In sport of all kinds, specific proving grounds are where stars earn the ignition of their burning inferno. Traditionally in the United States, there are clear pathways for athletes to ascend from amateur status to high profile professional. In American Football, Baseball, Hockey, Basketball, even Tennis, Soccer and Wrestling these passages are built into the system. For the most part, it begins with youth programs. Those programs progress into the local school systems from which the best continue to move forward, eventually entering the realm of collegiate athletics. College becomes the final step and a vast majority of these athletes, one among them CES bantamweight champion Tony Gravely, aren’t awarded the high salaries and life-changing opportunities.
Tony Gravely: A Quest for Greatness
