Gilroy-based featherweight boxer Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero--currently the second-ranked boxer for his weight class in the World Boxing League--stopped by the gym to meet the young boxers, show them some trade tricks and share his experiences.

When he was 16, Guerrero became the youngest boxer to qualify for the United States Olympic trials. He took third, missing a spot on the Olympic team by one place.

"You take every loss as a learning experience, and you take what you learn and work harder for the next challenge," he told the group that included elementary, middle and high school students.

Guerrero said that he was like the athletes once, having started boxing when he was nine. But back then, he didn't have access to equipment as the Columbia boxers do. The equipment in the CMS gym was all purchased with funds donated by Sunnyvale's Advanced Micro Devices.

"I learned to "do without," Guerrero told the group. "I had to do without the good wraps, good gloves."

But eight years after starting, he went professional at 17 and now has 16 wins and eight losses, with eight knockouts against his opponents. His last seven bouts have ended with him knocking out his opponent.

And although he wanted to share his boxing experiences, Guerrero said he knew he was there to talk about more than just jabs and uppercuts.

"If you're going to be a professional athlete, you've got to be a good role model," he said.

His influence rubbed off on the young boxers, who crowded around him after his talk to have him sign photographs and talk about boxing.

Rodolfo Nevarez, 12, a seventh-grader at Columbia Middle School, stood in line for 10 minutes to get Guerrero's autograph.

"I learned that you can't win all the time and after you lose, you have to practice even more to be ready for the next challenge," Rudolfo said.

Columbia Middle School caseworker Laurie Karzen said she underestimated what an effect Guerrero's visit would have on the athletes. She said the talk meant more to the students because Guerrero was local and came from a similar background.

"I think the message really hits when he says it because of the fact that he's young, the kids can relate to him," Karzen said.