Dozens of athletes flock to the Friedberg JCC each week to take a unique lineup of boxing classes and are quickly becoming undisputed champions in their community. This program began under the leadership of North Merrick resident Steve Solomon.
The Friedberg JCC has branches in Oceanside and South Merrick, formerly South Merrick Temple Israel. The facility, located at 2655 Clubhouse Road, is now an annex to his Congregation Beth Ohr in Bellmore.
JCC offers three classes. One for people with special needs, another for people with Parkinson's disease, both for his JCC members, and a third for the general public. His general classes were open to both JCC members and non-members and quickly became popular among boxing enthusiasts throughout Long Island. The center becomes a sanctuary, a place where they can push their bodies to their limits and find solace in the rhythm of the ring.
Kevin Payne, 24, of New Hyde Park, said the class changed his life. Struggling with weight gain and seeking a sense of belonging, Payne found refuge in the gym. With his Solomon's guidance and the support of his classmates, Payne not only lost his weight, but also gained a new sense of purpose.
“I weighed 215 pounds and now I’m down to 168 pounds,” he said. “I was on a bad path. I wasn't taking care of myself, so I was very unhealthy. But I was able to come here every day and I feel much better now. The thrill of it. That's what kept me going. There's nothing like it.”
Payne, who credits Solomon with helping him stay in shape, is aiming to break into the world of professional martial arts.
“I’m trying to get into MMA,” Payne said, referring to mixed martial arts. “I just want to go to different gyms and work as hard as I can. I just want to get better at fighting because I want to be able to protect myself and my kids someday. And if I have a son, I want to be able to protect him. please tell me.”
General classes are open to men, women, and teens, and Solomon likes to keep things fun by combining obstacle courses and various exercises with boxing training and sparring.
Gabe Santiago, a freshman at Oceanside High School, is the youngest student in his class at 15 years old. Although he had tried wrestling before, he fell in love with boxing after watching the boxing movie “Creed,'' and he enjoys taking classes at JCC. He said he wanted to continue it.
“I love being able to be coached and still do my own thing,” he said.
Solomon is a well-respected figure in the local sports scene and boasts a long history of boxing on Long Island, starting when he was a student at East Meadow High School. He attended a boxing program at Echo Park in West Hempstead. The program was run by the late Arthur Mercante Sr., one of the most famous referees in the sport, who was responsible for the legendary heavyweight championship between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1971. Just like any other title fight.
Solomon taught health and physical education to special needs students. Ed worked in several school districts throughout his career, including his 30 years in the Uniondale School District. He has introduced boxing in the school, and when the JCC was looking for a boxing coach last year, Solomon was recommended for the job because of his extensive work with people with special needs.
DJ Dingle, 40, is from Long Beach and works with the special needs community on a multi-sport program. JCC was at a crossroads two years ago when he withdrew due to a knee injury sustained while playing basketball. Hesitant to return to his court, Dingle found a new passion in boxing.
“When I broke my knee, I was out for about 12 weeks, but as soon as I came back, I put basketball aside and started focusing more on this,” he said. “It builds some discipline. Especially when working with special needs communities, it takes patience and discipline and that kind of transference to them, because they feed off that energy. .”
Solomon's son Zach, 23, followed in his father's footsteps and has a background in adaptive physical education. Zach, a graduate of Sanford H. Calhoun High School in Merrick, began working with special needs people at his JCC with Dingle and assisting with his father's general boxing classes. Zach also attends Adelphi University part-time and, like his father, is an accomplished boxer and all-around athlete.
“Because I was around (special needs) people, I had a kind and generous heart for them and always wanted to help them,” he said.
Zach was inspired by watching his father boxing at a young age, and his father coached him in multiple intramural sports, including basketball. Steve said he hopes to continue coaching with his son after he begins coaching in the local school district as his boxing program continues to grow.
“We want to coach together,” Steve said. “I got my license, and he'll get his license. We're a good match, so we'll probably end up working in schools together.”
