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Battle of the Badges is an annual event where Peace Officers get into the boxing ring to raise money for the Community Youth Athletic Center (CYAC). The officers train for 3 months in order to be prepared to give the best fight possible. The CYAC is a youth oriented boxing gym in National City, CA.
The Community Youth Athletic Center is a successful youth development program offering opportunities for underprivileged and disadvantaged youth using athletic and educational excellence as our model. The program has produced many high achievers in the classroom and in the ring.
The 2008 main event featured Officer Osgood of Donovan State Correctional, as one of the heavyweight boxers. Officer Osgood is the brother of Kassim Osgood of the San Diego Chargers. In support of the CYAC and his brother, Athletes for Education and Kassim Osgood purchased a premier table at the event and donated signed memorabilia to help raise even more money through raffles.
As in 2007, Officer Osgood won his Battle, but this time, he won in a first-round knockout at 1:21. The impressive knockout solidified him as best boxer of the night, but the real winners where the children of the CYAC. The youth of National City, one of the poorest neighborhoods in San Diego county, use the gym as a safe place to learn and become respected members of the community. The gym is a place for at-risk youth to stay away from drugs, gangs, violence and all sorts of negative situations that are common in their neighborhood.
The CYAC is currently facing many problems, including opposition from City Hall, and a huge Eminent Domain lawsuit. They are being defended by the Institute for Justice. The Battle of the Badges is the gym's one annual fundraiser and helps to keep the gym running the entire year. Athletes for Eduction is proud to support the CYAC and its' vision of supporting the youth of our community.
Click on a photo below to open a larger version
| Battle of the Badges 2008 |
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