♪♪♪ Kevin Cunningham: You don't come back to the face.

I hit that.

I come back to the face.

I come back-- Awesome.

All right-- Kevin: I've run KC's Fitness since 1992.

I started the business when I was in graduate school.

Thought it would pay for books, and after about 6 months of doing private lessons I had about 12 or 15 clients, and that was without pushing it.

And I liked the changes that I saw in others.

I liked the changes I saw in myself.

It was just so much fun that I thought it'd be better than finishing graduate school, and ran with it, and now 27 years later we've had over 20,000 people come through our doors.

I have outstanding people who are very much like family.

They're a family, in a sense, who have helped with this business, and it's so much more than a business.

It really is.

It's a community, and it's just been a great life's work.

Youth boxing program, I would have to say it really sort of--well, we were always working with kids, but I would say it really got started in full swing a little over 20 years.

John Starkey: Tuesday and Thursday, our students, at the time of dismissal, walk about six blocks down to KC's Fitness and engage in a comprehensive physical fitness program there.

So, it's not just boxing.

They are learning self-defense, they are learning the techniques of boxing, but they're also practicing calisthenics.

But, more importantly, they're practicing, you know, mindfulness and discipline in terms of time management, in terms of collaborating as a team, in terms of learning the importance of a sound mind and body.

So, the lessons that they get from KC's program go way beyond just knowing how to throw a jab or a hook, but really speak to the needs of the whole adolescent.

It also gives them a great place to release some of their energy in a very healthy way and understand that this is really a lifelong commitment to both fitness and a healthy, you know, mind and body.

Kevin: The kids who are here now, you know, we have some kids who pay for membership, but a good portion of them, obviously, they're sponsored.

And when I say they're sponsored, they're--you know, that's me.

And then, there's also an outstanding lawyer in the community, Mike Taheri, and he's fantastic, and he also supports the program.

These kids are--you know, they've come from different places: Yemen, Puerto Rico, Thailand, Congo, you know, Nepal.

John Starkey at Lafayette High School is also a wonderful fellow who has been feeding us kids who, you know, they need something.

They need something extra.

Kevin: One must have your hands wrapped and be hitting at 25 after 4, on my mom's grave, you will leave the gym.

God bless you.

God bless me more.

John: I think that this youth boxing program is important to the students because it gives them an outlet.

For some people, it's filmmaking.

For some people, it's, you know, drawing or art.

For others it might be music.

For others it's team sports.

But for some of those kids that are a little bit more introspective, some of the kids that might have a lot of pent-up anger, some of those kids that maybe have been bullied at times in their lives, once you get in that gym and--at first you don't think that you can make it.

And they're having to do push-ups, and you're struggling even to do one push-up, and you're trying to learn the combinations, you know, the jab and the hooks and the upper cuts, and you kinda feel awkward the way coming out, and you're seeing the other people in the gym, you know, being able to do it.

You know, you start to doubt yourself.

But at KC's everybody knows your name, and so when you walk in there everyone will say your name.

You know, if you mess up, it's okay.

They're gonna help you get up.

They're gonna dust you off, gonna keep on going.

There are certain goals that they're working towards meeting, so all of that is building the student's confidence, and it's letting the students see that they have a place.

Jeferian: Kevin, instead of just teaching me how to, you know, punch and, you know, be a fighter, he also teaches me, like, to be a nice person, you know?

He tells me stories that, like, give you an advice sometimes, helps you out, like, control your anger, keep it inside of you, you know, use it when it's necessary.

Feelings are normal, you know, emotions.

You know, if you get angry, as in anybody can get angry with no problem because that's just an emotion everybody feels.

If somebody is bugging you, like making fun of you or bullying you, just don't fistfight it first.

Talk around.

You know, try to figure things out.

Try to work out.

Don't use physical fighting.

Ramadhani Salim: Keep it close.

Even if you try to punch me here--punch.

Punch me here.

You could use your elbow to block the punch.

male: Got you.

