State Gym fills with intensity as members of the ISU boxing team put the gloves to the punching bags.

During the summer session, the boxers spend every Monday through Wednesday night in the gym, training for the upcoming season.

The boxing team has been at Iowa State for 20 years. Terry Dowd, 51, has coached the team from the beginning, producing 43 All-Americans and 23 National Champions.

Three years ago, Dowd suffered a stroke that paralyzed the entire left side of his body, but he overcame the stroke to once again walk and talk.

Although teaching boxing skills is his specialty, Dowd also preaches the value of education to his students.

“I will follow you around,” Dowd told his team during a practice. “You will graduate.”

Each year, the team draws close to 100 fighters, both men and women, before that number is whittled down to 12.

“We usually start out with about 100 boxers in the fall, but many quit [because of the competitive nature of the team],” Dowd said.

One of the reasons Joe McElroy, graduate student in genetics, joined the team was to stay fit.

“Mainly to get in shape,” he said. “I just saw it and got interested.”

Dowd said there’s much more to the team, though, than just getting in shape.

“Boxing teaches plain concentration and focus,” he said.

Although boxing is an individual sport, it isn’t noticeable by watching the team practice.

Jess Eide, sophomore in history, said there is a difference between the ISU boxing team and other similar teams he has participated in.

“It’s very team-oriented,” he said. “In other clubs, you can just work out whenever you want, but not here.”

Dowd said he is looking forward to some of this fall’s returning boxers, but most of this year’s team is inexperienced, so he admits that it will be a challenge.

“We teach them how to box for two or three months before they even begin to spar,” he said. “We don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

The boxing season runs from August through April. The team will compete this year in about three meets and as a part of the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA). Since Iowa State does not possess a facility to hold a meet, the team competes across the country in the NCBA.