Lacing up with Lucero: Former pro mentors, coaches as labor of love

This story was published first in The Met, the student-produced newspaper at Metropolitan State College of Denver.

At the end of the day, when most full-time workers head home to relax, east Denver native Tim Lucero heads to the Pecos Community Center, where boxers of all ages fill a small gym, jump rope in an outdoor courtyard and shadow-box in the hallways.

For Lucero, a former pro-boxer coached by the nationally known boxer, Chicano activist and poet “Corky” Gonzales, volunteering his time as head coach for the Aztlanecos Boxing Club is a labor of love. He’s been doing it for 24 years without pay.

During the day, Lucero works full-time as the facilities director for the National Conference of State Legislatures and, at 5:30 p.m., his work begins as a coach and mentor to more than 30 boxers, many of who come from single-family homes.

“I was lucky enough to grow up with two parents,” Lucero said, “But a lot of kids nowadays don’t have that opportunity. It’s nice to help out these kids wherever I can, so they don’t get stuck on bumps along the way.”

“We’re all family here,” said Lucero’s older brother, Tony, who helps with the club. “We don’t let the kids leave alone. We make sure they get home safe.”

Tim Lucero’s daughter, Reyna, agrees.

“It’s pretty much a family thing we do,” said the younger Lucero, who started training with her father when she was 8 years old and boxed for nearly 20 years. “It’s his passion. He loves boxing. He loves helping out the kids.”

With Lucero’s dedication, and with the help of his brother and his two co-trainers, Ché Duran and Alfredo Sandate, boxers don’t seem to notice the close quarters of the 530 square-foot gym. Lucero’s focus is on the boxers, not the limited space or funding needs. His goal is to get kids involved in a disciplined sport that keeps them off the streets.

“To me, boxing helps to reinforce the values that I grew up with – a lot of values that the kids aren’t exposed to these days,” he said. “I had two of the best coaches ever (Gonzales and Ralph Luna). They were world class trainers, but they also reinforced the values I learned at home.”

Lucero learned that when you’re a boxer, you don’t pick fights. You treat others with respect and you do well in school – that is what Lucero asks of his boxers.

During the Golden Gloves Competition this past March, when qualifying Colorado boxers 16 years of age and older gathered to win a place at nationals and younger boxers competed for state titles, Lucero was focused on his boxers more than the rivalries that consumed some of the other coaches.

“I’ve got some real talent in there, but I won’t push them before they’re ready,” he said. “We don’t push anyone to compete, but if they decide they want to, then we push them to do well.”

D’Angelo Sandate, 11, also known as “the champ,” is one of those dedicated to competing. He placed first for his weight and age group at the competition and is one of Lucero’s many prodigies who dreams of going to the Olympics. Like Sandate, Adan Gonzales, 12, also dreams of going to the Olympics, but says that being a professional writer is his “plan B.”

Education is a major focus at the club. The gym is filled students from elementary school through college, who Lucero urges to “get a diploma.” Lucero also says that any personal problems a boxer might have should be “put into the ring.”

In June, Lucero attended the high school graduation ceremony for one of his boxers, who this fall will be the first member of his family to attend college.

“I was so happy,” Lucero said. “That’s what it’s all about… doing something with their lives, doing something outside the ring. Too many boxers have nothing to fall back on when they’re done fighting.”

When Lucero turned 48 earlier this year, more than 50 friends and family members gathered to help him celebrate. Sister Cheryl Lucero said they may have felt they were financially poor growing up, but the family always thought of itself as “culturally rich.”
Rich in culture and family, that is. After all, Lucero’s day doesn’t end until he is home with his wife of 28 years, Luann, his daughter, Reyna and his granddaughter, Victoria.

“To live with them – it’s heaven,” Lucero said.