Ramadhani: Before, when we first came to the United States, first, everything was different to us, and the people, the culture itself was totally different from what we're used to.

And the Somali Bantu population itself was very low in Buffalo, New York itself, and the English language was very difficult for us, and we had no friends.

And so, there was this one day my mother sent me to a corner store to go buy some groceries for my family, and there were these three teenagers who were wearing ninjas on their face.

Those kids attacked me, and they took my money, and they run away.

I went home crying to my mom.

We didn't know what to do first.

We couldn't call the police because we wouldn't know how to communicate with the police.

And, second, I didn't know who these people were.

I just know they were three, and they were wearing ninjas.

They beat me and run away.

I went home.

We brushed it off.

Nothing we could do about it.

Fine.

After that day, I became a very different person in terms of my mental change.

I became a very angry person.

Someone beat me for no reason, especially knowing that I have come from a country that there was so much of killing, civil war going on, and we have come to the United States for better living, and now this is happening to me again.

That really got to me.

From there, I wanted to know how to fight so that I can stand up to the bullies, whether at school or on the street itself.

Kevin: It's gotta be incredibly tough for-- it's tough.

It's just tough to have that happen, but in light of his past he's thinking, "I don't have a father.

He was killed in the violence of Somalia and if we didn't escape they would have killed us, too.

And here I am in this country.

Well, welcome to America.

Welcome to America."

So, he thought, "I've got to get skilled.

I've got to acquire skills to protect my family," and so he went over--he heard about some martial artist who was teaching boxing and Aikido and other things at First Presbyterian Church.

He came downstairs, he watched, and in his own words he said, "I have to get me some of this."

Ramadhani: I wanted to be in that class to learn how to fight and, usually, sensei will ask you, "What brings you here?

What do you wanna get out of this program?"

And with what--with why exactly I went there for was that I wanted to know how to fight so that I can stand up to the bullies, and Sensei told me, "Welcome.

Welcome to the class, but from here on we'll teach you how to not to fight."

Kevin: Rama never got into a fight again, you know?

He never got into a fight again, so I think, you know, teaching you how not to fight.

Certainly, you know, there's poor techniques and there is poor practice, but I think that it really starts with having a non-fighting mind.

You know, if you're always thinking about the fight, ready for the fight, sometimes you attract what you fear in life.

You know, sometimes you attract what you fear, so I think that for Rama it was being immersed in a disciplined and in a supportive environment, where he's taught--you know, he became quite confident, you know, and he became very relaxed with his skill base.

And, you know, the strange irony is that you train to learn how to fight, but then you never get to--you don't have to fight.

It's funny thing, you know?

I think it was Shakespeare who said, "Oh, to have a giant's strength, but how tyrannous to use it like one."

Kevin: What makes his mitts feel good, Cece?

Cecelia: So, he's putting pressure.

Like, so you always told us that we're supposed to--and the puncher and the holder are supposed to be--both are supposed to be punching.

So, like, when you hold you're supposed to be putting some pressure on and turning your body the same way you would if you were throwing.

Kevin: Right.

Right.

So, if this great--let's see.

If this great man is throwing a punch at me, boom.

I'm turning with--.

See.

Look at me.

Look at me.

Boom.

But if I just do this, how did that feel?

male: Awful.

Kevin: Awful, yeah.

And here's another--here's the other extreme.

Watch this.

Ready?

Cecelia: Whenever I'm telling people about this class that I do or being able to work out in the gym or just Kevin Cunningham in general, I always tell them he taught me how to walk down the street the right way, because he taught us how to walk down the street with a presence that will show that you're, like, observational about your surroundings, and you're aware, and you're, like, in the moment so that maybe people who are walking by just, like, understand that you're, kind of--like, you understand what's going on around you.

And that can, like, help you out in a lotta ways and help you protect yourself, so I think that's something very important that has stuck with me.

Hassan: I'm from Kenya.

It's country in the middle of Africa.

