Westlake Middle School Wrestling

We have started!

Assistant Coach Denzel Mabry works with students at Westlake (photo by Leonardo Flores).

Westlake Middle School in Oakland is the first program of the new Beat the Streets Bay Area. Tuesday March 12th was the first practice and the group of wrestlers at the school is small but mighty. Westlake has been open, friendly, and extremely supportive of our programs with Mr. Moses, Coach Mom, and Mr. San-Chez presenting a face to the school that is beyond admirable.

Personally, I have been teaching for 10 years, and I have been in school culture trainings on campus culture consistently throughout my career. Westlake Middle School has a tremendous campus culture created by a caring staff and strong leadership. That doesn’t mean that the school doesn’t face a great deal of hardship. Part of the Oakland educational landscape, and the gentrification that impacts it, has left Westlake under enrolled. The school has had over 95% of their students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals since the 2014-2015 school year (via EdData). Access to athletics in our current pay-to-play society has been severely impacted in low income communities and this program has a huge amount of potential to help engage students in school through sport.

Some of the Westlake wrestlers warming up to start practice (photo by Leonardo Flores).

BTS Bay Area has been able to provide a mat, shoes, kneepads, headgear, and coaching to get the program at Westlake started. Coaches Allen Loretz and Denzel Mabry have provided an environment for Westlake students to experience something new and learn technical fundamentals of wrestling, physical literacy, and provide a place for character development. Wrestling is a unique sport, and we are honored to help increase wrestling opportunities in Oakland. One of the Westlake wrestlers has already attended the Wan Tu Wazuri club in Oakland, which is the longest standing wrestling club in the city under Coach Ashley Sherman.

From left to right: Head Coach Allen Loretz, Director Daniel McCune, and Assistant Coach Denzel Mabry (photo by Leonardo Flores).

We will continue down this path, finding partners, creating impact, and lifelong relationships with adults and students alike as we provide opportunities for growth, mentorship, and improvement through wrestling.

Denzel Mabry is the Pride of Oakland Wrestling

We, at Beat the Streets Bay Area, have been extremely fortunate to work in Oakland. Oakland has a strong wrestling tradition built around the Wan Tu Wazuri Wrestling Club and legendary coach Ashlee Sherman. We are lucky to be able to provide support to the coaches of Oakland as we begin to expand our operations in the city. Without the support of coaches like Ashlee Sherman, Marcus Leon, Dennis Spencer, and Ben Barrientos we wouldn’t have the foundation that is in Oakland and we wouldn’t have met students like Denzel.

One of the first wrestlers we encountered in Oakland was Denzel Mabry. Coached by Marcus Leon and Freddy Lee Hurt at Castlemont High, Denzel has been unbelievably deserving of the efforts his wrestling community has made to ensure he receives the opportunities he has in order to benefit from the competitions he has qualified for. Denzel has a work ethic and character that is admirable in an adult and astonishing in a young man his age. He is the model of the youth we are trying to develop and is working with the first BTS Bay Area program at Westlake Middle School as an assistant coach.

Denzel finished top 12 at the CIF State Tournament with maybe the worst draw in my history watching the tournament. He lost on the championships side to the #3 ranked wrestler and after an upset of the #1 seed he lost to the #1 wrestler in the blood round. He followed up this tough and gutsy performance the following weekend by winning the CA USAW Folkstyle State Tournament, qualifying him for CA USAW Folkstyle Nationals.

Denzel will be wrestling at San Francisco State in the fall and the button at the top of the page is linked to his GoFundMe page. Every little bit helps. Please help ensure that a person’s opportunities are not limited by their socioeconomic status.

Tournaments Denzel plans to attend this Spring and Summer:

• USAW Folkstyle Nationals - Cedar Falls, Iowa

• USAW Western Regionals - Las Vegas, Nevada

• USAW Junior Duals - Tulsa, Oklahoma

• USAW Junior Freestyle and Greco Nationals - Fargo, North Dakotah

Denzel is looking to raise $3,000 on his go fund me. He is also working as a BTS coach this spring. $3,000 doesn’t cover these trips but it should be enough to get him through with the money he earns. Please take show Denzel some support if you have the means.