Every successful team has one.

The stoic leader, the guy who shows up early, works hardest, offers quiet advice and leaves late.

For the Penn State boxing team, this leader is team president Alex Komlev. After two bouts this season, he is undefeated and looking to return to nationals for the third consecutive year.

"Alex is going to be there at the end of the year," said Penn State boxing coach Bill Wrable after the Nittany Lion Invitational.

The 156-pound Komlev began boxing when he came to Penn State as a way to stay in shape only to wind up falling in love with it. Like many new boxers, he began as a fighter, swinging wildly with little regard for technique.

"I used to be a brawler when I first started," Komlev said. "I used to just try to hurt people. Now I'm working on becoming more of a technical boxer. I try to control the fight instead of going after the guy."

It is because of his unrefined start that Komlev can easily relate to the newcomers to the sport that make up about half the team.

"I try to look and see if they feel the same things as I did as a freshman," Komlev said. "At first you're nervous to go in and spar, then after a while sparring is just part of practice and you're nervous before fights. I try to help them not to be so nervous before the fights."

Komlev should know about calming nerves before stepping through the ropes; he claims that they no longer bother him before bouts.

"Sometimes I'm confident," Komlev said. "I'm not nervous but sometimes I come out tight and can't get off right. I start to think and that throws me off. But normally I'm real confident in what I have to do."

This quiet confidence is part of the passion that Komlev brings to the ring. This is the same passion that has been known to get Komlev into trouble during bouts.

"It's really hard to keep your emotions down," Komlev said. "If you get hit real hard you want to just come back and try to kill him but that's when you make mistakes."

As far as being a team leader goes, Komlev would rather show the way than tell about it.

"I try to be an example type of leader," Komlev said. "Show up on time, every time, do hard work and encourage people."

He has established the hard work part very well. Even working the mitts at the end of a two-plus hour practice, Komlev does not show any signs of fatigue until after he has finished.

"Alex is a very good inspiration," Penn State boxer Doug Bayly said. "As the president of the boxing team he leads by example. If he does something, he does it as hard as he can and everyone feeds off that. I think that's the way to lead."

Komlev, who was born in the Ukraine and immigrated to the United States when he was ten, has focused himself on returning to nationals at the end of the year.

"It's really exciting," Komlev said. "You walk in the ring and see yourself on big screen TVs. Twice the adrenaline as you get here at a home show."

Komlev looks to continue on this quest along with his teammates this weekend at the "Keydat" Collegiate Invitational at VMI.