Beat the Streets to open four new training centers in New York City

Beat the Streets to Simultaneously Open Four New Training Centers to Expand Opportunities for Middle and High School Students to Enhance Their Participation in School Wrestling Programs

Fully-Equipped Facilities in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island Set to Open October 1st and 2nd

NEW YORK - October 1, 2008 - The Beat the Streets Wrestling Program announced that today and tomorrow, October 1 and 2, 2008, it will simultaneously open four new regional training centers throughout the boroughs of New York City to expand the opportunities for middle and high school boys and girls to hone their skills as they participate in school wrestling programs. Fully equipped facilities will open in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island and are available to all students, free of charge, currently participating in the Beat the Streets Program.

Beat the Streets aims to expand wrestling in the New York City Metropolitan area from beginner to the Olympic level. Approximately 3,500 boys and girls from New York City Schools currently participate in the organization's after-school programs. In partnership with the New York City Department of Education, Beat the Streets works closely with coaches, school administrators, and professional athletes to provide opportunities for children to participate in a variety of wresting activities including clinics, tournaments and summer camps.

"Beat the Streets is committed to teaching boys and girls how the discipline and focus they gain through wresting can be applied to their education and everyday life to help them achieve success," said Brian Giffin the newly appointed President and Executive Director of Beat the Streets. "We are thrilled to be opening four new training centers that will give students throughout New York City easier access and even more opportunities to train and take in the tremendous benefits associated with participating in their schools' wrestling programs."

Beat the Streets' work has effectively helped the sport of wrestling grow in New York City. In 2005 New York City's Public School Athletic League had 23 teams only in high schools and fewer than 300 kids enrolled. Now New York City has wrestling teams in 58 high schools and 54 middle schools with 3,500 enrollees.

The training centers are designed to allow students to drop in after school to develop their technique. They learn wrestling skills from members of the Beat the Streets coaching staff as well as weekly guest clinicians. Among those who have showed up to demonstrate to students in the past are former National Collegiate and Athletic Association Champions and All-Americans such as Matt Valenti and Brett Matter from the University of Pennsylvania; Glenn Pritzlaff from Penn State; Greg Parker from Princeton; and Max Meltzer from Harvard.

Each center will provide adequate space and supervision from qualified high school and college-level coaches for all levels of middle school and high school wrestlers. The centers will be the base from which Beat the Streets will grow freestyle and Greco-Roman style wrestling, clinics, and intensive individual and group training. The training centers will also conduct takedown tournaments, dual meets and middle school league play.

The new training centers are open two days during the week and are located at:

Brooklyn: Brooklyn Tech High School, 29 Fort Green Place, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Bronx: Harry S. Truman High School, 750 Baychester Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475

Queens: Robert F. Kennedy Middle School, 157-40 76 Road, Flushing, NY 11366

Staten Island: Monsignor Farrell High School, 2900 Amboy Road, Staten Island, NY 10306

Please visit www.beat-the-streets.org for more information on the Beat the Streets Wrestling Program.