Philadelphia, PA — This fall was as active as ever at Beat the Streets Philadelphia’s University City Headquarters. We had over 250 youth come to “The Office” for programming over the 12-week fall season. Youth from across the city came to University City to participate in mentoring, wrestling, and strength training under one roof in preparation for folkstyle season. The continued success of the center reflects a belief that has guided Beat the Streets from the beginning; all children have the potential to become productive citizens when they receive consistent support and opportunities to grow.
Programming at HQ
Programming at BTSP HQ begins for students immediately after school. It consists of mentoring, followed by group strength & conditioning, and capped off with a wrestling practice.
High School Wrestling
Our BTSP HQ high school wrestling club saw tremendous growth and consistency this fall. A total of 154 student-athletes registered for training at the BTSP Headquarters compared to 108 last fall! A special thanks goes out to our fall coaches for helping to make this season such a tremendous success:
- Felix Belga (Drexel Wrestling Alumnus)
- Daishawn Tilghman (BTSP Alumnus)
- Elliott Humphries (Penn Wrestling)
- Armstrong Campbell (Drexel Student)
K-8 Wrestling
K-8 wrestling is continuing to grow at BTSP HQ. 135 youth registered this fall compared to 60 last fall. Early engagement is a major focus -- beginning our impact sooner gives young people more time to grow and build the foundation that can Positively Alter Life’s Trajectory.
Fall programming consists of pre-season training for our returning wrestlers, as well as select 'Try It Days' designed for youth who were brand new to the sport. These events focused on fun skill building and introducing families to the BTSP community.
- 135 registered participants
- Coaching staff
- Anthony Panzarella (St. Joe’s Prep)
- Les Brown (Martin Luther King High School)
- Marius Garcia (Penn Wrestling)
- Donny Almeyda (Penn Wrestling)
Mentoring at BTSP HQ
The mentoring center continued to serve as a central part of BTSP HQ this fall. It is a daily after school space where student-athletes receive academic support, strength and conditioning training, healthy meals and nutrition education, and a team environment. Students who attend scheduled mentoring sessions receive individualized attention, with an emphasis on mental health and wellness and academic success.
- 94 student-athletes participated in mentoring
- 2620 hours logged in the mentoring center (+60% from 1640 last fall)
- 33 youth logged more than 25 hours over the 12 week season
Supported by over 30 volunteer mentors including Penn and Drexel student-athletes and BTSP alumni
1:1 Mentoring
1:1 mentoring continues to be one of the most impactful components of the BTSP programming model. This fall we supported 17 individual matches.
The program is invitation based and designed for youth who have shown consistency and effort. This leads to stronger relationships and deeper investment from both mentors and mentees. All 17 matches from the fall will continue into winter.
Meetings occur at least once a week and often more. Each pairing focuses on what the student-athlete needs most:
- Extra wrestling sessions
- College exploration
- Strength training
- Academic guidance
- Goal setting
- Open conversation
1:1 mentors include current and former Penn and Drexel student-athletes and BTSP alumni. This fall we saw a large number of BTSP alumni coming back to serve as mentors and coaches which reflects the full circle nature of the BTSP community.
Program Highlights
Pumpkin Classic
A highlight of the fall season was the 2025 Conestoga Pumpkin Classic. More than 30 BTSP wrestlers from 11 different Philadelphia high schools competed, including a mix of first year wrestlers and student-athletes who have been with BTSP since they began wrestling in elementary school. To compete in the Pumpkin Classic each athlete needed to maintain above a 2.5 GPA and be an active participant in BTSP HQ programming.
- 2nd place team finish
- 89 matches wrestled
- 3 individual champions
Guest Speakers
This fall we hosted mentoring focused events that connected our student-athletes with financial and healthcare professionals. Our Election Day Camp provided a full day of learning and training when schools were closed. Youth participated in injury prevention, nutrition, and wellness workshops followed by a wrestling clinic led by Penn wrestlers. We also hosted speakers from WSFS, where student-athletes learned about financial literacy, career pathways, and personal growth from local professionals.
BTSP Gala
Thank you to everyone who attended and supported this year's BTSP Gala. It was a chance for our community to come together and recognize the people who make our work possible. The guest speaker was BTSP alumnus, Liberty Scholar recipient, and senior on the Drexel wrestling team Aboubakare Diaby. Hearing his story was especially meaningful for the BTSP student-athletes in attendance who work with Aboubakare on a regular basis.
We are grateful for everyone who continues to support the growth of BTSP and our student athletes.
Closing
This fall showed clear growth across BTSP HQ programming. We had more participants in our high school and K-8 wrestling clubs and more student-athletes took part in mentoring while logging more total hours in the mentoring center than ever before in a single 12-week season. We are grateful for the coaches, mentors, volunteers, families, and supporters who make this possible and who show up for our student-athletes every day.
If you are interested in supporting our mission and getting involved, please reach out to the BTSP team. Together we can continue expanding opportunities for young people across Philadelphia.
