On Saturday April 18, 2015 Beat the Streets Philadelphia (BTS) kicked off their first Freestyle and Greco- Roman wrestling tournament of the year, hosted by Neshaminy High School. The tournament was a qualifier for the Pennsylvania state tournament that will be held on May 15, 2015.
The Freestyle and Greco- Roman tournament had more than 40 teams and over 150 participants wrestles. With over 150 wrestlers 66 of them are from Beat the Streets. This is the most BTS Philly has ever had compete in a single tournament. The final outcome of the day for BTS Philly resulted in six Champions, ten runner- ups and a total of 34 place winners. This is BTS Philly second year of teaching freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling to help improve wrestlers overall performance. By wrestling freestyle and Greco this will help wrestlers improve their hand fighting, natural position and most importantly prevention of back exposure.
Congratulations to all the BTS Philly wrestlers and good luck this weekend where they will be traveling to Saucon Valley for another Freestyle qualifying tournament. Check in next week to stay updated with Beat the Streets Philadelphia.
Author: BTSPhilly
Derek Morton – Strength
Wrestling has taught me many skills, but the strength I developed through the sport is something I will use the rest of my life. By staying mentally strong, I feel that I can bounce back from anything. Over the course of my career I have battled a hand surgery, multiple MCL pulls, knee injuries, and a skin infection that ended my senior season; but I haven’t given up. Every day that I have worked to get better through these tough injuries would not have been possible without the strength that this sport has taught me.
In addition to helping me in fighting injuries and setbacks, wrestling has enhanced my view on life. In 9th grade I played around and didn’t care about school, but if I didn’t get good grades I wouldn’t be allowed to wrestle. With that in mind I was able to take my 1.9 GPA and bring it up to a 3.8 by my senior year of high school. Inner-strength was what kept me motivated and what made me succeed. Thanks to wrestling I have the skills to be successful in life and the tools to get it done.
Wrestler of the Month- Wayne Derkotch
Name: Wayne Derkotch
School: Philadelphia Academy Charter
Coach: ED Schneider
Age/Grade: 14/8th grade
Number of Years Wrestling: 8
Why Did You Start Wrestling?
I wanted to play a sport during the winter to keep me physically and mentally in shape for football.
Why do you enjoy wrestling?
Wrestling is not just a sport it’s a way of life. It teaches me the value of hard work, which helps me in the classroom and also in life.
What impact has wrestling had on your life and academics?
It helps me get through hard and stressful times, such as my difficulty reading. Wrestling helped me realize that not everybody learns at the same pace, and all I have to do is keep working hard to get what I want.
What do you want to do when you get older?
I want to be an engineer for the U.S Navy
What is your favorite college/university?
Navel Academy
Who is your favorite athlete?
Nick Foles
Derick Morton- Wrestler of the Month
Name: Derick Morton
School: Martin Luther King High School
Coach: Domonic Castelli
Age/Grade: 19/12th grade
Number of Years Wrestling: 4
Why Did You Start Wrestling?
One of my football coaches said that it would make me a better football player and a better man
Why do you enjoy wrestling?
I enjoy wrestling because it has taught me self-reliance, determination, and the rewards of hard work
What impact has wrestling had on your life and academics?
Wrestling has made me a relentlessly hard worker and a better person
What do you want to do when you get older?
I would like to be an environmental engineer or renewable energy manager
What is your favorite college/university?
I am excited to attend East Stroudsburg University, but I also love University of Michigan
Who is your favorite athlete?
Allen Iverson
Middle School Travel Team Update
As the 2014-15 regular wrestling season came to an end, The BTS-Philly Middle School Travel Team attended their final event at Paulsboro High School. The MS Travel Team consists mostly of student-athletes who participate in BTS-Philly’s Mentoring Program, along with other participants from across our various BTS-Philly sponsored wrestling programs who have demonstrated the highest level of commitment and consistency throughout the year. The Travel Team was assembled to participate in additional competitions outside of Philadelphia in order to reward those who have been selected for their hard work and expose these student-athletes to a higher level of competition. Each year the Travel Team competes in 4-5 events outside of their respective teams regular schedules, some of which have included prestigious events such as the VAC National Duals in Virginia and the Wildwood Duals. During the 2014-15 season, BTS-Philly’s Travel Team competed in the Malvern Duals, The North Penn Duals, The ICWL Duals, and the Paulsboro Duals.
We believe that the Travel Team is a very important aspect of developing the sport of wrestling in Philadelphia overall. We focus on selecting the hardest workers for this team rather than the best wrestlers, though it is no surprise that often times the wrestlers who work the hardest are the ones have the most success, just as in school and in life. Furthermore, we are looking for student-athletes that are willing to put extra time not only to developing skills on the mat but those who are willing to go the extra mile academically, which is why preference for positions on the Travel Team goes to student athletes who participate in the BTS-Philly Mentoring Program. By rewarding the individuals who work hard both on and off the mat and taking this group to highly competitive events, the goal is to develop these individuals into leaders of their respective programs and build BTS-Philly’s wrestling culture to model these dedicated student-athletes.
Though this team has taken their lumps through the years, we have observed a steady improvement at each and every event they attend – a testament to their hard work and dedication and the overall progress of each BTS-Philly program. This years’ season culminated with a third place finish at the Paulsboro Duals last weekend, where our student-athletes were finally rewarded with some hardware to take home!
