For any young man or woman entering the United States Naval Academy, it’s more than being the best and brightest. It’s a commitment to leading and serving others the world over, while defending America.
During that time, there are activities meant to build up that character. One of those activities is boxing, as every midshipman laces up the gloves at least once during their four years at the Naval Academy as part of their physical education curriculum.
Among that number is Amarillo native Jace Nelson. So far, he’s done quite well for himself within the ring.
Nelson built himself up, before taking part in the 85th Brigade Boxing Championships on Feb. 28 at Alumni Hall on the campus of the U.S. Naval Academy. Within the traditional Blue vs. Gold matchups, Midshipman Nelson captured the 175 lbs. championship and advanced to the National Collegiate Boxing Association’s Midwest Region Tournament on March 12 in Cincinnati.
Already, Nelson had etched his place into history.
“It feels very special to have marked my spot in the books among other Brigade champions over the years,” said Nelson. “It took a lot of hard work and dedication, and it feels great to have achieved this goal, considering the people I was competing against.”
Nelson would then finish third at regionals in Ohio, Nelson earned a spot at the 50th annual NCBA National Championships, held last weekend at the Sonesta Charlotte Lower South End in Charlotte, North Carolina. There, Nelson defeated Justin Bonilla of Air Force in the quarterfinals last Thursday before falling short against Antonio Leandres of Army West Point in the semifinals this past Friday.
Being brought up within the sparring realm, Nelson always sought to join the USNA Boxing Club. According to Nelson, it readied him for Plebe Summer — a six to seven week indoctrination program at the Naval Academy which focuses on military drill, professional training and physical conditioning.
“I started boxing before I arrived as a plebe in 2023, as a way to stay in shape and prepare for the exercise load of Plebe Summer,” Nelson said. “I knew every midshipman was required to play a sport at some level, and the boxing team happened to be one of the teams I had my eye on before coming.”
Leading up to the Brigade Boxing Championships, Nelson represented the USNA by competing on different shows and fights throughout the fall semester. When it was time for the official training to begin, Nelson jumped at the opportunity.
After all, he was on a redemption run of sorts after coming up short in his first two attempts. For Nelson, the third time was the charm.
To prepare himself, Jace underwent a strenuous preparation regimen.
“The training was pretty challenging,” Nelson said. “We were in the official fight camp for a little over a month. We started right when we got back from winter break, with morning runs at 0530 (5:30 a.m.) and practices in the afternoon from 1600-1745 (4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.)
Morning runs ranged from hard sprints to longer distance runs and afternoon practices involved bag work, drills, and sparring at least twice a week,” continued Nelson. “On top of the workouts, I had to lose weight to make the weight each time I fought. I came into the semester at around 190 lbs. and dropped to 175 lbs. by the time I needed to fight, which required a lot of discipline.”
When it came to the big match in front of his fellow midshipmen, Nelson abided by a straightforward master plan. Nelson would have to carefully choose his attacks and go the distance.
“Going into the final fight, my strategy was pretty simple,” Nelson said. “The guy I fought is a really good boxer, who is also on the competition team and has an inch or two on me. So, I knew that I would be jumping in and out of his range. I also knew I wasn’t going to be knocking him out or getting a stoppage, so I was going to have to fight hard the whole time.”
“Prioritizing good movement and choosing when to engage and disengage were priorities of mine going into it,” Nelson added.
Even though Jace had won his fight and pushed on to regionals, he was worn out.
“I honestly was so tired that I didn’t get much of a rush at the moment,” said Nelson. “I was just glad to not be running around trying not to get hit.”
For his success this season, Jace tipped his cap to his coaching staff and teammates.
“The coaches are all fantastic people who really care about the team and our growth as boxers and individuals,” Nelson said. “The team is also really special to me and without a doubt helped me reach this point. It takes a special kind of person to get in a ring with someone else, box against them, and walk away as teammates and friends. Even during the training camp, you are working alongside the people who you are competing with in the actual fights, yet everyone still works with each other and helps the others around them grow.”
Nelson also gave credit to the Amarillo High football program, spearheaded by head coach Chad Dunnam and his staff.
“They helped set me up with the discipline I needed to reach this point,” Nelson said. “Hard work, effort and a focus on the fundamentals were a priority throughout my time there. It grew my competitiveness, which helped me achieve this goal.”
While entry into the Naval Academy is highly competitive and extremely selective, Nelson encouraged those interested to look into applying to the service academies.
“I would tell them to absolutely look into it. The Naval Academy and the other service academies are really cool opportunities to serve and make an impact on others while also pushing yourself to grow and improve,” Nelson said. “I would encourage people to look at the admissions website for more information on the process if they are interested.”
As for boxing itself, you don’t need a congressional nomination, a fitness assessment or a medical exam. All you need are some gloves and a willingness to improve yourself.
“As far as getting into boxing, get some gloves, find a local gym, and start training,” Nelson said. “Even if you aren’t competing or sparring, boxing is such a great strength and cardio workout that really helps build confidence.”