OUR HISTORY

In the very beginning... Emanuel Steward, the legendary hall of fame boxing coach began training young boys from the streets of Detroit who wanted to box. It all started at the KRONK Recreation Center basement and through the years, more world champions were discovered, coached, nurtured and trained there than any other gym in the world. The names you know, the ones that grace the KRONK.com website, were all products of Emanuel Steward's coaching genius.

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But there's more to the story. While the champions you know became winners in the ring, many others, thanks to Emanuel, got their start in life because of his caring. Emanuel Steward may be famous for creating champions, but for those who knew him and for the city of Detroit, he was also known for generously helping kids in need who came to the gym. 

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Today, Emanuel's giving spirit has been memorialized into a youth development program that bears his name: ESCOT Emanuel Steward Champions of Tomorrow. The program teaches kids how to be champions both in the ring and in life. It was founded by Jeff Styers who after partnering with Emanuel Steward's daughter Sylvia Steward-Williams transformed his own youth development program, Norwayne Boxing Gym into ESCOT. 

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Jeff, a former professional boxer himself, didn't train under Emanuel but knew and respected him. To this day he cherishes a letter of encouragement he received during his fighting days. When the opportunity came to bring the brand power of KRONK, the spirit of Emanuel Steward and the successful Norwayne Boxing Gym program together for the benefit of the kids of metro Detroit once again, it seemed a natural. It seemed like destiny, and it was.

 

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