of dancers demonstrates the positive aspects of street dancing and offers an opportunity for many kids and young adults to use their athletic and creative talents. We will have a more detailed description of the program and some great pictures of IKOD as well as a schedule of their performances next week. This is a great addition to the HH USA family!

  • March 21
    All the wrestlers from the Whaling City Wrestling Club and the Heavy Hitters "On the Mat, Off the street" program would like to congratulate their coach Brennan Ward for a great job at the NCAA D3 National Championships. Coach Ward pinned the top seed and the number four seed before losing in the finals to last years' runner-up in the 184 pound weight class. See you this summer coach!

  • February 21, Springfield, MA
    Brennan Ward, visiting wrestling coach for Heavy Hitters USA and the Whaling City Youth Wrestling Club won the New England Wrestling Association Regional Championships held at Western New England College in Springfield, MA. Ward, ranked # 1 in New England and 8th Nationally in the 184 pound weight class will advance to the NCAA National Championships in Iowa next month. Congratulations and good luck!

  • February 9, South Windsor, CT
    Heavy Hitters USA would like to congratulate the Whaling City Boxing Team for winning the Johnny Duke Western New England Golden Gloves Team Championship for 2010. After four weekends of competition at Nomads Adventure Center in South Windsor Connecticut, the Whaling City Team advanced many boxers into the semi-finals and produced several individual champions.



  • November 17, Bristol, RI
    Brennan Ward, visiting coach for the Heavy Hitters youth wrestling program, won his second tournament in two weeks. Ward, wrestling for Johnson and Wales University, captured the 184 pound title this past weekend at the Roger Williams Invitational in Bristol, Rhode Island, posting a 5-0 record on Saturday. He won the 184 pound title on the weekend of November 7th at the Ithaca College Invitational Tournament in Ithaca New York, going 5-0 and helping Johnson and Wales finish in third place at both events.



  • June 14, Fort Trumbull - New London, CT
    Heavy Hitters kids volunteered as Race Course Marshalls for the Whaling City Cyclone bicycle races. Heavy Hitters also sponsored flower bouquets, designed by Thames River Greenery, for the winners of each race category



  • June 27, West Hartford, CT
        Did you think boxing is only for gentlemen? These two young ladies, Kelsey and Marcia, help represent Whaling City Boxing Club's 'Lady Luck Boxing Team' and both had their first fight at Nomad's in northern CT. They represented well and the entire gym is tremendously proud!



  • April 6, 2009
        Roberto Vega was chosen "Athlete of the Week" by USA Boxing, the national governing body of USA amateur boxing.
    Read the article about Roberto at USAboxing.org



  • 2.15.2009
    U.S. Olympic Committee Chooses HH USA
    The United States Olympic Committee and USA Boxing have chosen Heavy Hitters USA to implement the pilot program “Gloves, Not Guns” >>>>


  • 2.7.2009
    Outstanding Achievement
    Roberto Vega, a senior at New London High School, won the Western New England 119 pound Golden Gloves Championship in South Windsor, CT.
    Congratulations!