Doylestown and Buckingham families looking for a free summer activity with structure can sign up their kids for a new Police Athletic League boxing program at Joe Hand Gym in Feasterville.

The PAL Boxing Program, a partnership between the Bucks County Chiefs of Police Association and Joe Hand Boxing Gym, is accepting registrations for boys and girls ages 11 to 17 from across Bucks County. Classes run every Tuesday and Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. There is no cost to participate.

Each session focuses on fundamental boxing skills, conditioning, teamwork and character development in a safe, non-contact or controlled-contact setting, according to program organizers. Young athletes train alongside experienced coaches and interact with law enforcement officers who serve as mentors.

"We believe boxing can be a powerful vehicle for mentorship, confidence-building and personal development, and we look forward to positively impacting even more families throughout Bucks County," Joe Hand Jr., chairman of the Joe Hand Boxing Gym, said in a statement announcing the program.

The gym has deep roots in law enforcement. Joe Hand Sr. and his wife, Marge, both Philadelphia police officers, founded it in 1996. The gym relocated from Philadelphia to a 6,000-square-foot facility in Feasterville in 2020 and celebrated its 30th anniversary in April. Joe Hand Sr. died Aug. 1, 2024, at age 87. His son leads the gym's operations and community partnerships.

The Bucks County Chiefs of Police Association is the law enforcement partner for this program, with sponsorship from Penn Community Bank Foundation.

How to register

Parents can email [email protected] or visit joehandgym.com to sign up. The program has not announced a specific start date for classes or an enrollment cap.