DORCHESTER – Fighting is not allowed in high school hockey.
But that didn’t stop Andover High boys hockey coach Kevin Drew from bringing his team to Peter Welch’s boxing ring in South Boston to learn the values he learned as a young adult.
On Sunday, the boys grasped the ropes of inner-city life, while getting an intense and rigorous workout with well-known MMA Fighter James Murrin.
“The first time you go you are super-excited to have that experience. Then the second time it’s like, ‘OK I’m excited but I know what to expect and it’s tough’, and the third time you’re like, ‘Oh man, this is a brutal workout’,” said senior Ryan Jaillet.
It was the third straight year Drew took his Andover boys to the boxing gym where he worked out at— but didn’t box — for nearly two decades. The Andover High players spent an hour between jumping rope and calisthenics, before working with the speed and heavy bags, and even getting in the ring for some shadow boxing.
Working up a big sweat in an old run-down building in Dorchester, Drew says, hopefully teaches his players a thing or two about mental and physical toughness.
“It shows them a different side of the world and a different side of culture. I don’t think a lot of these kids ever experienced the inner city,” said Drew. “I explained to them that city kids must fight for everything they have. I want my players to understand in life that if you want something, you must fight for it because nothing is given to you.”
“I tried to get the Andover boys job three times. I had to work for it,” said Drew. “They just didn’t hand me the job. I take this pretty serious. For us to be the best that we can be, we must work at it. It’s not just going to be given to us. I’m really trying to change the culture here.”
Drew’s personal story is emblematic of life in the boxing ring — tough!
His parents divorced when he was five years old, going off to live with his mom in Somerville.
When he was in high school, he played hockey but gave it up when he got into a work program so he could help pay the bills at home.
It led him to several jobs in South Boston, where he eventually re-connected with his dad.
Over the next two decades, he spent nearly every morning at the gym, went off to his full-time job and then to the hockey rink.
Drew got his coaching start at the youth hockey level before becoming the Andover girls hockey coach for five years.
He now is entering his sixth year as the boys’ coach.
Drew believes getting to know his players off the ice is just as important as on it.
“I want the kids to see where I grew up so when I’m talking to them, they can relate to that. I tell them that I want them to get to know me and I want to get to know you. I don’t want them to come in here and I’m just a dictator and just another coach,” said Drew.
Jaillet said that Drew is far from just another coach.
“It’s a really cool experience and it’s really special,” he said. “It’s a big deal for us as a team but it means so much more to Coach Drew, knowing where and how he grew up and all the hard work that he put in. It really inspires us to work hard and we all love playing for him.”