If you searched for a gym in Roanoke and landed here, let me be honest with you first. Champ’s Gym is not a fitness chain. We do not sell memberships to the general public. We are a nonprofit boxing gym built for young people, and everything we do comes back to one idea: behind every youth is a champion that cares.
I’m Victor Banks, Executive Director of Melrose Athletic Club. We have been running Champ’s Gym in Northwest Roanoke since 1972, and that idea is the reason the doors are still open.
Where the Name Comes From
Champ’s Gym was founded by Earnest “Champ” Cabbler and James Cabbler, two men who trained at Gleason’s Gym in New York and brought that standard back to Roanoke. My uncles, who were talented carpenters, built the boxing ring by hand.
The name is the whole philosophy. A champion in this gym is not only the person who wins a fight. It is the adult who shows up, the coach who stays, and the older athlete who turns around and pulls the next kid up. Every young person who walks in finds someone in their corner.
Not the Typical Gym in Roanoke
People find us in a few ways. Some search “Roanoke gym” or “gyms in Roanoke VA.” Others type in “Roanoke athletic club.” Our official name is Melrose Athletic Club, Inc., and most of Roanoke knows the gym as Champ’s Gym. It is at 915 9th Street NW.
A commercial gym sells access to equipment. We offer something different. Our model is low-cost and donation-based, because money should never be the reason a young person misses out.
A Boxing Gym in Roanoke Built Around Mentorship
The training is real. Kids learn footwork, stance, and proper punching technique, and they get in shape and build self-defense skills along the way. Most of our athletes never compete, and that is completely fine. Those who do compete under USA Boxing rules do it in an environment where safety comes first.
The boxing is the vehicle. Our mentorship and character development work is the point. We teach young people how to carry themselves on a trip, how to sit at a restaurant and tip the server, and how to shake a hand and mean it. We also run gun violence prevention work in the community. Our mission has always been to address every young person as a whole, not only as an athlete.
Champions Who Come Back
The proof that this works is the people who never fully leave. Monte and Donte Dunnaville walked in around age 10. They are in their 30s now and still here every week, coaching the next generation. That is what a champion that cares looks like when it comes full circle.
Who This Gym Is For
Champ’s Gym is for Roanoke kids and teens who want structure, a family environment, and a skill they can be proud of. It is for parents who want an adult in their child’s life who cares how it turns out. You do not need to be athletic or have any experience. Boxing is a learned sport, and every beginner starts at the beginning.
We train Monday through Friday, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. If you are not sure whether your child is ready, come by and watch a session.
If you are looking for a Roanoke gym that does more than count reps, come see our programs at Champ’s Gym or contact us with questions. You can also read how Champ’s Gym has served Roanoke youth for over 50 years, what a first day looks like for a beginner, and what youth boxing actually does for a kid. The doors have been open since 1972.
