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Mar 31

Leave your drama outside: Owner of Wheaton fitness and boxing gym aims to improve young peoples lives – WTOP

Fitness Comments Off on Leave your drama outside: Owner of Wheaton fitness and boxing gym aims to improve young peoples lives – WTOP

Dave Kennedy operates the Rec-Mode Fitness and Boxing gym in Wheaton, Maryland, with an emphasis on improving young peoples' lives.

Dave Kennedy, who operates the Rec-Mode Fitness and Boxing gym in Wheaton, Maryland, tells his clients to get comfortable being uncomfortable, and is firm about how everyone is to be treated in the space hes created with his wife, Maxine.

This is a safe, welcoming and positive space, Kennedy said.

Flags from 39 nations ring the gym, and Kennedy said hed like to have a flag from every country represented one day.

Kennedy said one client pointed out there was no pride flag representing the LGBTQ community.

I said, Bring it in and thats the big flag that you see back there.

Kennedys been very active in a variety of youth-oriented programs and his space will be hosting workshops on opioid awareness and anti-violence. While crime in the area is a concern, Kennedy said his business is not affected directly.

We dont see it, he said.

But Kennedy is aware of some of the challenges faced by kids who come to Rec-Mode. He rejects the term at-risk, and emphasizes positivity to the young people who come to his gym.

We have a quiet saying that says Leave your devils outside, leave your drama outside, he told WTOP.

The number of girls who come in for fitness and training has increased, which has become a point of pride for Kennedy.

We actually have a lot of girls now, he said. We started with one.

Now there are 22 enrolled in activities at the gym. He credits social media with that growth.

Because they went and told their friends, and then they looked on Instagram, he said with a smile.

Kennedy runs the gym along with his wife, Maxine Bravo-Kennedy, and his mother works there as well.

Its a family business, he said.

Kennedy, a veteran and retired Montgomery County firefighter, said its great when a student decides to go on to box competitively, but thats not his sole goal for the young people who come to his gym.

Instead, he said, watching young people grow and focus on school and their future is the most rewarding thing. Recently, several students brought in report cards showing improved grades at school.

Thats better than them becoming amateur champions or anything. Thats success, he said.

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Leave your drama outside: Owner of Wheaton fitness and boxing gym aims to improve young peoples lives - WTOP

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