Josh Miller works out on a heavy bag last week on the second floor of the Butler Cubs building on McKean Street. The second floor is the home of Specialty Outreach Services, a boxing program that teaches children and young adults how to train, entertain and live their lives properly. The program has helped many troubled youths turn their lives around.

BUTLER — A left jab here, a right cross there, words of advice tossed in.

Such is the nightly ritual on the second floor of the Butler Cubs building on McKean Street, where kids and young adults convene in a boxing gym to learn how to train, entertain and live life right.

The building itself houses a private athletic and social organization and was the original Butler YMCA years ago. The boxing program is run through Specialty Outreach Services.

“We may get 40 kids in here on a given night,” said Steve Six, executive director of Specialty Outreach Services. “Some are court-referred and have to come as part of their community service.

“A lot of them come because they just want to be here.”

Count Ryan Covert among the latter.

Covert, 27, first came to the Cubs hall five years ago as a 285-pound man who couldn’t stay out of trouble.

“A friend of mine started coming here and told me about it,” Covert said. “I’ve always loved fighting. I can do it here and not get in any trouble. I’d rather see my name on the sports page than on the police report.

“After three months of training, I dropped 80 pounds. Seeing the positive effect on my body motivated me to do more.”

A year later, Covert was an amateur boxer at 178 pounds. He is 26-11 in 37 amateur bouts and may turn pro in a year or so.

“Whether I do or don’t (turn pro) makes no difference to me,” Covert said. “It’s all in how healthy I can be.”

In many cases, once a kid sees the boxing program making a difference in his life, he keeps coming back.

Seth Bartmas first came to the program at age 13. He’s now 23 and still comes. K.P. Peth first came when he was 11. He’s now 26 and is still showing up.Peth is 18-0 in kickboxing, 20-5 as a boxer. He has the opportunity to turn pro in the coming months.“I haven’t fought in three years,” he said. “Right now, I’m just getting back in shape. There are other things I want to achieve in my life.“I graduated from Slippery Rock University two years ago. I never cared about much of anything until I came here to learn how to fight. Now this place is my sanctuary. I think I’ll always be a part of it.”“It’s good exercise with good people,” Bartmas said. “A friend of mine was sent here as part of his probation and liked it. He recommended it to me.”Bartmas is 5-3 in eight amateur fights.“I have no big aspirations in boxing,” Bartmas said. “I’m here for the workouts and the atmosphere.”The workouts include hitting the heavy bag, jumping rope and sparring in the ring. The atmosphere is being around loyal trainers and managers who care about kids.Don Spinetti has been a trainer/manager for Butler Cubs boxing for 31 years. Billy Wolfe, now 35, is the only Butler Cubs boxer to ever win a national championship.He won a Police Athletic League national title in 1988. Now he works with kids in the Cubs program.“I’ve been training for four years now, working with guys ranging in age from 10 to 25,” Wolfe said. “I believe in this program and the discipline it provides.”He believes in it so much that his own daughter, 10-year-old Karli, works out at the gym.“She’s been coming with me for four years,” Wolfe said. “She’s been sparring with boys for about two years now.“I love what it’s doing for her. The discipline, the confidence — I can see the difference in her.”

Karli Wolfe hasn’t had a fight yet, only because her trainers haven’t found a female opponent for her.“She’s ready … Believe me, she’s ready,” Spinetti said.“I can wait,” Karli said of her first match. “It’s fun just staying in shape. Some of my friends think it’s scary, me doing this, but they don’t really understand it.“I play basketball, too. I want to play football, but Mom says she has enough to worry about with me boxing.”Spinetti was one of the original founders of the Cubs boxing program, joining YMCA coach Rich Gregory.Gregory worked shifts in the mill and “couldn’t be here all the time, so I started helping him out,” Spinetti said.“I know a lot of kids and I draw satisfaction from helping them,” Spinetti added. “As kids grow up and change schools, they get concerned about being picked on. Some of them come here to work out.“Boxing’s unique in that if you weigh 120 pounds, you’re going to face another guy who weighs 120 pounds. It’s always an even match that way.”

Few people who come through the Cubs hall doors ever become boxers.“Once a kid has three amateur fights through us, we give him a jacket and he trains here at no charge,” Six said. “But it takes a lot to get three amateur fights.“Out of every 400 guys who come in here, maybe 12 or 15 become actual boxers.”Kids and young adults train in the program for $35 a month or $60 for two months. But no one is turned away for financial reasons.“We have to sustain ourselves and pay for our equipment, but we get grants and solicit church funding,” Six said. “A lot of these kids come from rough backgrounds. If they can’t afford to pay, we find a way.”While most of the kids don’t become boxers, they do become better people. Six knows that first-hand.His daughter, Stephanie, married Gary “Toby” Piper, an employee of Filges Industries who first came to the Cubs boxing program as a troubled youth on probation.Six’s daughter met him through the Cubs program.“Toby teased his probation officer, saying they gave him a life sentence,” Six said of his son-in-law. “He’s doing great now.”Chris Feil is a 16-year-old boy assigned to Six by the courts 21 months ago.“Sometimes it’s rough … You just don’t wanna go through the routine,” Feil said. “But I’ve learned how to defend myself and have pride in myself.“They get you in shape physically and mentally here. I’ve never met so many nice people in my life.”Don Beeman, 17, came to the Cubs program three months ago after a probation violation. He plays baseball in Butler as well.Between baseball and boxing, Beeman keeps his spare time occupied.“When I’m not at baseball practice, I’m here working out,” he said. “There’s something spiritual about it. I’ve learned discipline and how to get by without cheating.“I’ll keep coming even when I don’t have to. This is a good place to be.”

Heavyweight boxer Brian Minto, 23-1 in the professional ranks, got his start in the Butler Cubs program.Six said the program’s numbers have not increased because of Minto’s success.“Most of the guys here don’t even know who Brian is,” Six said. “K.P. Peth, Ryan Covert, Jimmy Cress … Those are the guys they identify with. They see those guys on the streets.“They see the difference this program has made in their lives. That’s the best advertisement we can ask for.”<br></br><br></br><br></br>

Amateur boxer Ryan Covert, 27, works a bag held by Billy Wolfe, the only Butler Cubs boxer to ever win a national championship

Gene Fair trains with a jump rope at the Cubs hall.

Chris Feil, 16, left, absorbs an uppercut thrown by Travis Zaborowski at the Butler Cubs hall in Butler. Among those watching ringside are Steve Six, third from right, and Billy Wolfe, second from right. Six, who serves as executive director of the Specialty Outreach Services, began boxing at the Cubs hall in 1975. He started working with youths in 1986, some of whom are referred to the program by the courts as part of their community service. Feil was assigned to Six by the courts 21 months ago. “They get you in shape physically and mentally here,” Feil said. “I’ve never met so many nice people in my life.”

Travis Zaborowski waits in his corner to spar as trainer Dave Arnold stands by to offer advice. As many as 40 youths and young adults can be found at the Cubs hall on any given night.