OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — "This is like my second home, like I am used to it, I'm really comfortable here," said Jazmin Gutierrez-Garcia, a 13-year-old boxer at B&B Sports Academy.
"The gym opens at 5, but like for everyone to actually come in, but I actually get here at like 3:50," said 12-year-old boxer, Tiara Helm.
Both Gutierrez-Garcia and Helm have been a part of B&B Sports Academy for the last couple of years.
Before joining in 2020, Gutierrez-Garcia's dad asked her what she wanted for her birthday, "I told him I want this as my present, this whole gym to be my present, I want to do boxing, I want my passion to be, my passion is here," Gutierrez-Garcia said.
For Helm, it was a place she had been eyeing for some time before she and her brother joined.
"When I first came here I used to somewhat play around and stuff, and like when I actually take it more serious and serious, I used to really like take in what they were saying, I got better and better," Helm said.
Showing up at least five days a week, dedicating themselves to the sport.
"The coaches pressure me and that brings me to hard work and they are trying to make me the best boxer," Gutierrez-Garcia said.
Pushed by the challenge of others, going up against both girls and boys.
"I usually want to spar people more advanced than me, so I can learn more things, in boxing, but I usually sometimes spar people that are less advanced than me so they can learn," Gutierrez-Garcia said.
Which is especially fun for Helm with her little brother also in the gym.
"It's fun because we get to take our anger out on each other because we are siblings," Helm said.
And both girls now mentor younger athletes too.
"It'll all make sense at the end, and just keep going, don't give up," Helm said.
While learning skills of their own.
"When I first started coming here, I couldn't do a push-up, but now I gain a lot of strength," Gutierrez-Garcia said.
For Helm, the sport has taught her patience. Gutierrez-Garcia is learning techniques as she moves forward.
"I needed to learn self-defense for myself, for my future and independence," Gutierrez-Garcia said.
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