Good Sports: Farmersville gym aims to give back to local youth

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- More than a decennary ago, Danny Diaz-Valdovinos Jr. had an idea.

"I privation to commencement a programme wherever kids don't person to interest astir paying, you know, they tin really get help," helium said.

As a lifelong Mixed Martial Arts coach, Danny decided to unfastened up a gym successful his hometown of Farmersville.

With the assistance of his brother, a fewer section sponsors and his ain money, he's made the full acquisition escaped of charge.

"We beauteous overmuch formed a squad to support this going," helium said. "It's for the kids. That's wherefore we enactment hard -- it's for the kids."

As the city's erstwhile vice mayor, Danny utilized his connections to make the 'Leave nary Kid Behind" program, a Monday-Friday cognition for students anyplace from 5 to 19 years old.

"These kids travel from workplace labour workers, truthful they don't person the existent funds to wage the higher prices astatine different gyms," Danny said.

The lad of workplace workers himself, Danny remembers his parents' struggles each excessively well.

"They went immoderate days without eating," helium said. "They struggled, they sacrificed to supply for us, and that's the mode to springiness backmost to the kids for the parents. It's pugnacious retired there."

Over the years, his students person go coaches and mentors successful their ain right.

"Some of the kids are inactive present that utilized to beryllium those small kids," Danny said. "Now, they're much mature. Now, they're helping maine usher the different kids."

One of those kids is 15-year-old aspiring boxer, Joel "Boogeyman" Avila.

"My crushed for coming is to marque it and assistance my dada retired with wealth issues," helium said.

Others, similar amateur boxer Esteban Garcia, are hoping to crook pro.

"Training from the aforesaid place, truthful we conscionable privation to spot everyone succeed," helium said.

Danny says nary substance the property oregon accomplishment level, helium treats each pupil similar his ain family.

"One clip oregon different successful life, we request a hand," helium said. "We each request to get lifted. Everybody falls."

It's a manus he'll support extending for years to come.

"As agelong arsenic God is helping maine out, sponsors helping out, arsenic agelong arsenic I'm around, it'll support going," helium said.

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