INDIANTOWN, Fla. — A new boxing gym in Indiantown is already making an impact — not just in the ring, but in the lives of the children.
The Martin County Police Athletic League (PAL) has opened a youth boxing gym in the small, rural village, transforming a former fire station into a hub for mentorship and growth. The program aims to provide more than athletic training; it offers a safe, structured environment for kids to learn discipline, responsibility, and leadership.
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“I just viewed this as the old fire station, and I’m coming here, and I’m like ooh, this is nice, we got a whole ring — like this is official,” said youth member Zion Jeune.
“I was ready to hit the punching bags,” added Isaiah June, another student in the program.
PAL’s grand opening was held on Wednesday, but the gym is already buzzing with activity. Fifty local youth have enrolled, drawn in by the excitement of boxing, but walking away with life lessons.
“We teach them discipline, we teach them that hard work pays off, that you have to put the hard work in, that you have to learn and make yourself better every single day,” said Noel Del Valle, Executive Director of Martin County PAL.
The kids say they’re learning far more than footwork and jabs.
“They make sure that we know boxing is an avenue for us to grow and not to use it for bad things. In our very first lesson, they said the skills that you learn here stay in here. They don’t want us fighting. They don’t want us in trouble,” said Zion Jeune.
“They really care—make sure we're not hurting each other, make sure we’re doing good in school, mostly like relationships, our growth, our mindset,” added Maya Pierre, another program participant.
One of the gym’s standout features? It’s completely free for the Indiantown community.
“We really lean on our philanthropists in the community and our community partners to help offset the fees that would normally be charged in a sports program — that way it’s affordable to everyone,” said Del Valle.
In a town with limited opportunities for youth, access matters.
“If we didn’t have a location this close to home we probably wouldn’t be able to participate,” said Valeria Cornejo.
“This town doesn’t have a lot opportunities for kids our age, so having something for us that we can reach accessibly I think is wonderful,” said Jeune.
The gym is already helping reshape habits and attitudes.
“It’s helped me get way more responsible and stuff and to actually do something instead of stay in the house all day,” said Isaiah June.
With every punch thrown and lesson learned, this gym is creating more than just athletes — it’s helping build stronger futures.
