The Sunnyvale Sun

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Role model punched his way to success thanks to boxing

By JASON GOLDMAN-HALL

Just over 40 miles separate Sunnyvale and San Francisco, but the journey from Sunnyvale's Columbia Middle School Boxing Program and the 75th Annual Golden Gloves boxing tournament in San Francisco was much longer.

Less than two years go, Sunnyvale resident Misael Godinez, now 17, was struggling through classes at Fremont High School, on track to fail. Today, he's a role model for scores of young boxers at Columbia. He is the first of their ranks to enter the amateur boxing circuit and succeed beyond any of his expectations.

On March 23, in a heated bout, Misael narrowly lost to his opponent in the championship for the novice, 141-pound weight class.

"It was great to see how far he's come," said Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Det. Jose Ramirez, who coaches Misael and started the Columbia boxing program in April 2004. The Columbia Middle School gym is now a fully functioning boxing gym, with a full ring, exercise equipment, speed bags and gloves for the boxers. Many of the items were purchased with two grants, totaling $15,500, from Advanced Micro Devices.

Misael and his coaches say he was robbed of the championship by the judges. Nevertheless, his success is a blast of confidence for him, his coaches and his fellow boxers at Columbia in Sunnyvale. It's also made him work harder to be ready for next year's Golden Gloves competition, so he can take the title he feels is his.

"Like it or not, he's a role model now," said Ramirez. "He's got to lead by example."

Keeping with the boxing program's goal of teaching discipline and integrity in and out of the ring, he needs to continue going to night school to earn his diploma and working to keep his grades up. He's currently a junior at Fremont and thinks he's going to graduate with the help and guidance of his coaches and teachers.

"Boxing isn't just fighting; you can use what you learn in life," Misael said. "I'm finally starting to get good grades."

He said he's also enjoyed helping young boxers from Fremont High, Columbia Middle School and other Sunnyvale schools as they train at the gym.

"I try to help them out. They ask me a lot of questions, and I try to show them what they can do," he said.

Even though his night school obligations keep him from making it to most regular practices, he said he still goes when he can and hopes to continue with the program as he prepares for more amateur fights around the Bay Area.

"If I ever make it, I'm not going to forget where I came from," he said.