Beat the Streets Philly Coaches Attend Bronze Certification Training
On Saturday March 28, 2015 the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center hosted a USA Wrestling Bronze Level Coaching Clinic. Approximately 30 coaches from the Philadelphia, Bucks County, and New Jersey areas attended the clinic, 10 of whom are associated with Beat the Streets Philadelphia programs. The main speaker of Saturday’s clinic was Mike Clayton, head of USA Wrestling’s National Coaches Education Program (NCEP). Additional instructors included Brian Dolph, Head Coach of the Pennsylvania RTC and John Moore, former University of Michigan wrestler.
Mike Clayton took over USA Wrestling’s NCEP back in March of 2014 after having over a decade of coaching experience at the NCAA level. Clayton was the Head Coach of Stevens Institute of Technology for seven years after serving 3 years as assistant coach at U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He has had a variety of experience as a coach that also includes being head coach of the U.S. FILA Cadet Pan American Team in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman.
After serving as Assistant Coach to University of Pennsylvania for many years, Brian Dolph was recently appointed Head Coach of Pennsylvania’s new Olympic Regional Training Center (RTC) in August, 2014. The Pennsylvania RTC hosted this weekend’s clinic to educate local coaches of all levels (youth, high school, college).
Though wrestling techniques were briefly included, they were not the main focus of the clinic. The 6-hour clinic took participants through 8 different training modules with the aim of developing and sharing knowledge of the Sports Sciences, Sports First Aid, Ethics, Goal-Setting, Periodization, Evaluation, Administration of Wrestling Techniques, Strategies and Tactics, and a range of best practices. BTSP encouraged many coaches to attend as it is our goal to develop programs that emphasize not only learning the sport of wrestling, but foster the personal growth, overall health, and well-being of each student-athlete that participates.
All those who attended Saturday’s clinic and passed the exam earned a certification as Bronze Level Coaches from USA Wrestling, our national governing body of the sport. As we move forward into off-season training, this certification is required to coach at most USA Wrestling National and Regional events (including Pennsylvania Freestyle/Greco-Roman States, Northeast Regionals, and Cadet/Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota).
If you are interested in becoming a USA Wrestling Coach or competing in USA Wrestling sanctioned events, visit www.USAMembership.com for more details!
Donald Harrison-Perseverance
Perseverance means to continue steadfastly, especially in something that is difficult or tedious. It requires regular practice to develop the quality of perseverance. Wrestling has helped me stand out on and off the wrestling mat, providing me with the support necessary for positive outcomes in my life. I feel that this support has helped me transform from a boy to a man so that I can break through any wall that stands before me.
Just as a child learns how stand up and tries to walk, they often fall down again and again. Through instinct, he gets up and again tries to step forward, although again he falls down. Ultimately, after refusing to give up, he succeeds in walking.
It was not always easy for me to embody perseverance in my life until I wanted to succeed as bad as I wanted to breathe. I knew in high school that I was an average wrestler, but I was willing to learn as much as possible so that I could become the best student-athlete possible. My goal was to earn more A’s in school and earn more mat time through hard work. A mentor of mine, Coach Ed Schneider, always told me “little things are big things;” which I believe not only applies in wrestling but in life.
Breaking these barriers was an everyday process for me during wrestling and in the class room. I wanted to excel academically and to develop a strong work ethic. My journey continues and I try to keep this mentality now that I am in college. Beat the Streets helped me grow and develop into a student athlete with consistency, structure, and resources necessary to build on my legacy; making me a better man for tomorrow.
Belmont Girls Program Highlighted by Fox 29
Each week, FOX 29 news covers a unique story throughout the Philadelphia area as part of their ‘#In-Focus’ segment and the girls of Belmont Charter school were the featured story. Highlighting some of the young female wrestlers who participate in the Belmont Charter wrestling program, the story illustrates how participation in the sport of wrestling has helped to mold these girls into better students.
As coach Ed McCabe recalled, at the onset of the season 21 of 30 students were labeled as ‘failing;’ by seasons end the team proudly boasts that 0 students are failing and credits a great deal of that success to the model Beat the Streets has helped put into place. By continuing to surround these girls with a positive after-school atmosphere and teaching them a positive work ethic, these young women will be well equipped to succeed throughout their educational careers!
To see the full video, please visit www.myfoxphilly.com/Clip/11114066/infocus-female-wrestling#.VNkL_oJiLDk.twitter
Perseverance-Ron Palmer
A time where I had to persevere was when I lost the PIAA District 12 finals in 2014 to Andrew McClaren of LaSalle College High School. Even though Andrew was a defending champion, it was still a hard loss to take. Almost every weekend that offseason, I thought about that loss and it frustrated me that I would have to wait a year to get my redemption. I told myself that next year, no matter what, I would earn my district title. I eventually learned to use that loss as motivation to get better for next season and it really helped me to improve as a wrestler throughout my summer training.
This past season my hard work paid off and I eventually got my opportunity to face McClaren again, except this time it was in the semifinal match. All my hard work since last season finally paid off for me and I won the match by a 9-7 decision. Not only did I earn my redemption, but I was able to beat another defending champion in the finals match which earned me ‘Outstanding Wrestler’ of the tournament. I was determined to take first that day and it was my ability to persevere through a tough loss that made all the difference.
Ron Palmer
Mariana Bracetti Academy 16′
In Their Shoes
“In Their Shoes” is a section of the Beat the Streets Philadelphia webpage where student-athletes will be given the opportunity to share their thoughts/feelings on various topics that are important in developing championship wrestlers as well as scholar athletes.
At this time, our student-athletes are in the process of writing and they are eager to share their thoughts. This blog-style formatting will be set to launch next week, March 13th, and it will be exciting to hear from these bright young men and women!