Shippensburg
senior inspired by Olympic women’s boxing team
If you tell
Shippensburg University senior Toni Eubank boxing is only for men, she will prove
you wrong five days a week, two hours a day in the basement of Henderson Gym.
The York
County native joined the boxing club at the university last year and she’s been
hooked ever since. “It’s the adrenaline, it’s the rush, it’s someone coming at
you ready to punch you in the face, and you have to be ready for it at any
second, and it’s just an awesome experience,” said Eubank.
The club
sport is physically demanding, Eubank said. “There is so much cardio in boxing,
everything is cardio. You’re either running, or your heart rates up, or you
can’t catch your breath, your arms hurt you can’t keep your hands up. It’s
literally a full body workout.”
Practices are
underway and members will start competing in January. Eubank, an exercise
science major, is hopeful she’ll have more matches this year. “Last year there
were only two fights for me, so hopefully this year there will be more girls
who want to fight in the ring.”
In August
2009, the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board approved inclusion
of women’s boxing for the 2012 London Olympics.
Team USA
took home two of the top medals as Claressa Shields won a gold medal and Marlen
Esparza took home a bronze. “The girl that won the bronze this year was in my
weight class. She’s an idol to me so who knows, one day maybe I’ll train for
the Olympics,” Eubank said.
With
inclusion of women’s boxing for the first time ever in the Olympics, Eubank
hopes the sport will grow in popularity among other women. “Unfortunately a lot
of state schools don’t have a boxing club at all. Thankfully, Shippensburg is
actually one of the first state schools to have one.”
Eubank and
her fellow boxers will compete during the club’s Home Show at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 16
in Henderson Gymnasium. Approximately 20 matches are planned with boxers who have
been national champions or All-Americans.
For a video of Toni, go to our Facebook, page at https://www.facebook.com/ShippensburgUniversity.
9/27/12