In this episode we talk with Reed Fullmer. Reed is currently a student-athlete at the University of Pennsylvania. He was also a Lead Mentor for Beat the Streets Philadelphia upon graduating high school. Reed grew up in the Philly area as resident of Radnor, Pa and a student at Malvern Prep.
Reed shares the lessons he learned from his coaches and from his father. He discusses how he has used these lessons in his roles as a mentor and as a student-athlete.
In this episode, we talk with Beat the Streets Alumn Davian Waite. After wrestling for just two years in high school, Davian made the transition to college wrestling at Thaddeus Stevens School of Technology where he is studying HVAC.
Davian shares his journey from Jamaica to Philadelphia where he attended George Washington High School. His story is an inspiration to anyone wanting to learn more about the impact of the Beat the Streets community.
Davian recently spoke at the BTSP Gala, here is a transcript of his speech:
Good evening everyone,
My name is Davian Waite, and it’s a privilege to stand before you today as someone who has benefited tremendously from the support and opportunities that helped shape my future.
When I first got involved in wrestling, I was at a pretty low point. My grades were slipping, I wasn’t in good shape. I was stuck in the house, due to Covid-19 with not much to do. Just going day by day without a purpose. Then I wanted to make a change, That’s when I was introduced to wrestling by my former football Coach Larry Arata who saw something in me that I hadn’t yet seen in myself. That thing was potential.
At the time, I was 270 pounds and out of shape. But with the encouragement of Coach Arata, I decided to give wrestling a try. I quickly learned that the sport was more than just physical. It gave me a reason to push myself, to show up every day, and to commit to improving my health and mindset. I lost over 70 pounds, but more importantly, I gained discipline, focus, and a sense of purpose that carried me through some of the most challenging times in my life.
The real game changer for me was the support system I found at BTSP. Mentors from Upenn and Drexel University didn’t just help me improve as a wrestler; they showed me how to be a better student and a better person. Whether it was academic guidance, nutritional advice, or simply being there when I needed someone to talk to, they were instrumental in my growth.
I put in the work
I made the choice to turn things around.
With that support and my own determination, I managed to improve my grades and get accepted into Thaddeus Stevens College, where I’m now pursuing a degree in HVAC while continuing to compete as a college athlete. This past summer, I even landed an internship with tonight’s event sponsor Post Brothers. I was able to gain hands-on experience in the HVAC field. That opportunity was a direct result of the relationships I built and the hard work I invested in myself.
Looking back, I realize that wrestling and the mentorship I received didn’t just change my path—they saved it. The confidence I’ve developed, the life skills I’ve learned, and the community that stood by me helped me to overcome the obstacles in my way. But ultimately, I had to make the choice to succeed, and I’m proud of how far I’ve come.
I’ll always be grateful to the people and the programs that gave me the tools to succeed. But I also take pride in the fact that I took ownership of my journey. I faced the challenges head-on, put in the effort, and worked hard to create a better future for myself. Now, as I work towards a fulfilling career in HVAC, I’m excited about what’s ahead—and I know that if I continue with the same mindset and work ethic, I can achieve anything I set my mind to.
Thank you all for being here today. I hope my story encourages you to recognize the power of mentorship, community, and personal commitment. Together, we can make sure that more young people get the support they need to reach their full potential.
Thank you.
Clinton Matter shares his thoughts about our organization from its inception until present day. Clinton is a co-founder of Beat the Streets and currently serves as the Chairman of our Executive Board. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he was a captain of the wrestling team.
Clinton was recently interviewed by Ryan Warner on the Wrestling Changed My Life Podcast. That episode is #488 and can be found on most podcast hosting platforms.
Ron Cordero has always been a good student. In high school, he maintained a grade point average that ranged from 3.3 to 3.7. According to Ron, although his time management has not been one of his best qualities, he’s been consistent with his school work. “I try my best in every class,” he said. “I respect my teachers and they respect me.” In addition to attending Central High School where he was a successful student-athlete, he’s been working 11 hour shifts at a restaurant in downtown Philadelphia to make ends meet.
Ron’s the middle child in a family of five which includes his mom, dad, and two brothers. The Cordero Family are native to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. They moved to the United States when Ron was just 8 years old. With no beds available, they slept on the floor of a family member’s apartment in New York City before eventually moving to Philadelphia.
The recently graduated Beat The Streets Philadelphia student-athlete is a recipient of Drexel University’s Liberty Scholarship. For over ten years, the Drexel Liberty Scholars program has provided educational opportunities for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Designed to break down barriers to higher education, the scholarship program covers 100% of tuition and fees.
Ron admits that he never would have considered attending a prestigious school such as Drexel had he not been involved with Beat The Streets. “Coach Rick (Rick Mascino) told me about the Liberty Scholarship,” says Cordero. “One of my high school friends, Boobie (Abubakare Diaby) won the scholarship and wrestles for Drexel now.”