That country is full of--a lot of, like, violence, and people shoot each other with guns, and some of them carry guns.

City that I'm from is, like, the city--the worst city.

I used to learn how to do arrows, and they forced us to do a lot of training when I was in my country.

And here, when I came, I kinda learn more about the emotion and the perspective and-- Michael Kischel: That's it.

Again.

Good.

The speed will come.

Good.

That's it, girl.

Michael: I started out just as a army, you know, scout and stuff and worked my way up.

Became a sniper from 2005 to 2007.

I was in the surge of Baghdad, spent--or rather it was a nasty time in the war.

We seen a lotta action.

We were spearheading that operation.

We were all through Baghdad, Baquriya, Mosul, all the way up to the Sunni Triangle, by Anbar Province.

So, when I came, when I got out the military and I discharged, I struggled, man.

I fell into substance abuse, and I struggled with addiction for a few years.

It was a very, very difficult, dark time in my life, and to be where I am today is just--it's amazing.

Kevin: I believe, and we talk about at our gym with our kids, the thing that's within our grasp is heart, heart.

I would rather have an athlete who has heart and little athletic ability than someone who is blessed beyond measure but has no heart.

Day by day, what we think, what we do is who we become and, you know, like I always say, before you close your eyes for the last time do you--who do you wanna say you were?

Michael: I like to have to be at my best, you know, and at everything I do I wanna be at my best, and, like I say, how you box is how you do life, and vice versa, you know?

So, I'll give it all I got in here so that when I'm out there I can give it all I got.

Kevin: Rotate.

Rotate your arm.

Moving the arm.

Moving the arm happens because of the body constantly trying to turn your weight .

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

In and out.

Does that make sense?

You gotta shadow box it.

If you learn how to transfer weight, you'll become a better baseball player, football player, boxer, better person.

Go.

Don't wait.

Kevin: The kids, yeah, they're learning everything that they need to learn about boxing, but also, too, you know, I think that if--when you ask them, they'll tell you, "Well, I'm learning more than boxing.

I'm learning about life."

Michael Taheri: Kevin is a great storyteller.

I mean, I think what makes Kevin a unique instructor is he wants to make the world a better place, and he has the ability to communicate with young people through stories, and I think really elevate them not only through body and mind, but spiritually.

He wants them to be successful people, and part of this program that he and Pietro have created is about making these people not only successful, I guess, students of boxing, but also successful in community.

Cecelia: He's such an engaging storyteller, and I think that's his best quality, 'cause he can really teach you something about how to be a good person as well as a good boxer without, like, telling you to be a good person.

He's giving you other stories and aspects of life that you wouldn't really get otherwise.

Kevin: How did you make the world a better place today?

Tell me one small thing, one small thing that you did that made the world just a little bit better.

Jeferian: The story about the wolf is the thing that has helped me the most.

Yeah, it's a really good story.

Kevin: The story of the two wolves.

That's a favorite, especially for Jef.

He loves that one.

It's a Native American story, and a grandfather is sitting with his grandson, and he says, "There are two wolves that live in every person, two wolves, and they're always in contention with one another.

They're always--you know, there's a struggle between both of them.

One wolf, the first wolf, is mean-spirited.

It is not kind.

It's greedy.

It's easily angered.

It doesn't protect the pack, and it only thinks about itself, and it's filled with fear and even rage.

The other wolf, though, well, the other wolf, that wolf, you know, that wolf is noble.

It's kind.

It's loving.

It thinks for the pack before it thinks for itself.

It truly is a noble creature.

Those are the two wolves that live in each person."

And the grandson says, "Which one is stronger?

Which one wins?"

And the grandfather says, "Whichever one you feed.

Whichever one you feed."

Hassan: Yeah, he talk about the two wolf, the bad one and the good one.

That a kid has to choose which one he has to feed them, and that reminds me of my own story.

That I can go back feeling bad for myself, or I can look forward and change everything.

Cecelia: I think that one of the biggest things I've learned from being in this program specifically is just how to be involved in, like, a community and that's almost not one of your own.

