Boxing club struggles without home

Without a permanent home, hopes for an active boxing club this school year have been KO'd.\nIn a letter to club members, co-founder Jamie Kleinschmidt said he had hoped to find a permanent location for a boxing ring on campus. But Kleinschmidt wrote that his optimism was "misplaced." \nIn an interview, Kleinschmidt blamed the Division of Recreational Sports for the inability to locate a permanent ring location. \n"We were under the assumption the school was going to help us find a place to put up a ring," Kleinschmidt said. "It became obvious that they weren't. We'd ask them questions, and they'd say they're working on it. They never really wanted to tell us 'no.'"\nBut Josh Downing, assistant director for club sports, said the inability to find a permanent location arises from a lack of space, not a lack of will. \n"There's definitely a misunderstanding," Downing said. "We wish we could help them, but this is an issue that faces every single club."\nDowning said Kleinschmidt and co-founder Charles Benson were informed early in the club's formation that space would be an issue. \n"It was just obvious they weren't providing as much help as we needed," Kleinschmidt said. "We think there should have been more cooperation."\nClub adviser and University Chancellor Ken Gros Louis has suggested several locations the club could set up a ring off campus, something Downing said many clubs do successfully. \nIn his letter to club members, Kleinschmidt asked everyone to look around the community to find a location.\n"I'm calling on every club member to help the IU Boxing Club find a permanent home," Kleinschmidt wrote. "Whether this space is located off campus or on campus through an avenue we have not tried does not matter. I'm asking every person who wants boxing to become a fixture at this fine institution to help in our goal to find space."\nThe club has contacted various establishments in Bloomington, but Kleinschmidt said many are concerned about insurance costs associated with housing a boxing club. \nAlso Kleinschmidt, Gros Louis and Downing admit it is in the club's best interest to remain on campus. \n"I think it would be a lot easier for people to get to it on campus," Gros Louis said. \nHe added most clubs recruit the majority of their members as freshmen, and since most freshmen live on campus it would be difficult for them to attend club practices off campus. \nDowning agreed, saying the club will struggle with membership if practices are held off campus. \nBut it is more important to have an off-campus club rather than no club at all, Gros Louis said. \nApproved in mid-October, the club's practices focused on conditioning and have been canceled because Kleinschmidt did not want to continue conditioning without the prospect of stepping into a ring. \nThe lack of space has also put the club's charity event, "Punch Out Poverty," in jeopardy.