When Kevin Collins was 14 years old he turned to boxing as a means of staying out of trouble and finding direction. In the ring of the Westbury Village Recreation Center gym, Kevin was able to take out his frustrations and deal with social issues that he feels, had he handled otherwise, would have gotten him into a lot of trouble.

"Boxing gave me direction. It was something to do, a place to go that was positive. I wanted to prove something and boxing was a legal avenue of accomplishing that," said Kevin, who, over time, went on to become an amateur fighter, competing under the name "Irish Storm" in the Empire State Games, Golden Gloves and the United States Regional Team.

Frederick Samuels, known in the ring as "Freddy P," agrees. Growing up, mentors at a local group home told Freddy what a good fighter he was but when that fighting got him into trouble, Freddy said he was told to "go and do something good with it." The former Westbury resident took the advice to heart and joined a local gym, learning to use his skills wisely. To date, the 24-year-old has won eight out of nine competitions, and competed in the Long Island Championships and 2008 Golden Gloves.

Kevin and Freddy are among hundreds who turned to the Westbury Recreation Center for guidance in and out of the ring. Established in 1979 as the Westbury Police Boys Club (PBC) and run by the Police Athletic League (PAL), the gym is located in the basement of the village's sports center at 346 Post Avenue. Today, the gym is known as the Westbury Boxing Club and is run under the auspice of Westbury Village Recreation Department.

During its inaugural year, the club produced six Golden Glovers and, over the next two decades, some 20 pro-fighters, including, some well-known names in the pro-boxing industry as Scott Lopeck and Jake Rodriguez, Freddy Liberatore, Raphael Williams and Joe Manly. "We were one of the best New York gyms. We were at the center of boxing," Peter Brosky, who served as the gym's driving force from 1979 to 2000 before returning to the helm in late 2006, said.

A former fighter himself, Peter said the club is more than just a place local youth through adult turn to hone boxing skills. It is a place that builds character and self-confidence. A retired Nassau County Police Department probation officer, Peter knows firsthand how important gyms of this nature are today.

"Boxing is not just about fighting [and] shouldn't be looked at as some ghetto sport. It's far from barbaric. It's a scientific sport [that's] very emotional. Nothing beats this in terms of developing friendships, relationships and overall, trust," Peter said, adding that the goal of the Westbury club is to combine athleticism with socialization. "It builds self-confidence [and] self-esteem," he said.

For Jesus Rivera, a sixth-grader at Carle Place's Rushmore School, the club is exactly that - and then some. Jesus said that being in the ring keeps him in shape and teaches him how to protect himself, it also serves as a way to build upon his self-confidence. Dad Jesus Sr. agreed and told The Westbury Times that interaction with others and the skills taught at the gym have helped his once shy son become more confident. "He has broken out of his shell," said Mr. Rivera, adding that time at the gym means less time at home "in front of the television."

While Jesus has been taking advantage of the local gym for the past three years, Peter said a lot has changed over the past decade, including community demographics, and interest in the club has decreased significantly. Back in the day, he said, there were some 200 members; today, about 60. As a result, Peter, as trainer and coordinator, has set out to rejuvenate the club and bring it back to what it was in its heyday.

Along with Peter, Ike Padilla (who trained under Peter during the late 1980s and became the 1988 Golden Glove champion before going on to the Olympic trials), Tito Soto and a now 38-year-old Kevin Collins volunteer their time as coaches and trainers, giving back what was so freely given to them.

"Boxing saved my life. It gave me direction and drew my mind into the ring instead of getting into trouble," Tito said, adding that the Westbury club "keeps kids from getting into trouble and away from drugs, gangs and crime. It keeps them off the street and gives them somewhere to go."

According to Kevin, the lessons and skills taught at the boxing club apply to life in and out of the ring. "Boxing is very difficult and tough. It teaches direction and discipline. It's a lot like life. Life is tough and it can take the breath out of you in one shot," Kevin said.

While competitive fighting is important, Freddy said his overall goal is not only to be a good boxer, but to also give back to the club's newer members exactly what was given to him. "I've been through a lot of hard times. I hung with the wrong crowd but here, at the club, everyone is like family and looks out for one another. The coaches keep you focused," he said.

New Hyde Park resident Rich Neves, who has been attending the Westbury Boxing Club for the past two years, agreed. According to Neves, the club's coaches are father figures who have "guided him" in the ring and life. On a boxing level, Neves' training has paid off. To date, he has won four of his last five fights, even making it to the quarterfinals of the 2008 Golden Gloves.

While competing is important, Freddy also hopes to use his experiences, both good and bad and in and out of the ring, to become a role model for today's youth. "I want them to stay out of trouble and I would rather them fight in the ring than on the streets," he said.

The Westbury Recreation Department's Boxing Club is open to anyone ages 10 to adult. The club is open weekdays from 4 to 8 p.m. at the sports center, which is located at 346 Post Avenue. The cost is $100 for adult village residents and $150 for non-residents. Village residents under the age of 18 can join for $25 a year while the fee for non-village residents under 18 is $40. Additionally, equipment, including gloves and headgear, is provided by the club. For more information, call the Westbury Recreation Department at 334-5560 or Coordinator Peter Brodsky on his cell at 561-723-2240.