At Hamlin Park in Chicago, where generations of champions first laced up their gloves, the Papa John’s/WBC Cares Community Champions “Patches for Pizza” initiative celebrated the people carrying one legendary coach’s legacy into the future. During the Chicago Park District Summer Boxing Showcase, organized under the leadership of its Boxing Director Angel Ocasio, WBC Cares and Papa John’s recognized coaches and athletes who embody the same values of leadership, perseverance, and service that the late Coach Bill Heglin instilled in generations of young people over his remarkable career.
Among those honored at the July 23 event was Coach Jesus Cerda, who received a Papa John’s/WBC Cares Community Champion recognition for his dedication to rebuilding the Hamlin Park boxing program. Cerda grew up in Coach Heglin’s gym, where he first began boxing as a teenager and remained part of the program until his early 20s under the guidance of Coach Heglin and trainer Luis Pagan.
Following Coach Heglin’s retirement in 2024 after an extraordinary 51-year career, the Hamlin Park boxing program remained dormant while the Chicago Park District searched for its next leader. With the encouragement and endorsements of Hamlin Park alumni, Cerda was selected to lead the program. Today, he is rebuilding that legacy. The program has already grown to approximately 30 participants, including a dedicated group of competitive boxers.
The evening also recognized several outstanding members of the Hamlin Park boxing family through the
initiative. Sebastian Ginschel, who earned Fighter of the Night honors during the Hamlin Park Summer Boxing Showcase, was recognized alongside Raymond Costales, who proudly represented Hamlin Park in his first amateur boxing match. Additionally, Ela Wojt, who was named Fighter of the Night at the Chicago Park District’s all-female boxing event at Wicker Park on July 9, was also recognized. Each received a Community Champion patch, a Papa John’s free pizza award, and a WBC Cares certificate in recognition of their dedication, perseverance, sportsmanship, and commitment to their boxing family and community.
The celebration also served as a heartfelt tribute to Coach Bill Heglin, who passed away on June 14, 2026, at the age of 88. Coach Heglin devoted more than five decades to the Hamlin Park boxing program, serving as its only boxing coach from 1973 until his retirement in 2024. Throughout that time, he mentored hundreds, if not thousands, of young people while developing champions both inside and outside the ring. His students included WBC World Champion Fres Oquendo, Olympian and former WBC Lightweight World Champion David Diaz, and countless other amateur and professional boxers. His extraordinary contributions to the sport earned him induction into both the Illinois Boxing Hall of Fame and the Chicago Golden Gloves Hall of Fame.
Former fighters, family members, friends, and generations of Hamlin Park alumni returned to the gym where so many boxing journeys began to celebrate the coach who changed their lives. Guests signed a commemorative tribute poster, shared stories and memories, and proudly wore special T-shirts created in Coach Heglin’s honor, a fitting tribute to a man whose influence reached far beyond the ropes.
Reflecting on his mentor, Oquendo said:
“Coach Bill was much more than my boxing coach. He was like a second father to me. He believed in second chances and never gave up on the kids who walked through the doors… He helped instill integrity, discipline, respect, and common sense in me, lessons that stayed with me long after I left the gym. Along with my parents, Coach Bill played a tremendous role in helping shape the man I became. I truly believe I wouldn’t be where I am today without his guidance.”
For Cerda, carrying on that legacy is both a privilege and a responsibility.
“I always dreamed that one day, if the opportunity ever came, I’d be able to lead the Hamlin Park program… that dream became a reality… Coach Bill left some really big shoes to fill, but that’s what motivates me every day, to honor his legacy by giving today’s kids the same opportunities he gave all of us.”
The Papa John’s/WBC Cares Community Champions “Patches for Pizza” program recognizes individuals who make a lasting difference in their communities through leadership, mentorship, perseverance, and service. Few places embody that mission better than Hamlin Park, where Coach Bill Heglin spent decades building champions, not only in the ring, but in life. Through leaders like Coach Jesus Cerda and the next generation of young boxers, his legacy continues to inspire future champions for years to come.