He became involved with Beat the Streets during his freshman year of high school. Boobie and another friend, Max Cramer introduced him to the program. Ron was a football player with aspirations to learn a new sport hoping to get in better shape. “I wanted to learn more about wrestling but when I got here, I realized that the Penn and Drexel wrestlers were here as well.” There was more to the program than just wrestling.
Ron first met Drexel student-athlete Evan Barczak. Described as “always positive and always helping”, Barczak would help instill qualities in Ron’s life that he hadn’t experienced before. “Evan was very prominent in my high school career,” says Cordero. Barczak, a recent graduate of Drexel and a multiple time NCAA National Qualifier, was a mentor and coach for Beat The Streets throughout his college career.
As he learned more about the mentoring program at Beat The Streets, he eventually connected with Maximus Hale, a student-athlete at the University of Pennsylvania. They talked for over an hour the first time they met. “He’s a pretty nice dude,” says Cordero. They had a lot in common as Hale was also a two-sport athlete in high school. “I respect Max because he works hard. I got a little bit of me from Max.” Hale is an NCAA National Qualifier and USA Freestyle All-American. He’s been Ron’s mentor since they met.
Meeting weekly and sometimes more, Hale and Cordero spent a lot of time together on and off the mat. Max encouraged Ron through the scholarship application process helping with his time management skills. “I struggled with time management myself,” says Hale. “I think we helped each other during this process.”
A portion of the scholarship application involves writing an essay about something important to the applicant. Ron chose to write about food insecurity problems in the city. He realized, at a young age, how difficult it is to find healthy food options where he lives. As an athlete, this is important to Ron. “There’s a bunch of dollar stores with not very good food choices,” he says. “I did research and shared my thoughts. I hope that more people can learn about food deserts and other issues families face so we can help fix the problem.”
Ron realizes he now has an opportunity that many like him do not have. “With Beat The Streets, I’m fortunate to have an ‘anchor’ in my life,” says Cordero. “I know a lot of people don’t have this.” Ron will be attending Drexel University this Fall without the burden of school loans and tuition bills. He’s enrolled in the health and medical preparatory program at the university. Ron hopes to eventually get a degree in medicine. “I just like helping people,” he says.
“With Beat The Streets, I’m fortunate to have an ‘anchor’ in my life,”
If you would like to contribute to Beat the Streets and help to create more opportunities for kids like Ron, you can visit our Donate Now page here. If you would like to consider giving in other ways, either as a mentor or wrestling coach, please fill out one of our interest forms and we’ll be in touch!
Kaya Sement
In this podcast episode, we get to speak with Kaya Sement, a Lead Mentor at BTS Philly. Kaya is a sophomore on the University of Pennsylvania wrestling team and brings tons of experience into the BTS room.
Kaya first became involved in Beat the Streets as the Lifting Coach for the student-athletes. He soon realized that being a coach meant more than just teaching the student-athletes technique.
“One day, one of the kids came up to me and said, ‘Can I ask you some advice?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, definitely.’ And we ended up talking for 15 minutes.”
But it didn’t end there.
“There was another kid standing behind him, watching over the conversation. And when our conversation wrapped up, he came over and he’s like, ‘Wait, you’re giving out advice? Can I ask you another question?’ I was like, ‘Yes, of course, I’m not just your lifting coach. I’m here for you guys.’ And we ended up talking again for 15 minutes. And just seeing how appreciative they were. And I feel like you can’t even put words into the face that he made. I thought about that a lot after that.”
When sidelined from wrestling with an injury that spring, Kaya thought about these experiences and decided to take his involvement with Beat the Streets to the next level. He became a Lead Mentor, which allowed him to have an even more significant impact on the student-athletes.
Beat the Streets Philly Executive Director James Mangan added, “He committed to be a coach and a mentor this past year and our kids really respected him and looked up to him and confided in him.”
For Kaya, though, working with the BTS athletes came naturally.
“The first thing I noticed was like, I don’t have to be a motivator there. Those kids are very self driven. They want to be there. Their parents aren’t making them. Nobody’s forcing them to be there. They’re self motivating. So they’re honestly some of the easiest kids to coach because you put up the program, give them some tips, and they work hard. So that’s definitely what I love.”
In this episode of the Beat the Streets Philadelphia Podcast, we welcome six-time World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Jordan Burroughs to the show. Jordan moved to Philadelphia in 2021 to become a member of the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center. And it wasn’t long before he began helping out around BTS Philly.
Jordan helped by giving clinics to the BTSP student-athletes and speaking with them at the mentoring center. It’s an experience that, he explains, changed his perspective.
“I think what I’ve learned now is we all don’t have an equivalent playing field. And there are a lot of individuals who I see that can be phenomenal athletes, if given particular care and attention. And wrestling is such a great sport for human development.”
