SPORTS NOTEBOOK:Boxing mainstay suffers stroke

Longtime boxing cornerman Chuck Bodak hospitalized: Chuck Bodak, 91, a colorful character in the world of professional boxing for decades, suffered a stroke Monday.

He is currently undergoing medical treatment and testing at Anaheim Memorial Hospital.

Bodak is a friend of the Burbank Boxing Club and has made several appearances at the Burbank Community YMCA. In addition, he has traveled and worked with the club’s fighters.

Renowned for his work as a cut man and trainer, Bodak has been involved with more than 60 world champions. His fighters have been some of the finest athletes ever to grace the sport, including Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali, Oscar De La Hoya, Julio Cesar Chavez, Thomas “Hit Man” Hearns and Evander Holyfield.

Chuck Bodak is a name that is probably not easily recognized, except to die-hard boxing fans. However, he had a distinctive trademark.

He is known for sticking various words, phrases and pictures on pieces of paper and placing them around his bald head while working the corner of his fighters.

Born in the slums of Gary, Ind., Bodak served in World War II.

CIF Office gives parents a chance to get involved: The CIF, the governing body for high school athletics in the state, is taking steps to increase communication with the parents of student-athletes through its Parents Advisory Committee.

Nominations will be accepted from all 10 CIF Sections. Nominees must be the parent/legal guardian/caregiver of a student-athlete who currently attends a CIF-member school and competes, or plans to participate, on a CIF-approved sports team at that school.

Application forms must include an endorsement by the school principal. All nominations will be placed in a pool for consideration, but are not guaranteed membership on the committee.

All positions on the committee are voluntary, though travel expenses to and from meetings will be covered according the CIF reimbursement policy.

The Parents Advisory Committee will be comprised of five or six groups, based on geographic location, and including approximately 10-12 members. There will be regional meetings in various parts of the state with exact locations are still to be determined.

The first meetings are slated for late fall.

The nomination form for the Parents Advisory Committee is available on the State CIF web site at www.cifstate.org. Applications must be submitted no later than Sept. 20.

The CIF currently oversees 22 committees which range from Federated Council to sport-related to sports medicine.

— Jeff Tully