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Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Rock ‘N Rumble VII: Ben Pease
During the coming months, we’ll be highlighting our fighters in training for the upcoming Rock ‘N Rumble VII in Boston, MA on May 18th. They’ve committed to four months of fundraising and training in preparation to get in the ring and literally fight for a cure. Whether their mom is battling, their father has passed or their friend has put up a victory against the disease – they’ve all got a story to tell and they’ve all got a reason to fight. Below you’ll hear from Ben Pease, fighting out of EverbodyFights FiDi in Boston, MA.Where are you from? As an Air Force brat who moved around a bit growing up, this is always a loaded question. I like to say that I got a tiny bit of southern charm from Louisiana, a good bit of attitude and ego from New Jersey, and a few of my better qualities from New Hampshire, which is where I’ve spent most of my adult life. Where’d you go to college? I started adulthood in a bit of a hurry. When I was 18, I got married, had a kid, and started a full-time job as a trader at Fidelity. At 19, I bought a multi-family house and became a landlord. That didn’t stop me from going to college right away, of course. I juggled full-time night school at Southern New Hampshire University and graduated alongside my peers in 4 years – the main difference being that I showed up after work while they were having fun back in the dorms bouncing ping-pong balls into plastic cups. Did you play any sports growing up? I did until college….but students who work a full-time day job and go to full-time night school can’t make it to practices. Prior to college, I was active in soccer, basketball, and baseball. Currently, I play in a men’s basketball league and take time throughout the week to coach my kid's recreational teams. What do you do for work? I’m a trader; I transact in bonds for separately managed fixed income portfolios. It doesn’t sound as sexy as a firefighter or a personal trainer, nor does it keep me in as good of a shape, but I enjoy what I do and maintain a great deal of respect for the integrity of the firm that I work for and the people that I work with. I think that is important.You’re stepping in the ring to literally fight for a cure - where are you drawing your inspiration from? How has cancer affected you? Hearing the doctor tell my family that my only sister, Jessica, had terminal cancer was a crushing and devastating day. It was a moment I can clearly recount, and still rattles me deeper than I’d like to admit when I reflect on it. I try to avoid the subject in conversations because I hate talking about it. I hate thinking about it. I hate everything about it. Unfortunately, we aren’t the only family that has to go through this. And that is why I’m fighting – to get the attention of people in my circles…to raise money to create treatments and cures. I’m not the guy who ever starts a fight. I’m not in the best shape of my life. I’m not at my prime. And I don’t particularly enjoy being punched in the face. Rather, this is a platform. Hopefully the thought of seeing me smacked around has incentivized some people to donate to the future of a cure. I reject any belief that we can’t cure cancer. I am raising money for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute where my sister gets treatment and where new treatments are found and tested. My sister, Jessica, fights every day. She battles terminal cancer, bouts of depression, stress, and intense chemo treatments. She is the true fighter, I am not. Why boxing? Did you ever picture yourself fighting? I had gloves as a teenager, and all I needed was a fenced in yard and someone else to hit. Unfortunately, the latter was harder to find than you’d think, so I didn’t get much use out of them. Even as a young adult in my early 20s, I wanted lessons and desired to learn the sport, but life has a way of moving faster than we expect. Now that I’m not so young - nor as fast or as strong - I figure this may be my last opportunity to get in the ring and fight. Normally, I would not have had the guts at this point in my life, but I believe in what we are fighting for. What is going to be the most difficult thing to give up during your training? (beer, cheeseburgers, time spent watching TV?) This is probably the easiest question of all. I miss beer. Just kidding, I’m not a drinker. But the obvious answer to me is my wife and kids. Being away from my family for this training is more difficult than any bootcamp, class, or workout that I will see over the next several months. I adore my wife, she is absolutely amazing, and without her full support I would not have thought twice about signing up. And I’m crazy about my kids. They have brought me joy and pride that is impossible to put into words. I’m hopeful that, win or lose, my kids will see the dedication and sacrifice I put into this process and be inspired. I believe we should model for our children with our actions and decisions, and I want them to understand that nothing is more honorable than sacrificing for other people. If an opportunity exists to sow love or healing into the lives of your neighbor, take that opportunity. A man who hung on a cross once said the same two things more-or-less, and I want my kids to live for life impact and not only to acquire material possessions and personal success. If I can show them any part of that, I have succeeded as a father. This is one small step in that effort. When you’re not throwing punches and training -- what other hobbies/interests do you have? Lately, I haven’t had as much time for other interests. This training is no joke! I guess I could say that when I’m not hanging out with my family, I hang out with people from my second ‘family’ from Granite United Church. The people we have met there are awesome and we seem to always have something going on with the friends we’ve made there; whether a game night, a barbecue, a volunteer activity, sports, a hike, a beach trip, a snowboarding outing, doing something for someone in need, or any one of many activities. As long as I’m with my family, or my ‘family’, I’m probably having a good time somewhere. When it comes to having a good time, the ‘what’ and ‘where’ is far less important to me than the ‘who’. Who do you think is the most excited to watch you get punched in the face come fight night? Wow. Tough question. At this point, I think my son (and biggest fan) is the most excited for my fight in general, but he’s unable to attend and actually hopes I win. In terms of who wants to see me punched in the face, I can think of a few people at work who probably hope I’m on the floor looking up by the end of it. I also think ‘21-year-old Ben’ wants ‘35-year-old Ben’ to get knocked around a bit, just to see if he can still take it.Be sure to check out his fundraising page here. Best of luck, Ben!
