Coach Will “Willie” Torres of Lancaster City Boxing Academy took home the win Saturday.
The Middle Atlantic Association of USA Boxing awarded Torres “Outstanding Coach of the Year” for the 2022-23 season at its annual awards banquet, held at the IATSE Ballroom in Philadelphia.
“I was surprised; I was really surprised,” Torres said of the honor.
Moments earlier, Torres had been in front of the crowd with his seven award-winning boxers. As he left the stage area, he “got stopped by officials with congratulations,” he said.
“I didn’t even know what was going on until I got (back) up there.”
The award, and the shiny jacket with his name on the back, cleared things up.
“In order to receive coach of the year means you have exemplified outstanding coaching, which is manifest through having several national champions,” said Jamil Ali, president of the Mid-Atlantic Association.
It’s not a popularity contest. The Local Boxing Committee board members have a points system. Ali explained that coaches get points based on the number of national champions, silver and bronze medalists who train in their gym. Whichever coach has the most points wins.
Torres not only didn’t see it coming, he never planned to be an award-winning coach.
“I just wanted keys to a gym to train my kid the way I wanted,” he said.
That kid, Willie “Puba” Torres, started working with his dad when he was 5. The two moved out of their basement and into the gym on West Andrew Street, then called Lancaster City Boxing Club, in 2012. At the time, the elder Torres was partnered with coach David Rivera, who was training several kids, including Xavier Rodriguez.
The two opened Lancaster City to the public in 2013.
After a decade and 40-plus amateur fights — including a Junior Olympics National Championship — Puba Torres stepped back from competing.
Rivera and Willie Torres parted ways several years ago, and Rivera now runs Ground Zero Boxing Club in Conestoga. Rodriguez, with 55 fights under his belt, still trains with Rivera and is ranked No. 3 by USA Boxing in the 119-pound youth male division.
Torres couldn’t have predicted any of that. And, he said, he didn’t think he’d stay with boxing so long. He knew he loved the sport, but what he didn’t foresee was “the other kids.”
Kids who aren’t his sons, but who feel like family now.
Jasiah Ortiz has trained at Lancaster City since he was 8 years old. With his 17th birthday right around the corner, Ortiz has fought more than 20 times, and is ranked No. 3 in the 147-pound youth male division by USA Boxing.
On Wednesday, a day many spend prepping for Thanksgiving, he, Torres, and teammate Jerimiah Munoz were heading into Philadelphia for some sparring — prepping for the upcoming USA Boxing National Championships tournament in December.
Munoz, who is 17 and has more than 45 fights, started with Torres when he was 9. He made the USA Boxing Jr. National team in 2021.
“Right now, I’m cherishing (this time with) Jerimiah and Jasiah,” Torres said. “They’ve been there (since they were) little kids.”
“I know I’m gonna miss it – when they move on,” Torres admitted, with no hesitation in his voice.
But Torres won’t be facing a boxing coach’s version of empty-nest syndrome. With a gym full of pee wee and bantam boxers, including young champions Milla Torres, his daughter, who’s currently No. 1 in the 50-pound female division, and Major Seth, No. 2 in the 50-pound male division, Torres is easily looking at another 10 years of coaching.
“Once I dove in, I got in deep,” he reflected, adding, “it is what it is.”
But he’s proud of his accomplishments, and those of his and other Lancaster boxers.
“I love seeing the program grow,” he said. “Becoming one of the best in Pennsylvania is gratifying.”
Even though it means driving to Philadelphia, on a rainy Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so his kids turned champs can spar.
