Boxing, Business and Beyond: DeRae Crane, PMBA '22

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO COME OUT OF RETIREMENT FOR ONE LAST OLYMPIC RUN? 

The idea of a final run had been in the back of my mind for many of the years that I was retired. But I stayed focused on my professional career and put my energy toward all the other things I had sort of neglected in my quest to become an Olympian. Most importantly, my 15-year-old son Solomon was a huge factor. He’s been wrestling competitively for a few years now, and watching him compete pumps me up. We talk to our children about all the things they should do or can do, but parents don’t always do a great job modeling the behaviors in real time. The opportunity to show my son in real time what it means to go for the thing you desire most was one that I simply could not pass up.

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HOW DID BALANCING YOUR MBA STUDIES AND FULL-TIME WORK AT BP PREPARE YOU FOR THIS JOURNEY? WHAT LESSONS FROM YOUR MBA HAVE BEEN MOST APPLICABLE TO YOUR BOXING?

As you can imagine, working full time and training six hours a day can be a bear. I hadn’t decided to come back until November of 2022, but my life was still fairly regimented after graduating in May of '22. Business school forces you to be creative and communicative with your colleagues to work around each other's schedules. It had become second nature to optimize my workday so my job, training and competition schedules didn’t conflict — or were at least managed to an 80% solution.

An MBA from Rice Business is hard. I like to call that first year a “bloodbath.” I certainly questioned whether I could pull off working full time and my course load successfully. But you don’t go to business school because it’s easy; you go to challenge yourself. And that was my mindset during my final Olympic run. I wasn’t looking for easy; I wanted to see how much I could get out of myself and finally put myself on an Olympic team at 38.

WHAT WERE THE MOST CHALLENGING PARTS OF YOUR COMEBACK, AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?

I had already boxed for 20 years and served in the military for 12 years when I decided to make a comeback. My body has not been gently used. Add jumping out of airplanes and a motorcycle accident — I had to overcome any doubt that my body could physically hold up with all the wear, tear and injuries. In addition, I hadn’t thrown or taken a single punch in seven years. I just didn’t know what I was capable of anymore. But! I believed I could, and once I believe I can do something, the only thing left to do is to find out by trying. Now I know!

HOW DID IT FEEL STEPPING BACK INTO THE RING FOR THE FIRST TIME?

Training had gone well, but there’s nothing like the heat of competition. My first win back ended with a stoppage. Not only was that extremely satisfying, but it was also a huge relief. I still belonged at the top and had made the right decision to come out of retirement at 37. Looking back, I got stoppages at each of the three competitions I participated in, including a devastating knockout at the 2024 Olympic Team Trials.

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HOW HAS YOUR BOXING JOURNEY INFLUENCED OTHER AREAS OF YOUR LIFE, SUCH AS YOUR CAREER AND PERSONAL GROWTH?

The majority of people who watch boxing don't understand the mental and physical preparation required to perform. Boxing is a thinking person’s game (though it’s not a game). You're taking what you have and employing it in a way that you believe will lead you to victory. And over the course of a five- or six-day tournament, you must make many different adjustments to get those wins. I believe I have an edge over most people I meet because few have ever pushed themselves to their limits, unwilling to play at the edge. Boxing has been the one constant in my life. I boxed in college, in the Army and while working for a large multinational corporation. And I've been a national champion and Olympic hopeful during each of those stages of my life.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THOSE BALANCING BIG DREAMS WITH MULTIPLE DEMANDING COMMITMENTS?

Decide what you desire most! If it's what you desire most, don’t leave it undone. Fear often enables us to talk ourselves out of things, especially if we’re smart! Talk yourself into it, not out of it. Your big dreams will require more from you. Over my long career, I’ve learned that it’s not the achievement itself that gives value but the process! It’s about becoming everything you need to achieve that dream. Even if you don’t achieve it, you still become something valuable. There’s no losing! Don’t leave this world with regrets, believing you could've done something. Know, one way or the other! In all likelihood, you’ll gain more than you ever could have imagined.

HEAR MORE OF DERAE'S STORY ON OUR OWL HAVE YOU KNOW PODCAST.

DeRae Crane is an alum in the Professional MBA Class of 2022.