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Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Rock ‘N Rumble VII: Emily Jones
During the coming months, we’ll be highlighting our fighters in training for the upcoming Rock ‘N Rumble VII in Boston on May 18th. They’ve committed to four months of fundraising and training in preparation to get in the ring and literally fight for a cure. Whether their mom is battling, their father has passed or their friend has put up a victory against the disease – they’ve all got a story to tell and they’ve all got a reason to fight. Below you’ll hear from Emily Jones, fighting out of EverbodyFights in South Boston.Where are you from? Harvard, MA a small town about 45 mins outside of Boston.Where’d you go to college? Undergrad at Wellesley College, grad school (Masters in Marine Science) at Northeastern…been in the Boston area all my life.Did you play any sports growing up? I played soccer all growing up and still play whenever I get the chance. My first semester in college I joined the rugby team and never looked back. I’ve played rugby every single season, fall and spring, since 2003. After I graduated from college I joined the Beantown Rugby Football Club, a top-level women’s rugby team based in Boston. I have played with Beantown for the last 10 years. Over the years I have also participated in National Team training camps and tryouts.What do you do for work? I’m an Associate Scientist at the New England Aquarium. Most people don’t know that there is more to the Aquarium than just the animals you see on exhibit; we also have a research department that does cutting edge marine research and conservation. My research program focuses on sharks and other fishes. We primarily study fisheries interactions with these species. (For example, we ask questions like: when a shark is accidentally caught and then released, what are its chances of survival? Are there ways to modify fishing practices to improve its chances of survival?) Our research is field-based and we partner with commercial or recreational fishermen to conduct our studies and collect data. This means that during the field season I get to spend a lot of time on boats on the ocean. I love my job!Why boxing? Did you ever picture yourself fighting? I began boxing casually as a way to mix up my rugby training a little bit—hitting a bag is way more fun than sprint workouts or weight lifting. But in the back of my mind, I’ve always wanted to fight. How much can you really know about yourself if you’ve never been in a fight? I knew I wanted to fight before I decided to do Haymakers. I wanted to fight because I wanted to learn something about myself. After years of team sports, I wanted to do something where 100% of the accountability was on my shoulders. If I failed it would be entirely on me and if I succeeded it would be because I got myself there. I wanted to pour my entire focus and effort into something and see what I could get out of it.Why on earth did you sign up to fight?? In the end, taking into account the answers to the questions above and the below, it was a no brainer! I feel so incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in H4H. I believe this is going to be a transformative experience and I’ve loved every second of it so far. It’s been a rollercoaster—one day I feel like I’m going to be okay at this sport and then the next I feel completely hopeless at it—but I’m enjoying the ride and I relish both the ups and the downs in equal measure. I am doing this in part to feel challenged and frustrated and uncomfortable. I’ve never left the gym upset or disappointed.You’re stepping in the ring to literally fight for a cure - where are you drawing your inspiration from? How has cancer affected you? Like everyone else, I’ve watched friends and family members fight the disease over the years. However, in December, my uncle was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. When I found out, I immediately decided that I wanted to do Haymakers. My uncle, Dr. Philippe Gros, is a brilliant geneticist and biochemist and a leading cancer researcher. His groundbreaking work has helped advance our knowledge of the disease and its treatments. He has literally worked his entire life to fight cancer for others and now he has to fight for himself. I want to help champion the fight against cancer for him the way that he has championed the fight against cancer for so many others. He inspires me and he is the reason I am fighting. I want to show support for him and for my family.What is going to be the most difficult thing to give up during your training? (beer, cheeseburgers, time spent watching TV?) The biggest challenge so far has been getting myself to bed at a reasonable hour so I can get enough sleep!When you’re not throwing punches and training -- what other hobbies/interests do you have? My main sport is still rugby. I also play soccer when I can and I really love indoor rock climbing. Climbing is my off-day activity every Sunday!The fight actually falls right in the middle of the competitive rugby season, so I’ll be juggling boxing training with playing rugby and captaining the team…hopefully to a National Championship. Here’s hoping I don’t accidentally punch someone on the field or tackle someone in the ring!I actually think the two sports complement each other nicely. I think rugby makes me a good fighter because I’m aggressive and unafraid of contact and the boxing training has made me a better rugby player through improved quickness and agility. The drawback of my rugby background is that the years of smashing headfirst into contact appear to have quelled any instinct to move my head out of the way when punched repeatedly. Haha! I really need to work on my head movement!Who do you think is the most excited to watch you get punched in the face come fight night? My rugby teammates are pretty excited, I think. Full contact practices can be intense and we hit (tackle) each other a lot…I think they’re excited to see someone else beat me up for a change. They are incredibly supportive of the whole thing. I wish they could be there on fight night, but we have practice! On the flip side, considering they’ve watched me get run over on the rugby field for the last 13 years, my parents have surprised me by being very nervous about the whole boxing thing. Be sure to check out her fundraising page here! Best of luck, Emily!