In Jordan’s eyes, it’s not just about the wins and losses, but the individual growth that wrestling provides. “What it teaches is character unlike any other sport in the world, and I think that’s what makes this sport so great.”
And Jordan has been instrumental in inspiring so many in our community.. As a leader at so many levels in the sport of wrestling, Jordan takes this responsibility seriously. “I’m thankful for being able to be a person who can help indirectly and sometimes directly, but also, just trying to encourage the people that are there often and trying to help when I can.”
“For such a long time, I’ve considered myself a mentor, not only to my peers, but just to the next generation of athletes that grow up in the sport of wrestling.”
In the last year, Jordan took his work with BTSP to the next level by becoming a mentor and working closely with a BTSP student– athlete. He became a regular around the mentoring center and used his position in the sport to have a positive impact on the student-athletes.
“It was kind of eye opening,” he explains. “You don’t really understand what an individual is going through until they share their story, or until they’re caught up in a difficulty. And you have to really confront a lot of things that you’ve never seen.”
Jordan has had a huge impact on motivating and inspiring the next generation of BTSP Student-athletes, and despite all his years of experience in competing around the world, his work with BTSP has left a strong impression on him too.
“I’ve had to let my guard down a little bit and say, ‘Okay, we’re not all playing with the same deck of cards. I have to be a lot more empathetic for the people that are going through the things that they’re experiencing.’”
In this episode of the podcast, we have the chance to speak with Lender Vega, who works full-time at BTS Philly as the Wrestling Coordinator. Lender has a rich history with the Beat the Streets program.
While we often talk about the intersection of academics and athletics, Lender’s story has an unusual twist. During a freshman year seminar, his teacher offered the students five extra points if they participated in a sport. Lender jumped at the opportunity and joined the wrestling team. Despite a rocky start, Lender fell in love with the sport and continued improving.
Lender’s life journey has been defined by his resilience. He moved to the US from the Dominican Republic when he was just 11 years old, and at the time he didn’t know English. But Lender committed himself to school and began to excel in the classroom. “My dad from day one said: don’t get in trouble and keep your grades up.”
As Lender advanced on the wrestling mat, he began thinking about wrestling in college. Unlike today, Beat the Streets didn’t have a formalized mentoring program at the time. So former Executive Director Chris Hanlon walked him through the college admission process and took him on school visits.
In the podcast, Executive Director James Mangan points out, “In a lot of ways, this was a pilot phase of the mentoring program. Beat the Streets was well-equipped to address the needs from a wrestling perspective, but it was always in the plan to figure out how to also serve academically. And you were early in that phase of discovery.”
Lender finally settled on a Junior College in New Jersey, but his challenges didn’t stop there. Lender found that his public school education didn’t prepare him for the rigors of college, and despite his best effort, he failed out of school.
It was at this tough time that Chris Hanlon reached out. “Hanlon just said, ‘Hey, stick around us and we’ll see where you’re where you’ll land.’” He brought Lender on as a coach for Beat the Street youth. But Lender’s story doesn’t stop there. After a year of coaching, he decided to go back to school.
Lender eventually graduated from East Stroudsburg University, becoming the first college graduate in his family. And now as the Wrestling Coordinator at Beat the Streets he is doing amazing work and serving the community that he comes from. We are grateful to have Lender in the Beat the Streets family!
In this episode of the podcast, we got the chance to speak with Evan Barczak, a Drexel University wrestler who has been an instrumental member of the Beat the Streets Philadelphia community for the past four years. According to Executive Director James Mangan, “His role as a lead mentor really helped shape a lot of this programming over the last couple of years.”
As a freshman at Drexel, Evan heard about the program from an older teammate and showed up to a pizza party event. He was immediately inspired by the student-athletes he met there. “The kids were just so excited about wrestling. They just wanted to talk about the World Championships or what was going on in college wrestling. And I was like, ‘Oh, this is awesome!’”
“And then just talking to the kids and hearing their stories and what they’ve gone through. And I was just like, ‘Man, I want to be a part of this.’”
Evan hit the ground running and hasn’t stopped since then. Despite a full slate of college courses and a Division I wrestling schedule, he managed to prioritize spending time at the mentoring center.
“If something’s really important to you, you’ll make time for it in the day. And this is something that’s important to me. I want to get back to these kids and be there for them.”
Despite his rigorous schedule, Evan continues to draw motivation from the kids themselves. “Some of them had very hard lives,” he says. “And overcome very hard things , but they’re just always in a great mood. They’re super excited. I can’t be upset. I can never complain about having a bad day.”
Evan graduated from Drexel in 2021 and is continuing his education to pursue an MBA. Here at Beat the Streets we are beyond excited that Evan will be with us one more term as a lead mentor.
“It’s really nice to know that he’s going to be around a little bit longer,” said James Mangan.
