Diamonds N The Ruff Boxing Gym Does A Lot More Than Boxing

Photo credit: Front row left to right Coaches Tai-Rhan McBride and Carl Carter and the team at Diamonds N The Ruff Boxing

By Gary A. Johnson

As soon as I walked into the facility, I saw kids playing and doing their homework. I felt the caring and friendliness throughout the gym.

The gym’s Youth Enrichment Program includes an after school program that provides on-site homework help for children and includes a computer lab on the upper level of the facility. In addition, the gym is full of men, women and children who are learning the fundamentals of boxing and overall fitness training.

Photo credit: Front row left to right: Black Men In America.com Founder Gary Johnson and Carl Carter

Thanks to community activist Dr. Rick Bryson, I was able to spend some time at the gym and talk extensively with Coach Carter who shared that they have been in business for over 25 years.

Th gym’s youth program focuses on taking young people and getting their minds right. “We teach discipline and good citizenship. We have approximately 18-20 students on average,” according to Coach Carter.

Between the two coaches, the kids benefit from the years of work and life experiences that Carl Carter and Tai-Rhan McBride bring to the gym. Carter and McBride are among a handful of “coaches” who came from different occupational backgrounds to work with youth and mentor them.

According to Coach Carter, the best thing about coming to work is seeing kids develop and in some cases become healthier as a result of working and learning with us. The gym is also very active in local and national boxing events like the Golden Gloves.

Much of the gym’s support comes from fundraisers and donations. To learn more about Diamonds N the Ruff Boxing and support their programs you can visit their Facebook page at Facebook.com/Diamondsntheruff. You can also email the organization at diamondsintheruffboxing@gmail.com.

Diamonds N the Ruff Boxing is part of the Youth Scholastic Coalition of Prince George’s County, Maryland.