Natalia Tovar is one step closer to her dream.
The Kenosha teenager recently won female boxing Nationals and was selected to attend a special High Performance Youth selection camp at the Olympic training center.
Tovar says she is exactly where she wants to be, and she leaves for the training center in Chula Vista, Calif. on Saturday.
The ultimate goal is putting on a great performance this weekend and eventually representing the United States one day as an Olympic boxer.
There’s opportunity to travel the world doing what she loves.
“When I first received the note to a meeting for information for the youth high performance team after leaving the ring, I was almost in tears on how grateful and proud I was of myself,” Tovar said via email. “When receiving that note I felt deserving of it and proud of all the hard work I had done and put in had finally paid off.
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“This is a great opportunity that I was given, and it’s a big deal because by doing this camp I have a chance to be a part of the USA youth team and will be able to travel around to different countries to get different fights with different styles. It will get me closer to hopefully one day being a part of the Olympic team.”
Tovar competed in Nationals in Lafayette, La. back in December, and she had to get through a tough battle against a girl from Kentucky she hadn’t faced yet. Tovar said it was challenging, but she won in the last round.
Then, in the finals Tovar went to weigh in but her opponent didn’t end up showing up because of weight issues. It was a girl that had previously beaten Tovar, but this time Tovar won by walk over and earned the opportunity for the camp.
Tovar began boxing at age 10, and she’s been doing it seven years now. She trains at the Tenacious boxing club located on 60th Street in Kenosha, where her stepdad owns the gym and also coaches there.
“I always trained with him before getting serious with the sport, and when he decided to open the gym it just became a more convenient and comfortable spot to train instead of outside or in the basement or at the park,” Tovar said. “I love Tenacious because it has always had a supportive atmosphere with all the parents coming together and supporting one another, and as fighters we have all just became family since we understand the dedication and discipline it takes to be in this sport.”
Tovar says she loves boxing because it takes away stress and she truly enjoys it and has fun doing it. She is able to add her own unique style to boxing, and it has been a great way to meet new friends and build bonds.
“It is important to have fun doing what you love most,” she said. “This sport also allows me to make new friends and new relationships with other people and travel to different places to fight, which is always fun.”
This weekend, Tovar plans to be a sponge. She wants to soak up all the boxing knowledge she can, learn new ways to train and get better, and of course earn a spot on the Olympic youth team. This would allow her to fight in different countries and improve her chances for the Olympic team.
“My goal is to learn,” Tovar said. “I want to learn all about what workouts are better and what foods are better for me and new styles and techniques when fighting or in general in the ring. My goal is to become not just a better fighter but a better athlete. And obviously come back home with a spot in the team.”
So, what makes a good boxer?
According to Tovar, it’s just as much mental as it is physical. She says mental toughness, discipline and passion are all important since a lot of times you have to push yourself and put in the work when nobody else is around.
The Olympics are a huge goal, but Tovar isn’t stopping there. She wants to go pro one day and become an undisputed champion.
With her love for the sport and commitment to the hard work, what’s stopping her?
“I think when it comes to being a good boxer it is important to be not just strong physically but mentally,” Tovar said. “This is important because when being mentally strong you will be able to take information from coaches and use that to grow as a fighter.
“It is also important to have a strong desire for the sport, because you can’t always have people pushing you, you have to want it for yourself and push yourself when no one is watching. Discipline not only makes you a great fighter, but it keeps you ready to stand out as a person.
“My goal for boxing is to make this youth team and hopefully try out for the Olympics and after go pro and become undisputed. Hopefully I continue to help and train the kids around me to grow in boxing, for example my sister Sofia Aguilar.”