NEWS
2024 South Bay Program Begins
Coach Sergio Hernandez teaching students of Evergreen Elementary District
Building Champions On and Off the Mat: Beat The Streets Bay Area Partners with Evergreen Elementary Schools
At Beat The Streets Bay Area, we believe that the lessons learned on the wrestling mat can transform lives. That’s why we’re excited to announce our partnership with the Evergreen Elementary School District to launch a wrestling program for over 100 4th through 6th-grade students across four schools: OB Whaley, Evergreen, Katherine Smith, and Holly Oak Elementary Schools.
This partnership is more than just introducing students to the sport of wrestling. It’s about helping them develop essential life skills—discipline, resilience, teamwork, and self-confidence—that will carry them far beyond the mat and into their futures.
The Impact of Wrestling
Wrestling has the unique ability to teach young people how to push through challenges and persevere. It’s a sport that requires hard work, grit, and determination—qualities that translate into every area of life. At Beat The Streets Bay Area, our mission is to empower youth by providing them with the tools to succeed both in school and in life. Through this new program, we’re seeing that mission come to life in Evergreen’s 4th through 6th-grade students.
From the first day, students have been engaged, learning the basics of wrestling and, more importantly, the values that the sport instills. They are discovering that with the right mindset and effort, they can overcome obstacles, achieve their goals, and become leaders among their peers.
A Collaborative Effort
We’re incredibly proud to collaborate with the Evergreen Elementary School District, whose commitment to student growth and well-being perfectly aligns with our own. Together, we’re creating an environment where all students, regardless of their experience or background, can thrive. The district’s dedication to supporting students both academically and emotionally makes this the ideal partnership.
What Students Are Learning
Through this wrestling program, students are gaining more than just physical skills. They are learning:
Perseverance: Wrestling teaches them to keep going, even when the odds are tough.
Confidence: Each match builds their belief in themselves, helping them realize they are capable of much more than they thought.
Leadership: Wrestling fosters responsibility, helping students become role models for their peers.
Teamwork: Even in an individual sport, success comes from working together, supporting teammates, and celebrating wins as a group.
These skills are crucial for helping students succeed not only in the classroom but also in navigating life’s many challenges. As they grow through this program, we are confident they will continue to excel both as students and as young leaders.
Looking Ahead
The future is bright for the students participating in this program, and we can’t wait to see how they continue to develop both on and off the mat. This partnership with Evergreen Elementary is just the beginning. Together, we are shaping the next generation of champions—young people who have the strength, resilience, and confidence to face any challenge.
At Beat The Streets Bay Area, our goal is to ensure every student we work with has the opportunity to succeed, and we’re thrilled to be making that possible in Evergreen’s schools.
Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting journey, and join us in celebrating the growth of these remarkable young wrestlers!
Spring 2024 Oakland Middle School League Capstone Event Recap!
This week, we are excited to share the recap of our Oakland Middle School Spring League Final Tournament!
May 18th was a day of excitement at McClymonds High School in Oakland, where we hosted our Oakland Spring League Final Tournament. This event concluded the 10-week Oakland Middle School Spring Season, involving students from Edna Brewer, Montera, Elmhurst, and Bret Harte Middle Schools.
Match Nights
During the season, we were happy to host 4 match nights at Edna Brewer Middle School, in which each match night prepared every single one of our wrestlers to improve their skills, befriend one another, and get a taste of the wrestling world.
The First Capstone Since 2022
This event has been the first capstone we’ve hosted for our Oakland Spring League since 2022. Our wrestlers showed up bright and early at McClymonds High School, ready to showcase the skills they’ve developed over the last 10 weeks. Each wrestler engaged in 2-3 matches of 3, 1 minute periods- eager to win the first place medals to reward their efforts from the season.
New and Familiar Faces on the Mat
For some, such as Michah Nance and Nate Brody, it is their third and final year as a BTSBA youth, showcasing how far they’ve come in their wrestling journey as they continue onward to high school.
For others, such as Gabriel Carrasco, Addison Rowe, Tysean Kelley, and Ivie Williams, it is their first time wrestling- and they showed their remarkable progress on the mat, marking a great start of their wrestling journey.
Coaches in Action
During this event, we got to see the support, dedication, and determination of the coaches to help their wrestlers improve and be the best they can be on the mat. It is great to see how far they have come with their teams and the relationships that have developed in the past 10 weeks.
Bringing Families Together
We were happy to see the different faces of family and friends that came together to show their wrestlers support and energy for the day. Without their attendance, we would not have the high energy that they provided to motivate our wrestlers and show some support to them during their tough matches.
Board Members
BTSBA extends a thank you to all the board members who attended, supported, and assisted our staff, coaches, and wrestlers in ensuring the final tournament ran smoothly. Your presence and efforts were invaluable to the success of the event. A special thank you goes to Robby Smith for his work in managing TrackWrestling during the tournament!
Fueling Up
At the end of the tournament, our Executive Director John Lange, announced 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners - giving some final energy for the young wrestlers to continue onward as they waited for their name to be called. This final leg of the tournament brought together all four teams, cheering each other on as they were rewarded for their hard work, dedication, and motivation.
After a long morning of wrestling, our incredible Development Director, Ellen Tillman, brought a delicious spread of Crumble Cookies, pizza, and refreshing drinks for everyone present! The atmosphere was energetic as our wrestlers, their families, and friends gathered around, enjoying the treats and each other’s company- celebrating the end of the school year and a fantastic season. We couldn’t be happier to see everyone leaving with full stomachs and happy memories!
Our Future
While we continue within Oakland this summer with AimHigh, we hope that this experience will serve as a catalyst, inspiring our middle school athletes to continue in the world of athletics and wrestling, knowing it is a place of community and support.
As an organization, BTSBA is focused on continuing to raise funds, support, and donors to continue providing programming that changes the lives of youth in the Bay. We would like to express this gratitude to everyone who made this season possible, including volunteers, parents, supporters, and our extremely valued coaches.
We hope to see you at our Comedy for a Cause event on June 7th, to fundraise and show support for our youth!
““We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.””