Beat the Streets

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Annual Fundraising Campaign

Did you know that Beat the Streets USA spends $2,500 annually on Entry Fees? Please help support us by donating here.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

For Olympic Champion Henry Cejudo, wrestling was a way up, and out.

http://news.ebru.tv/us-news/wrestlers-compete-in-times-square-showdown

For Olympic champion Henry Cejudo, wrestling was a way up, and out.

"I was one of the Beat the Streets kids. Not necessarily here in New York, but I was a "beat the streets" in Phoenix. What I mean by that is that I was a kid that had to beat the streets before the, before the streets beat me, " said Cejudo, 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist - Freestyle Wrestling.

And coach Bobby Douglas says "Beat the Streets" is making a measurable impact.

"If you take 8000 kids off the streets, you eliminate a big delinquent, delinquency problem, and I don't think your mayor understands that. This Beat the Streets program is, hey it's taking a bunch of kids away from the gangs, and it's keeping them out of prison, " he said.

And those who know wrestling say they know the sport brings discipline and focus to kids' lives.

"Once you've wrestled in life, everything else is easy. I mean if you go through a grueling hour and a half wrestling practice, these kids can do this....you know, doing their homework, you know, getting there, uh, doing their chores, you know, doing just the simple things, that becomes easier, you know," said Herbert.

"Once you don't have a guy coming at you trying to put you and pin you down on your back. I mean, taking out, taking out the laundry, taking out the trash, that stuff's easy...So it teaches you to make the right decisions. It shows you need to be determined, you need to be focused, you need to be smart, all on the wrestling mat. So all that stuff hopefully carries on into, you know, other things in life, " he added.

Now, you might think these young athletes from tough city streets would be excited to wrestle under the lights on Times Square -- and they are -- but for them, Beat the Streets is about a whole lot more.

"You become a better student, much stronger, much faster, everything about you is going to change," said Zimba Hamm, a student at I.S. 129 Middle School in the Bronx.

And the focus that wrestling brings is no longer just for the boys. Today, ladies are also hitting the mats, and reaping the benefits.

"I have a lot more discipline. I'm a lot more organized. Um, I'm better at speaking now, public speaking. I'm much more of a leader, much more of a leader now. I wasn't much before, but now I am. I know how to channel all of my extra energy, " said Nyasa Bakker from the High School of Public Service in Brooklyn.

"It's really added structure to my life. My grades have been up. They've gone up since I started, " added Amanda Jackson, a student at Scholar's Academy High School in Queens

Thanks to Beat the Streets, street-fighting has taken on a whole new meaning in New York and inner-city communities throughout the United States, so don't be surprised if you see wrestlers down on the mats, but looking up, here at the crossroads of the world.

The Most

Thursday, May 5, 2011

2011 Gala & Benefit...Goal!....

The “Stars” Are Aligned

Good Weather

Better Wrestling

Best Gala & Benefit

Mike Novogratz, Chairman of the Board has commissioned us to raise $1 million dollars for the Beat the Streets Wrestling-New York City

Last year we raised over $825,000….

We are a little short as we need a little over $100,000 to reach that goal and I along with our other Trustees are asking the wrestling community to give whatever they can to help us with the “magic” One Million Dollars…

Did you ever in your heart of hearts ever think that wrestling could raise one million dollars in one evening?

Tom Brands called Mike a few weeks ago and said

“ wrestling needs a shot in the arm”. Tom is right….Tonight is the shot that will be heard around the world…the world’s oldest sport is “fighting back”….

We are more than a wrestling program…we are creating a “movement” to escalate the image of Wrestling by showcasing the sport in

Times Square.

It’s the first time that a sport is allowed to perform such a feat in Duffy Square.

It wasn’t easy as nothing in New York City is ever easy…

We have already credential more mainstream media than we had for the 2003 World Freestyle Championships in Madison Square Garden.

Sports Illustrated, NY Times, NY Daily News, USA Today, AP, New York Post, El Diario, Telemundo, Univision, WNBC, Universal Sports, Fox Latino and others will be mat side….. in was already on the morning news this morning…

Any gift will be very much appreciated and the entire donation will be invested into helping the 3,000 boys and girls who love our program…..

http://www.beat-the-streets.org