Natural born fighter

15-year-old shows ability by qualifying for nationals in just 10 months

Bob Reinert/Northwest Guardian

Janae Jackson has made her mark as a high school sprinter, but she’s not running from anyone these days.

Turns out that when she steps off the track and into a boxing ring, Janae would rather stand toe-to-toe with her opponent and throw punches than avoid the fray. Lydell Spry, coach of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Boxing Academy, spent the last few weeks trying to change that.

“What we’re working on basically with her (is) her timing, her footwork, her movement,” Spry said. “Her power is there. Her speed is there.”

There hasn’t really been that much time to prepare Janae for the 2010 USA Boxing Junior National Championships, which take place Monday through June 19 in the Goettge Memorial Field House at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The River Ridge High School sophomore only took up the sport 10 months ago, but she claimed state and regional championships in the 138-pound class to earn a trip to the nationals.

“In 10 months, she has made it to the nationals, and that speaks volumes about her as an individual,” Spry said. “Anything under a year, to make it to the nationals? Please.”

Action begins at Camp Lejeune with preliminary-round bouts Tuesday and Wednesday, continues with semifinals Thursday and concludes Friday with finals in 18 female and 17 male weight classes. Each fight will feature three 2-minute rounds. More than 200 of the nation’s top 15- and 16-year-old boxers are expected to take part in the 39th junior nationals.

“She’s going to really get her eyes opened when she goes to the nationals,” Spry said. “It’s good for her to get the experience, to see how other folks act and how they handle themselves in adverse situations. There’s going to be some good fights. It’s going to be fun.”

Meet, Janae, 15, and you might think sprinter instead of fighter. A year ago, she was part of two relay teams that placed at the state championships. But last week the quiet young lady slipped on the gloves and started throwing punches that landed rapid-fire and with authority into mitts held by Spry.

“Throw it,” said Spry, reminding her to move her head. “Don’t be stiff as a board, either.”

That Janae can throw a punch is no surprise: Much the same as her mother, Susan Jackson, a certified personal trainer on JBLM, she is an accomplished powerlifter. Janae still holds three age-group world records in that sport.

“I started boxing because my sisters wanted to do it,” Janae said. “We came and tried it, and then we liked it. The first week was really hard and tough. But then after that, it started being fun.”

Janae is the second-youngest of Jackson’s five daughters, ages 11 to 24. Did her mother worry when she took up boxing?

“I know she’s strong and tough, but I wasn’t quite sure how she was going to handle getting hit in the face,” Jackson said. “I wasn’t concerned about her getting hurt.”

Janae has compiled a 6-3 record heading into the nationals. With another year left at the junior national level, she will get two cracks at a U.S. title. Beyond that are the 2012 Olympic Games in London, where women’s boxing will make its debut.

“She has to want it,” Spry said. “You can’t inject that. It’s either there or it’s not.

“She has two years to get there. This is the first ... major step forward.”