NORFOLK, Va. — Team Norfolk Boxing, a legendary boxing club in Hampton Roads, finally has a place to permanently call home in the Park Place neighborhood.
In September, Norfolk City Council approved the renovation of the old Rosna Theater on W. 35th Street, which will be converted into a multi-million dollar facility for the celebrated program.
"We're just excited for, ultimately, our boxers who get to call the new facility home, and just to see the program continue to grow," said head coach & senior supervisor Tyler Trask.
The new facility will have two boxing rings, a weight lifting area and spectator seating. Trask said he couldn't be more excited for his fighters.
"I think it'll mean a lot to them, just taking pride in where they are training. We're really grateful for the opportunity to have a new facility, but it's their hard work that comes into that facility which going to make it all pay off," said Trask.
The Norfolk boxing program has been a pillar of the community for decades, training athletes like Olympians Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker and Keyshawn Davis.
The new facility will allow the program to offer structure and competition to future generations of athletes who wish to compete at the highest level, like assistant coach Dorin Spivey.
"This program is amazing because it develops the kids at a young age and an early age and prepares them," said Spivey.
Spivey, a 2x lightweight world champion, said he was ill-prepared for professional fights at the start of his career, something that he says Team Norfolk Boxers will never have to experience.
"This program paves the way for champions. If I had this, instead of winning two world titles, I probably would've won 7 or 8," said Spivey. "It's going to benefit them so much. Their skills are going to sharpen so much faster and it's going to motivate them."
Team Norfolk Boxing is already performing and competing at a high level, having 9 of 10 boxers make it to the finals, and four being crowned champions last week at the Ringside King of the Jungle National Tournament in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The Norfolk boxing program not only develops fighting skills, but also improves the lives of the youth in the program.
"I sleep and dream boxing," said one boxer, Umar Musah. "With this program being here, I can say it has definitely saved me a lot because I don't know where I would be without this program."
Economic Development Director for the city of Norfolk, Sean Washington, said this is not only an achievement for the historic program, but also for the community and surrounding businesses.
"We know the facility itself will create jobs. It's really a larger story about the spillover of jobs and the taxes that will be created up and down the corridor as a result of the facility," said director Washington.
There's no concrete date yet on when the boxing program will officially relocate. Construction on the new facility is set to begin within a couple months.