PAL boxing club honors Coach Mike in celebration of life

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - -The South Bend Police Athletic League (P.A.L.) boxing club celebrated the life of longtime coach and mentor, David Michael Deakins (Coach Mike), Wed. evening at the Beacon Resource Center

Coach Mike died in him home on Feb. 25 of this year, leaving a lasting impact behind in the boxing program and beyond in his 65 years of life.

Many in the P.A.L. program said Coach Mike was more than just a coach, but also a mentor, welcoming smile, and known jokester, giving nicknames to many of the club members.

“An outfit they wore, or if they had a strong right hook, that was their name, so it was great and the kids really bonded with that, it broke the ice really quickly… he just made everybody feel like family. Like he, he always wanted you to know that this was a place for you,” said P.A.L. mentor and coach, Vi Nowak.

Coach Mike was a member of Riverside Church and when the P.A.L. boxing club needed a new practice facility years ago, Mike helped connected them to the Beacon Resource Center, which Riverside Church owns.

“I think the defiant message of today that Mike would really resonate with was just that death does not win. That even though it is something that he faced and now is in a different place… I think he could get behind this message of resilience and that this is not the end,” said pastor at Riverside Church, Andrew Gates.

The boxing club faces a difficult journey navigating Coach Mike’s loss, but Nowak said it will only make their community stronger.

“Knowing who he was and what he brought to our team, and the family here at boxing, it teaches us resilience. The kids will carry on his legacy by never giving up and taking one day at a time… he always encouraged the kids and just reminded them to stay on path,” said Nowak.

Coach Mike’s obituary can be found here