Posts by BTS Chicago

Beat the Streets Chicago Executive Director Mike Powell is set to speak at Wrestling Mindset’s annual Coaches Leadership Clinic, to be held on July 7 and 8.

The press release from Wrestling Mindset follows:

We are excited to announce the second annual Coaches Leadership Clinic organized by Wrestling Mindset and Winning Mindset Solutions. On July 7th and 8th from 11am to 7pm (EST), more than 25 leaders from the wrestling community will speak on various aspects of leadership. Ranging from successful club coaches to current and former college and Olympic coaches, these leaders will provide attendees with the tools and approaches needed to create programs and cultures that produce great wrestlers and successful individuals. Last year’s clinic featured 18 speakers and was attended by 500 coaches and wrestling leaders throughout the country. The clinic is free to attend via Zoom, but attendance will be limited to the first 1000 who register.

Dan Gable and John Smith will be the two coaching keynote speakers on July 7th and 8th, respectively. The business world will be represented by Joe Galli, the CEO of Techtronic Industries, and by Joe De Sena, the CEO and Founder of Spartan Race. The wrestling accolades of the presenters feature 8 Olympic medals (7 Gold, 1 Silver), 11 World Medals (8 Gold,1 Silver, 2 Bronze), and 40 NCAA Champion team titles.

Coaches and leaders in wrestling are encouraged to attend. Over the course of two days you will hear from leaders in women’s wrestling, non-profit directors, strength and conditioning coaches, researchers, and doctors to grow your knowledge of the sport.

To register for Wrestling Mindset’s Coaches Leadership Clinic, click here.

Here is the full list of presenters.

Legends in the Sport:

• John Smith — Head Coach Oklahoma State University (6x World and Olympic Champion, 5x NCAA Division I Champ as Head Coach)
• Dan Gable (World and Olympic Champion, 15x NCAA Division I Champ as Head Coach)
• Lee Kemp (3x World Champ, 2x Pan-American Champ, 4x FILA World Cup Champ)

Olympic Coaches:

• Matt Lindland — Head Coach Greco-Roman (Olympic Silver Medalist, former UFC fighter)
• Terry Steiner — Head Coach Women’s Freestyle (NCAA Champion)

Senior Level:

• Lou and Ed Banach — Olympic Gold Medalists, 5x NCAA Division I Champions
• Brandon Slay — Head Coach PRTC (Olympic Gold Medalist)

Business Leaders:

• Joe Galli — CEO of Techtronic, Milwaukee Tools, Ryobi (ACC Champion for UNC)
• Joe DeSena — CEO of Spartan, Best Selling Author

College Coaches:

• Jim Miller (12x NCAA Division III National Champion Coach)
• Tom Ryan — Head Coach Ohio State University (1x NCAA Division I Champion Coach, 2x NCAA Division I Coach of the Year)
• Mike Grey — Head Coach Cornell University (2x All-American as a competitor)
• Chris Bono — Head Coach Wisconsin University (Coach of SDSU’s 1 st ever NCAA Division I Champion; 3x World Team Member, and 3x NCAA Division I All-American as a competitor)
• Omi Acosta — Head Coach Life University, 2021 NAIA Champs
• Steve Costanzo — Head Coach St. Cloud State University (5x NCAA Division II Champion Coach)
• Steve Garland — Head Coach University of Virginia (has coached 14 NCAA All-Americans)

Club Coaches:

• John Stritmatter — Co-owner Young Guns Wrestling Club (NCAA Division II Champion)
• Jeff Buxton — Head Coach Buxton Trained Wrestling and Lehigh Valley RTC
• Blair Academy Head Coach
• Mike Eierman — J’Den Cox long-time coach, Elite Club coach youth-senior level athletes

(NCAA Division I All-American as a competitor)

Other Speakers:

• Dave Curby — founder and director of the International Network of Wrestling Researchers (INWR) and editor of the International Journal of Wrestling Science. 
• Carl Adams — 2x NCAA Champion, World Team Member, Entrepreneur, Legendary Coach
• Mike Powell — Executive Director BTS Chicago
• RJ Boudro — Lowell High School Head Coach (8 Michigan State Titles in a row)
• Mitch Hancock — Detroit Catholic Central Head Coach (8x Michigan State Champions)
• Lori Ayres — Director of Princeton Wrestling Club’s Women’s Wrestling Program, Co-director of USA NJ Women’s Wrestling, board member of the Wrestlers in Business Network (Princeton Chapter)
• Pete Jacobson — CEO of WinSMarter, high school coach, and facilitator for NWCA’s CEO Leadership Academy
• Dave Bell — Head Coach Bergen Catholic HS. 

###

Beat the Streets Chicago concluded its new facility capital campaign, raising in excess of the $2.1 million goal it established at its October, 2019 kick-off.

The twenty-month campaign finished ahead of schedule attracting support from across the country.  Funds raised are designated for the building fund, including renovations, new equipment and operations for the first few years.

The new facility is located at 5985 S. Archer Ave., just west of Midway Airport int eh Garfield Ridge neighborhood of Chicago.  The 10,000 square foot building was acquired on June 19, 2020 and took about one year to complete Phase One renovations.  It has two wrestling rooms, an enrichment room, a weight room, welcome center, cardio area, locker rooms and an administrative office.  The office will serve as BTSC headquarters going forward.

Major donors to the campaign are recognized on the Gratitude Wall installed at the new facility.  

