Aahana Swrup
Rachel Morrison’s sports biographical film ‘The Fire Inside‘ presents the exhilarating story of boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, who overcomes every obstacle in her way to achieve her lifelong dreams. The aspiring athlete becomes interested in the world of boxing from an early age. Fortunately for her, a coach at the local gym, Jason Crutchfield, recognizes her potential and decides to take a chance on her despite the skepticism surrounding female boxing.
Consequently, the pair forge a strong partnership as they work towards the same goal: an Olympic gold medal that will brandish the boxer’s name in history. The film remains an excellent exploration of personal sacrifice as well as the cost that cultural bias toward certain sports levies on athletes. As such, the real-life story of Claressa Shields is bound to resonate with a large audience and bring similar attention to Jason Crutchfield, the coach from Flint, Michigan, whose dedication shaped his student’s prospering future.
Jason Crutchfield and Claressa Shields Have Now Parted Ways Professionally
Jason Crutchfield and Claressa Shields had been a team since day one. He started training the future Olympic athlete when she was 11 years old and still in middle school. As such, their bond as mentor and mentee deepened over the years to the point where Shields was able to rely on her coach when her own home life became too tumultuous. At one point, she even permanently found a home with Crutchfield and his family, who offered her a room in their house. Thus, he soon became a father figure for the young athlete.
Crutchfield remained Shields’ trainer for years. Even when he couldn’t be her official coach during her first venture into the 2012 Olympic Games, the pair shared her historic victory as a team. Nonetheless, by 2014, personal differences compelled them to end their partnership momentarily until 2016. However, it was in 2018—two years after Shields’ second gold-medal win at the Olympics—that their professional relationship came to a final end. This time around, the reason behind the split was, unfortunately, logistical. At the time, the boxer had made the decision to leave Flint and move to Florida to entirely focus on her training, away from the distractions at home.
Inversely, Crutchfield wasn’t willing to uproot his and his family’s life in Michigan and relocate to Florida. Consequently, even though the pair would have liked to continue working with each other, they inevitably had to part ways while still on good terms. In the end, Shields ended up working with a new trainer, John David Jackson and Crutchfield continued his work at Flint’s Berston Field House. Even so, after entering this new chapter of their lives, the duo still keeps in touch, and Shields keeps the door open for a future professional reunion for them.
Jason Crutchfield is Still a Trainer at Berston Field House
Jason Crutchfield has always been a bit of a boxing legend in Flint, Michigan. He got into the sport at a young age and made a name for himself as a four-time Gold Gloves Champion. Still, he never took a professional route when it came to boxing—either as an athlete or a coach. Instead, he worked as a professional utility worker and coached at Berston Field House in his free time as a volunteer. Therefore, it was purely his passion for the sport that kept him dedicated to ensuring the best for his students. Today, after Shields’ departure from under his wing, he continues to put the same hard work and devotion toward training his other students.
In an interview with ABC12, Crutchfield elaborated on how he continues to stay on the path of teaching—something he has been doing for around 30 years now—because he wants to make sure more athletes like Shields come out of his hometown. Over the years, he has reportedly trained boxers like Jaquan McElroy, Chris Thompson, and Sardius Simmons, who all went after the Michigan Gold Gloves titles. As such, Rachel Morrison’s film only continues to build upon his legacy and bring his contribution to the sports world to the forefront.
Even though Crutchfield seems to prefer a private life these days as he continues residing in Flint with his wife, Mickey Rouse, and family, the trainer briefly came into the public eye during the promotion for ‘The Fire Inside.’ In November 2024, Crutchfield and Rouse reunited with Shields on the red carpet for the biopic’s premiere. As it turns out, the former is a fan of the movie and has shared his support for the accuracy of his on-screen portrayal. Nonetheless, outside of this brief stint in the public eye, Crutchfield remains satisfied with keeping a private screen over his life.
Read More: The Fire Inside’s True Story, Explained
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