IMPD and PAL Produce Boxing Champs

Sergeant George Long

Photo by Jay Thompson
(posted August 3)

IMPD Sergeant George Long credits his staff for the success of the Police Athletic League Club that provide free sports program to six thousand youth in Indianapolis. Long was at the July 30 IMPD Northwest Community Day to share the PAL mission and to recruit youth.

Long has been the director for the last five years of the 65 year-old program of police mentoring the youth. The program offers year around co-ed sports programs at various locations in Indianapolis. He said coed baseball and T-ball have 300 participants. The program starts later in the year to help kids learn the game. Because baseball is not a popular sport, PAL takes the time to teach the youth skills so they can enjoy the sport. "Enjoying" the sport is the key for kids staying involved.

One of the PAL's the best programs is boxing. The league's primary focus is Marion County, but PAL will not exclude any child wanting to join the program. "John Mellencamp would bring his son here to box," Long said.

Five boxers went to the 2007 Ringside World Championship Boxing Tournament held in Kansas City Missouri, with Greg McKinney and Clarence McKinney winning championship belts. The PAL/Christamore House Boxing Team was honored by the City County Council with an October 2007 resolution.

PAL is not just about sports that include basketball, football and karate. The program provides tutorial services and life skills. PAL wants to keep kids from dropping out of school. Kids are not dropped from the program for poor grades, instead they are tutored to help them stay in school. The object of PAL is to deter the youth from the criminal element.

PAL has also partnered with Indy Parks and the Boys and Girls Clubs to involve the youth in more programs. If kids are interested in karate, PAL refers them to Riverside Park.

Long plans to have a meeting soon to meet with members of Shepherd Community Center about helping prepare middle school youth for college. The program also informs parents to help guide their children to college.

Long said PAL members also learned to "swing a hammer" this year when Lowe's and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Indianapolis partnered with PAL to help build a house. He said about one-third of the volunteers were PAL participants.