So, I've always been a part of this gym community, but it's interesting to be part of, like, this--the community of the surrounding the gym.

I mean, I only live, like, a few miles away, but it's very different, you know?

Like, where--the school that I am at and the people that I'm around are very different from the people that are in this gym and the people that are in the class.

And I think that's really important, to just get that, like to see different people and to learn about other people and just to, kind of, like, set yourself into, like, more diverse kind of environment.

Kevin: You can hit me any time you want.

female: Like that?

Kevin: Yeah, yeah, hit me.

Go ahead.

You hit me, and I'll pay for your college education.

Kevin: KC's has always had a very strong role in the community beyond the walls.

So, for many years we were doing, you know, tree plantings, beautification projects, and I--we thought it would be fun to work with young people, and we thought it would be neat if we gave them an opportunity to also be involved in some of the beautification efforts that we were taking onto our side.

So, I remember on Saturday mornings kids came in, and they had a choice.

They could either pay for the class with $10 and the $10 would go towards tree plantings on Elmwood Avenue, or they could spend an hour with a plastic bag cleaning up, cleaning up the avenue with me.

And so, one of the first kids who was in that program was Pietro Muscato, who is still with us, and he's a fixture, and he is the general manager of the Buffalo location.

And so, Pietro never put $10 in the can.

He always opted to walk up and down the avenue with me picking up garbage, and so that's basically the--you know, that was the start of it, and then as time went on it evolved.

Michael: The boxing program here--I don't know how it is at any other facility--I think it allows Kevin to be an extremely compelling role model, along with Pietro.

Both of these guys are honorable, decent people who really wanna make and leave their--share their knowledge with people, and these happen to be kids at this point, 16--15- and 16-year-olds.

But I've seen him work with adults, so I think it is important to have a skill and share the skill, and then we journey together to see if we can grow together.

I mean, I'm sure Kevin learns from them, you know, so that's the importance of the exchange.

It's not only Kevin and Pietro sharing what they know, but look at how much they're learning from these students, just like I learn when I sit in and watch the students and Kevin engage, so I think it's really important.

Kevin: What did you like about today?

male: -- getting hit in the face.

Kevin: You liked getting hit in the face?

Okay, that's a little odd.

Kevin: The kids are giving me an opportunity to hone my craft, to be the best teacher and guide that I can be.

Ramadhani: As a person, I grew as a person positively, and he also would treat us, as the kids from the program, as his own kids.

We grew up to have so much love with him, although he will keep us very busy in the program, which is to train and keep a positive mind.

So, that's what I can say I got out of the program, which is he helped me as a person to grow positively, have a positive mindset, and let go of negative energy, of wanting to fight.

Michael: Their parents are always coming in here saying, "You know, the demeanor of my son," or my daughter, "has changed so much.

They're respectful.

They're polite, you know?

They're doing their homework.

They're going to bed early so that they can get up and go for a run before school in the morning."

I'm very, very proud of every single one of my kids.

Kevin: I had my father up here in Buffalo, and he was dying, and he was in the hospital, and I knew that he only had a couple of weeks left.

And that day, you know, I was--in fact, I was right here in this room.

I was teaching a class, and I got a call from ECMC and said, "You know, your father just passed."

And I was planning on going to him right after the class and spending time with him, which I was doing many hours a day.

And so, I went there and, you know, sat with him, with his body, for a couple of hours, and then I also thanked the staff at ECMC 'cause they were great.

I thanked them for, you know, for taking care of him.

And, you know, when I left the hospital I thought, "Well, I'm gonna take the day off," which I think is understandable, you know?

I had scheduled a seminar with a bunch of rowers who I was training at the time, and I'd been working with them for months.

And I was gonna cancel it, but then I heard him say, "Go on now, boy.

You know, go on now.

You're off tomorrow.

Finish your day.

Go see those girls and work with them."

So, I went and did my job, and then the class I often ask kids, "How did you do today on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being great, 1 being pretty stinky?

