If you give a child a chance, he or she will prove the faith you put in him or her was worth it.

Introducing local youngsters to the sport of boxing, Gaffney trainer Tuck Swanger’s primary goal is to provide an outlet for them to shine, in addition to keeping them from falling prey to the same pitfalls waiting to snare children at every corner.

“I’ve been doing this for several years and my purpose is to give kids without the opportunity to shine the chance to do so,” Swanger said. “Hopefully down the road they will do something with their lives. That’s what would bring me the most joy.”

For some young people, the goal is to one day qualify for the Olympics, arguably sports‘ grandest stage. Swanger hopes one of his boxers can take a step in that direction Saturday night at a USA Boxing Showcase at the county Boys & Girls Club on Pecan Street.

The first bout will begin at 7:30 p.m. However, event participants will be trickling into the arena between 4 and 6 p.m. for doctors to perform physicals and weigh-ins prior to each fight.

Boxers from a number of locales including Anderson, Charleston, Chesnee, Columbia, Spartanburg and Charlotte, N.C., ranging from eight to 35 years of age will take part in the showcase. There will be as many as 15 matches on the card for the night, with opportunities of moving closer to nationals on the line.

“The boxers fighting on television and the Olympics, that’s who we are fighting for,” Swanger said. “If the kids want to make the Olympics, the opportunity is there for them.“

The Gaffney boxing trainer has spent the past six months getting fighters mentally and physically prepared for the bouts.

“We train all the time,” Swanger said. “They’re some nice kids, no one of whom I can put above another. All I want is one to make nationals. Everyone is equally talented, I just want one of them to make it.”

Should a local fighter advance to compete at the national level, Swanger is convinced it will be with the help of the entire community.

“All of this is a community effort, they made it happen,” the trainer said. “I’m here for the kids, which is free of charge. But the community making donations has been beneficial in us being able to do this.”

One of the things that donations helped purchase is something more important to the sport than just about any other item, except for the boxers themselves — a boxing ring.

“It was a community effort to purchase the ring and the accessories for it,” Swanger said. “Should one of these kids’ dreams come true, it is definitely due to the community putting its resources behind them.”

The cost of admission for the event is $10 for everyone except children age 6 and younger, who may attend the event for free.