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Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Belles of the Brawl V: Jackie Jane
During the coming months, we’ll be highlighting our fighters in training for the upcoming Belles of the Brawl V in Boston on October 5th. They’ve committed to four months of fundraising and training in preparation to get in the ring and literally fight for a cure. Whether they've had first hand experience, their father has passed or their friend has put up a victory against the disease – they’ve all got a story to tell and they’ve all got a reason to fight. Below you’ll hear from Jackie Jane , fighting out of EverybodyFights in South Boston.Where are you from? I grew up in Westborough, Massachusetts. I've lived in Dorchester for the past few years.Where’d you go to college? Boston UniversityDid you play any sports growing up? I ran cross country and track in high school, very mediocrely, I might add. Coordination was a bit of a challenge for me growing up.What do you do for work? I'm a Senior Designer at Vistaprint. I also do a lot of freelance design work on the side from logos, branding, and websites to wedding invitations, posters, and more. Check it out: jackie-jane.comWhy boxing? Did you ever picture yourself fighting? I joined EverybodyFights (EBF) before it even opened. George Foreman III offered a free month as a promo, so I figured why not do it for just a (free) month. I didn't expect it to impact my life as much as it did. Boxing levels me out and coming to EBF made me happier than I had been in a long time. I'm so grateful for the EBF family and I've met some of my closest friends here. I like having something to train for, working on skill development, and seeing my improvement. Why on earth did you sign up to fight?? When I first joined the gym I never thought I would fight, but one thing lead to another and when I announced I would be training to fight in Belles of the Brawl, the general response was, "About time!"You’re stepping in the ring to literally fight for a cure - where are you drawing your inspiration from? How has cancer affected you? My interest in boxing slowly evolved to a point where I decided I might fight. Haymakers for Hope supports such a good cause. I've lost three grandparents and an aunt to the disease, and have watched other loved ones battle with it.What pushed me to apply for Belles was when my friend and coworker was diagnosed with lung cancer in April. It was heartbreaking - how can this happen to such an amazing person? Kind, funny, caring, active, healthy, strong, a new mother - it's not right. Tragically, she lost her fight to this horrible disease in mid-July. She is so missed. This one goes to her.What is going to be the most difficult thing to give up during your training? (beer, cheeseburgers, time spent watching TV?) Oh, I love food. That's definitely the hardest part. My sweet tooth is huge. Not eating Dulce de Leche (I couldn't control myself) or Peanut Butter (also couldn't control myself) is so sad for me. And donuts. I really miss donuts. And candy. The list goes on.When you’re not throwing punches and training -- what other hobbies/interests do you have? My passion is traveling, I love exploring other countries, learning about other cultures, meeting new people, and of course, trying different foods. Other than that I like painting and hand-lettering, anything creative.Who do you think is the most excited to watch you get punched in the face come fight night? Whoever I'm fighting, I guess.Be sure to check out her fundraising page here and wish her luck! Best of luck, Jackie!
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Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Thursday with Sementelli
Thursday afternoon we ventured to Newton to see John Sementelli at Nonantum Boxing Club. When we got there he was already in the middle of his sparring session with his trainer Nathan (who apparently is the gorilla in their logo!). John is really working on his stamina in the ring, and it showed, as he was able to go a full 5 rounds. Nathan is in freakishly good shape, and really made John work: by the end of each round John was sweating worse than Patrick Ewing! For most, 5 rounds in the ring are more than enough for a days work, but not for John! Nathan ripped his gloves off, jumped out of the ring to get the focus pads, all within the one minute that John had in between rounds. John then hit the pads for the next four rounds, and surprisingly he didn't stop talking even though he could barely lift his arms! It was then that we found out that his college nickname was "Johnny Pipes," and it was decided that if his nickname is "pipes" then his cousin Ray's nickname should be "the pipe cleaner." All in all, John was very happy with his day of training and thinks that he's getting closer to where he needs to be for his big fight on May 17th at House of Blues for Haymakers for Hope Rock N' Rumble- don't forget to buy tickets here! We saw some great progress in this visit, and are excited to see him again next week!
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