How did you do?"

And most of the girls said.

"Oh, 7, 8, 9."

Couple of girls said 10, and I said, "How did I do?

How did I do?"

And then, one girl, Kate, in the front said, "Oh, you were great.

You're always great."

Well, I said, "Thanks, Kate.

Thanks for your support."

And I said, "You know, when I thought about coming here today to work with you girls--and I like you all very much, but I wanted to be as far away from you as a hawk is from the moon."

And I remember Kate just--the kids were taken back by that.

But then, I said, "Listen, my father passed away this morning, and I spent some time with him.

And I was gonna cancel today, and I don't know.

For some reason--I don't know.

It seemed like he would want me to be here, you know, 'cause we're getting ready to finish our training together.

I didn't wanna--I thought it was important for me to be in front of you," I said, "'cause, you know, you're my team.

That's how I see you girls.

You're my team, and I need to pull for you."

I said, "We need to pull for each other in life."

So, I said, "So, this season when you're on your boats, when you're in your boats and you failed trigonometry that day, maybe you found out that your boyfriend's cheating on you, or your mother yelled at you, or you're thinking, 'Man, I think I'm coming down with a bad cold,' don't indulge yourself or feel sorry for yourself.

Not in that moment, because, see, you're part of a team.

You have other people in the boat with you.

You gotta pull for them.

You gotta pull for them.

In life I think we have to pull for each other, so I pulled for you today.

I pulled for you today.

I wasn't gonna tell ya."

I wasn't planning on telling the girls that that day that Dad had passed, but somehow in that moment it seemed like a teachable moment, so I decided to speak to it, you know?

Kevin: We can choose any path we want and what we're after here--what we're after here is excellence.

Day by day just a little bit better, a little more excellence.

Whether it's music, sports, your character, it's all the same.

It's all the same.

How you hit the bags--you'll be -- this.

How you hit the bags is how you do life.

Kevin: One of the things that inspires us--and, of course, you see it on our shirts.

I don't have it on right now, but it's, you know, amor vincit timorem.

The Latin is, you know, "love conquers fear," and many of our boxers have that on their t-shirts, and it's a powerful, powerful process when you think that way, love conquering fear.

You know, when Michael, Coach Michael, first met me, he said, "Sir, what does that mean?"

And I always get a kick out of people trying to translate it.

He said, "Something about love.

What's that?

What's love--" I said, "Love conquers fear in Latin."

And he paused for a second, and he said, "Oh, I believe that, yeah."

Michael: Your love for life, you love for your family, your children, you know, boxing, your discipline, your heart, doesn't matter, love conquers fear every time.

Kevin: It sounds touchy-feely granola, doesn't it?

But it's not, you know?

Certainly, soldiers get it, you know?

They have to love each other, you know?

They're not usually fighting for democracy or freedom.

They're fighting for each other.

Think about a mother wolf protecting her cubs from a grizzly.

Love conquers fear.

Kevin: Soul is dyed the color of its thoughts.

Recalling those thoughts that can bear the full light of day, day by day what you think, what you do is who you become-- Michael: It's difficult to be a kid, especially in this day and age, you know?

And they come in here, and they find something that they didn't even know they were looking for, you know?

And then, before they know it they're part of this.

Jeferian: I see Kevin as my father and, like, Petro as like my brother because my father was never here for me in these situations.

Like, now I'm doing boxing, and I wish I could just go home and, you know, talk to my father.

"Hey, I did this today.

I improved in this and this and this."

But I do it, but with Petro and Kevin.

I talk to them instead, so that's like-- I see them as a family.

Ramadhani: It is fair to say KC's is my second home because this is where I grew up.

I came when I was 12 years old, yeah, and now I'm 27.

That's almost half of my lifetime, and I've been here, and I continue to come here because I feel like this is my family.

KC's has taught us that we can all become friends, and that's why I continue to come to KC's until today, because whenever I come to KC's I feel like I'm home.

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