When Mike Lacche reflected on his boxing career, one of the most critical keys, he said, was "creating space." For an athlete, in the Army, during WWII, solitude was more a luxury than warm sock or a choice for dinner. Mike dug deep and used a method taught by his big brother, Nick, when times were tough -- the key was music.When Mike was training and wanted to get lost to, in essence, find himself as an athlete, he thought or even quietly hum a song from his childhood. It helped on multiple fronts: controlled breathing through deliberate pace and focus on notes; improved concentration by focusing on each word; enabled a sense of control in that he picked the song and the good memories tied to it.
The line between being competitive and a champion is so thin -- for Mike Lacche, one key was letting go through music to find himself as a boxer.
