TOLEDO, Ohio — Women's History Month is a time to recognize the achievements of powerful women making an impact – and one local woman is doing just that as an elementary school teacher who is also an accomplished boxer.
Brooke Jacob is a STEM teacher at Shoreland Elementary in Washington Local Schools and said her journey has come full circle as a Shoreland alumni herself and also a Whitmer High School alumni.
She went to the University of Cincinnati for college and there, she discovered a love for the ring, thanks to the big screen.
"Creed came out when we're in high school and I started watching that, and my family got me into the Rocky movies," said Jacob. "And I'm like I really like this. Boxing is pretty neat, like I want to try that."
She joined the National Collegiate Boxing Association in 2019 and was named the NCBA national runner up in her division. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit the following year which changed everything and her boxing career took a hit.
"Our regional tournament had gotten cancelled the day before and then our national tournament got cancelled, and it was like one day I was no longer an athlete," she said.
Jacob brings the mentality of grit and determination to hundreds of students in kindergarten to 6th grade every week and said the lessons she learns in the ring, she also uses to teach her students.
"(In) boxing, you're going to get punched eight times, but can you punch nine times back," said Jacob. "It's things like that – you're going to fall down, can you get back up. That mindset I think really helps me."
She also said she tells her students that losing is a part of the process and is something to build upon. She said that just because someone does something good, does not mean you cannot try and do something better.
Now, she's been a part of USA boxing for the past few years and recently, her coaches reached out to see if she would come down to Cincinnati and fight an opponent. Jacobs couldn't resist and shortly after, the rest of the school found out.
"The kids found out and it was this whole thing they actually did a walk-in on Friday, the principal did an announcement like we're not going to do a clap-out for Ms. Jacobs we're going to do a walk-in," she said.
As for the future, Jacob said she may hang up the gloves soon, since she has to travel a lot for matches but if a coach calls, she said she is likely hopping back in.
"I'll probably end this year, but if he calls me at the end of fall at the end of winter, I'll definitely accept the fight," she said.
Jacob said USA boxing is planning to hold its first tournament in Toledo this July. Shoreland Elementary School is currently in the works of having an after school boxing program for kids who need a healthy outlet.