In 2014, Flathead Valley Community College President Jane Karas heard a talk by Garret Garrels of Pink Gloves Boxing. It made an impression. Three years later, Karas asked Garrels to be the keynote speaker to kick off the college’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Garrels was on campus Feb. 2 to deliver that speech. He talked about wanting to celebrate the past 50 years, but also to plan for the next 50.

“What ideas do you have today for making a better tomorrow?” Garrels said. “Nothing is more easily forgotten than ideas without action.”

Garrels said his desire to speak as part of the celebration grew out of his admiration for what the college has built over time. When he was invited, the college sent him an advanced electronic copy of the book being put together for the event.

“I started to realize what an amazing story the college has with all its accomplishments,” Garrels said. “When you go back to the seeds of their growth, you realize how many chances they had of failing. That resonated with me because that is the story of my own life.

“I live my life by saying ‘yes’ and then finding a way. I’m a fan of possibility.”

Following his presentation earlier this month, the college is now looking at the possibility of becoming the third college site in Montana for Pink Gloves Boxing, founded by Garrels.

“People call me the founder, but it’s more accurate to say Pink Gloves found me,” Garrels said.

At the college, Chris Clouse and Jill Seigmund have both gone through Pink Gloves training at the University of Montana. They are interested in having it come to Flathead Valley Community College, but there are obstacles. A lot is up in the air at this point, but the interest is there.

“The Pink Gloves program is amazing,” Clouse said. “What he (Garrels) does in terms of helping his students feel strong and empowered … it’s a very positive class and we think it would be a great fit for some of our students.”

Clouse said there are some questions that still have to be answered, including whether or not the program would be a good fit for the college as well as working to envision what exactly this program at FVCC would look like.

“We’re very interested but we have some obstacles to navigate and then we’ll see what comes to fruition,” Clouse said.

Garrels came back to campus the day after his talk to do an abbreviated boxing training. For those interested in the full training, the next class will be in April at the University of Montana. It will be open to the public.

PINK GLOVES Boxing grew out of Garrels becoming the personal trainer for his mother’s hair dresser. Their first conversation began with her telling him, “I just fired my last trainer, and you were recommended.”

Garrels shared the story of Pink Gloves as part of his presentation on Feb. 2.

That first client didn’t really want to do boxing, Garrels said, but he convinced her to try. An hour later she was raving about how much fun it was, and wanted to bring a friend for the next session. And just like that the group grew organically.

“They didn’t just work out together,” Garrels said. “They became a community.”

Pink Gloves Boxing has now grown to include 30 locations in the United States, as well as locations in countries like Sweden, Norway, Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

The program started with a group of women but has swiftly grown. In a 2015 interview, Garrels said “As a personal trainer, I was just doing my job — what my clients hired me to do — which was to help them find individual fulfillment without comparisons, inequalities, or stereotypes. I wanted to create a positive environment where people could feel safe without having to wear a mask. Boxing just happened to be the routine I knew best.”

In that same interview, Garrels described Pink Gloves Boxing as “a mental and emotional program within an excessively physical culture — the health and fitness culture. Where other programs promote images of beach bodies, six-pack abs, and thigh gap, our culture reaches beneath the surface. For us, fitness is more than just something you do to improve your physical appearance; it’s a way to improve your emotional state.”

People interested in more information can visit www.pinkboxinggloves.com or send questions directly to Garrels at garret@pinkglovesboxing.com.

Reporter/photographer Brenda Ahearn can be reached at 758-4435 or bahearn@dailyinterlake.com.