Members of the Penn State boxing club will be going for a double knockout this Saturday as they host their second Blue & White Bouts benefiting the Interfraternity Council /Panhellenic Dance Marathon.
"We want to get people interested in boxing and raise money at the same time," said Betty Walker, Vice President of the club. "Some people in the community don't even know [the boxing club] exists."
Blue & White Bouts is more than just a THON fundraiser for the boxing team. This event is designed to give club team members, who practice twice a week but do not participate in actual competitions, time to show off the skills they've learned this past semester.
Allie Robertson, a new memberof the competitive team, said members of the team spend an hour working on their skills and another hour on conditioning at each practice.
Walker said every fall the club kids can use this event to show off what they learned in practices.
Beginning at noon Saturday, the fighters will be participating in 18 scheduled exhibition sparring bouts, which will be refereed, coached, and officiated by competitive team members, Robertson said.
The competitive boxing team, a member of the 40-team National Collegiate Boxing Association, participates in tournaments across the country every year and has a storied history, with over 50 All-Americans 30 individual national champions.
Prior to 1954, when the NCAA stopped sanctioning the sport, boxing was Penn State's most successful sport, with five national championships.
"The fights will bring more people out because it's different [than other THON fundraisers]," Robertson said.
Last year's inaugural Blue & White Bouts earned roughly $365 and the team is hoping that more community awareness will result in greater proceeds to donate to THON. The club boxing team also goes canning every year to add to its total donation in fighting pediatric cancer.
"The Blue & White Bouts are an opportunity for parents and alumni to come out and donate to our cause," Walker said.
The boxing team is asking for $5 donations to watch the sparring bouts on Saturday.
