NEWBURGH, N.Y. -- Before any of the junior boxers competed for glory this past weekend in the "Gloves Up, Guns Down" boxing tournament at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, their parents and coaches said they have already won.

Coaches from the host club, Newburgh Hook Elite Boxing, said their main motivation in training young people to box is to provide them direction and structure in their lives.

About 100 boxers from several northeastern U.S. states and a team from Dublin, Ireland competed in Sunday's competition.

"It keeps us busy," Kaci Crowley of Dublin's Erne Boxing Club said. "Instead of being out and about, we train."

"This is why a lot of kids start the boxing program," Crowley's opponent, Jamillah Chisholm said. "It keeps them out of trouble."

Coaches from several clubs said they are looking for more boxers from their respective communities.

Coaches at Newburgh Hook Elite train about 30 junior boxers from the Newburgh area, and would like to train "at least 30 more."

"Our main challenges are space and blind spots in our gym across the street," Newburgh Hook Elite Coach Leonard Lee said. "We're trying to expand to serve more, but yes, even now, we want more."

Coach Lee joins several other coaches and parents in saying their main goals have less to do with Olympic medals or scholarships, and more to do with giving young people purpose.

"I just think there's a world of opportunity for them, immediately," Chisholm's mother, Carmen Ortiz said as she pulled her daughter's hair into a tight bun ahead of her fight. "They have something to aspire to. They're like 'I can't do this because I'm training,' or 'No, I'm not going to that party. It's not my crowd.' They've found themselves. They're just unaware of it."

Coaches and boxers from the Dublin team said -- as violent as the fights might look at first glance -- it is a safe and controlled alternative to what some other teens might be doing. 

Crowley said that in her community, there are many temptations that rope in others her age, but she has not had much interest in them.

"With boxing, you won't be drinking," Crowley said. "You'll be keeping fit and healthy. Even with the weigh-ins, you won't even tempt to, or think about it."