Woodland native and 9-year-old boxing prodigy Madelyn Salas is gearing up for her next big challenge. She will compete in the prestigious National Silver Gloves Championships, which will take place from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2 in Independence, Missouri.

“I’m super proud of her,” said one of her coaches and uncle, Brian Alvarez. “I can’t even explain it. It’s crazy to see. It feels amazing to see her following in the family’s footsteps. As her coach, I won the Silver Gloves in 2008, so it’s really cool to see her at the same tournaments I was at.”

According to usaboxing.org, Salas is currently the No. 1 ranked fighter in the 70-pound division. She hopes to follow in the footsteps of Alvarez, who was a top-ranked youth boxer in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, Alvarez won three boxing national championships, including the National Silver Gloves, the National PAL, and the annual Desert Showdown in the 132-pound class.

He was the last Woodland area youth boxer to be ranked No. 1 by USA Boxing.

Despite having only nine amateur fights to her name, Salas has already proved herself at the highest levels of youth boxing. Earlier this year, Salas had an impressive showing at the USA Junior Olympics held in Wichita, Kansas, June 22-29. During her time there, Salas secured a second-place finish in her weight class by going 1-1.

Along with Alvarez, Salas’ team of dedicated coaches includes Pedro Alvarez, Eduardo Alvarez, and Curtis Barfield, all of whom have played a big role in her development, helping her hone her skills, electing to focus on technique, speed, and strategy. She trains at Alvarez Boxing Club, located at 611 Kentucky Ave.

As she prepares for the National Silver Gloves, her coaches appreciate the community of Woodland rallying behind her.

“It feels amazing,” Eduardo Alvarez said. “It’s cool that the community is so supportive, and it’s an honor that they still stand behind the sport. They have been helping out in any way they can to support her getting to tournaments.”