CCHS Adds a New Knockout Sport

The “ding ding ding” of the class bell will not only be heard at the end of class, but also at the start of each round next year at Charlotte Catholic. The long-awaited restoration of the practice basketball court has been confirmed to be a boxing ring. This arrival of a new sport at CCHS opens up new doors of opportunity for student-athletes. 

Charlotte Catholic Athletics has confirmed the school will assemble an MMA team, led by Coach Kuhn. Mr. Kuhn is a retired MMA fighter, who has trained in the same gym as The Notorious Conor McGregor. Mr. Kuhn, now Coach Kuhn, will teach his students the strength, work-ethic, and discipline needed to become successful fighters. Coach says that he is excited to have the opportunity to teach his students English as well as jabs and kicks.

The CMMA (Charlotte Mixed Martial Arts) welcomes CCHS with open arms to the new league. The CMMA consists of four current weight classes: Bantamweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, and Middleweight. The rules follow the official MMA guidelines: five rounds of five minutes each, with a one minute rest between rounds, fighters will have to weigh-in before each fight to ensure that they are in the correct weight class, and the fight can end by decision, knockout, or takedown. 

Charlotte Catholic has added this to their already long list of varsity sports because of the many positive aspects seen in fighters. A 2015 study conducted by professors at Columbia University showed that students who participate in fighting will see their grades increase by an average of 20%. The patience and discipline that fighters possess will help them to be more focused in class and to respect their teachers. 

The fighting skills also serve as self-defense in case of bullying, but the athletes are warned against initiating  physical assaults on other students in school. Principal Mr. Telford has said “We want these athletes to be able to showcase their skills, but if they turn into bullies like in Karate Kid, the program will be shut down forever.” It is evident rivalries between outside-of-school gyms will not be tolerated.

Another possibility with the new ring is a homeroom boxing tournament to be held in the fall. Although nothing has been confirmed yet, sources have said the MACS board has discussed this topic. The tournament is said to be held in the fall, and the winning homeroom will win a $50 credit in the school cafeteria. The exact details are not yet known, but more information will be released soon.

Tryouts will be held on June 28th this summer at 8:15 AM for the team, so if you want to join the team make sure to mark your calendars.

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