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About The Coquille Valley sentinel. (Coquille, Coos County, Or.) 1921-2003 | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2006)
page 11 - A SENTINEL PUBLICATION I Hitters (Continued from page 8) at local, state, and regional competi tions. A trophy case groaning under the weight of awards wasn’t the only sign that the Coquille Valley KOs had a great crew. “You have to understand we were on the road a lot. We stayed in motels, we ate at cafes along the way. I had people tell me you bring these kids back anytime. We’re talk ing a bunch of kids from seven to 17...That made you feel good,” Frazier said. The team was also known for grabbing Sportsmanship awards, Frazier proudly pointed out. The boys worked hard in practice and in the ring to earn their success, he added. And, he pointed out, it helped them in their lives after the ring. “You see the guys now, you think they did all right with their lives. (In the club) they really learned how everything isn’t just given to you, they learned disci pline, they learned you had to have that discipline to box. You can’t just go out there and say, ‘I’m the toughest guy in town’, because there’s always someone around the corner just as tough as you.” Time after time, the boys proved they could be the toughest crew in town. That trend began in 1972 when Steve Dupuy turned his sons’ pleas to box into a club for other youth. Frazier and Ron Fuller jumped on board to get the club going in the right direction. They found the right direction, alright. When the group of 15 rookies started, they barely knew a right cross from a right hook. A mere month later, the boys went to their first match. When they came home, 12 of the 15 boxers had their first trophies. Dupuy coached the team for their first season in the winter of ’72-’73, but a logging accident forced him to retire. Frazier took over with Fuller as his right-hand man. Through the years, Eldon Bowen joined as assistant coach, Chuck Hall announced the bouts, Doctors Brazer and Wolfe were ringside physicians and Bob Trigg kept time - along with a host of other folks there to help out. As Frazier put it, all the dads were there to lend a hand in practice, at home matches and on the road. Success came year after year for the kids. By far, the best ringside action came at the regional in Portland in 1976. After the dust set- COQUILLE VALLEY MUSEUM SPECTACULAR OUT OF THE SCRAPBOOK - Coach John Frazier’s personal collection of Coquille Valley KO’s memorabilia includes many photographs of competitors and bouts. This particular photo highlights Frazier’s son, Terry Frazier (right), during a match against a Roseburg competitor. -PHOTO COURTESY tied against competition against teams from five states, 12 of the 18 youngsters emerged as champions, the team earned third place and the Sportsmanship Trophy. It’s been nearly 30 years since the boys last took the ring. Those boys are now in their 40s, but they still talk boxing when they run into their old coach and get to gossiping about the old days. “The boys went to a lot of places, met a lot of people. My son Terry still talks to the guys he boxed against. That’s the way it was; you’d be best pals with a guy, go in the ring against him and fight your best, then come back out bud dies. I don’t think any of the kids didn’t have fun boxing with us,” Frazier said. “It was a good experi ence for all of us.” en Let Us • CATERING • SPECIAL ORDERS Since 1952, Roseburg Forest Products in Coquille has been providing quality wood products for use all over the world. Because of our leadership in wood processing an excellent safety record, and dedicated Get a TASTE of New Orleans from... support the local economy v» long-term, family wage jobs. WATCH FOR US AT... Ernie’s Carriage Museum on the weekends p (weather permitting) Qf Coquille’s Gay 90's Celebration in June. Y’all Give Us A Call: 297’43®® A futurs ws san all dspsndan- PO BOX 218 COQUILLE, OR 97423 ROSEBURG