###

3x Division 1 NCAA Qualifiers Gabe Townsell (Stanford) and Emery Parker (University of Illinois) will join us on Sunday, June 13 for a Youth Informal at the new facility.  The event is free and open to all, but participants must pre-register and have a current USAW membership card.  BTSC will provide membership cards to anyone who needs one, provided he or she is pre-registered.

This event is geared towards boys and girls youth wrestlers, but all wrestlers through high school are welcome, especially high schoolers training for IWCOA State Series.

This is the first youth event to be held in the new, state-of-the-art BTSC Wrestling and Enrichment Facility at 5985 South Archer in Chicago.

Click here to register.

Natalie Cortes and Aaliyah Vargas were names Beat the Streets Chicago’s 2021 Garriques Scholarship awardees at Senior Night on May 23.  Both ladies will graduate from Lane Tech this semester and have committed to wrestle at Colorado Mesa University in the fall.

###

Beat the Streets Chicago’s first-ever capital campaign comes will be wrapped up on Saturday, June 5.  The campaign began in October, 2019 with the goal of raising $2.1 million to finance the acquisition, renovation and operation of a world-class wrestling and enrichment center for Chicago youth.

On June 19, 2021, the organization purchased a 10,000 square foot former fitness center at 5985 South Archer in Chicago’s Garfield Ridge neighborhood.  Since then, renovations have been underway, led by Board member Doug Baum and general contractor Ninos Oshana of Stages Construction.

The capital campaign, co-led by Board President Paul Carbery and Board Member Tim Philosophos has been raising funds even while the building has been under construction.  On Saturday, June 5, Carbery and Philosophos will formally conclude the campaign, with the unveiling of the “Donor Wall” at the new facility.

The facility will be open June 7 for wrestling practice.  A grand opening celebration is planned for the June 11,12,13 weekend.

###

This pixelated view of the Facility Donor Wall will come into focus on Saturday, June 5!

Beat the Streets Chicago is delighted to welcome Chicago-area natives and UNC superstars Tony Ramos, Austin O’Connor and Jaime Hernandez to its High School Summer Camp coaching team.

The High School Camp will be held Monday, July 5 – Friday, July 9 from 10am – 3:30pm (doors open at 9:00am for warm-up and COVID check.)  The camp is open to any and all.  Cost is $150, which includes optional particiaption in the BTSC High School Summer Sessions, held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6pm – 8pm June 28 – August 6 (excluding the July 5-9 camp week).

Scholarships are available for financial hardship.  Contact Coach Dixon for information. [email here]

We will hold concurrent but separate Boys Camp and Girls Camp, with each group practicing in a separate wrestling room at the new BTSC Wrestling and Enrichment Facility at 5985 S. Archer Avenue in Chicago.  Coaches will distribute their time between the girls’ and boys’ rooms.

Register for camp here.

Coach Bios

Tony Ramos: UNC Associate Head Coach, 2x US World Team Trials Champion, NCAA National Champion, 3x NCAA All-American, 3x IHSA State Champion

Austin O’Connor: UNC Letter Winner, NCAA National Champion, 3x NCAA All-American, 4x IHSA State Champion, Junior Pan-American Champion

Jaime Hernandez: UNC Letter Winner, ACC Finalist, 3x IHSA All-State, 3x Fargo All-American

The UNC coaches join BTSC coaches Mike Powell, Mike Dixon, Mike Boyd, Haley Augello, Ben Bergen, Bobby Campos and Bryce Thurston.

###

We welcomed Ryan Warner of Wrestling Changed My Life Podcast at the new facility early in March to take a tour and check on progress.  What a great time to document the construction phase of Chicago youth’s first dedicated, stand-alone wrestling and enrichment facility in the City.

And, we think this just might be the BIGGEST wrestling room around!

Many thanks to Ryan and his crew for sharing the experience with this thrilling video.  We are so excited to share it with you!

Beat the Streets Chicago long-held dream to open a wrestling and enrichment center for Chicago youth is nearly a reality!  With construction almost complete, we are ready to go shopping – with some help.

Olympian and Head Women’s Coach Haley Augello says it best:

Donate to Fund-A-Need here.

The journey to open this facility has been 18 months in the making.

An aggressive capital campaign to raise $2.1 million began in October, 2019, under the leadership of Board President Paul Carbery and BTSC Director Tim Philosophos.  Soon after, the team set its sights on the property at 5985 S. Archer in Chicago’s Garfield Ridge neighborhood.  A former boutique fitness center, the floor plan had sufficient open space to accommodate the wrestling mats.  In addition, the location just behind Midway Airport is accessible to many of the neighborhoods and schools we already serve.

Doug Baum, also a BTSC Board Member, signed on not only as a significant financial contributor, but project manager for the purchase and renovations.  He assembled an amazing team of construction and trades professionals, most of whom have wrestling connections.  Ninos Oshana and Jordan Blanton have been tremendous contributors.

Today, we are thrilled to announce that we have met 85% of our goal and raised enough money to complete the renovations!

Now, we are focused on what we need for programming inside the building.

To close out our capital campaign for this incredible facility, we need to raise another $300,000.  Most of that will be spent on mats, furniture, equipment and supplies. We’ve established a “gift registry” that allows donors to choose items to sponsor.  The items range in price from $25 to over $3,000 and will help us set up our two wrestling rooms, our weight room and our office and common areas.  We hope to raise the money by the end of April, 2021, so that we are fully ready for May programming and summer camps.

To make a donation to our “Facility Fund A Need” campaign, visit https://www.btschicago.org/fund-a-need/

Look for a grand opening celebration this summer!

Please direct any questions or comments directly to Mike Powell via email.

###