Beat the Streets Philadelphia Podcast

Welcome to Season 3 and new co-host Kevin McGuigan. Kevin is the Director of Wrestling Operations at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the General Manager of the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center and a Grants Coordinator with Beat the Streets Philly. In this episode, we introduce Kevin and welcome him to his new position as co-host with Executive Director James Mangan. Kevin has over 50 years experience in wrestling and shares part of his journey.

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 podcast we are blessed to speak with Olympic and World Champion, Jordan Burroughs. Since moving to Philadelphia, Jordan has been instrumental in helping out around the BTS mentoring center and has been an excellent role model for our BTS youth. He brings years of experience at the highest levels of wrestling and inspires so many in our community. Jordan shares his motivations and impact with us on the show today, along with some amazing advice to wrestling parents. We are so grateful to have someone like Jordan in the BTS family!

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 get 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.

In this episode, we speak with UPenn wrestler CJ Composto who achieved All-American status this March at the NCAA tournament. CJ is a regular at the mentoring center and speaks about how serving others lifts yourself up. It's impressive that he is able to balance Division 1 athletics and Ivy League Academics, while still finding time to help the student-athletes at Beat the Streets! 

In this episode of the podcast we get the chance to speak with Regina Johnson who is not only a BTS parent, but she serves as the Athletic Director at Matin Luther King High School which is a BTS partner. Regina brings a fresh new perspective to the podcast and so many lessons from the BTS community. She has been an invaluable partner and we are so grateful for everything she does to serve the student-athletes of Philadelphia!

On this episode of the podcast, we get the chance to speak with Dan Altomare, the Director of Program Operations for BTS Philly. Dan has a deep and thorough knowledge of BTS programming from many different levels and is an invaluable member of the staff.Dan's journey with BTS Philly began in 2015 when he was getting a degree in Sports and Recreation Management from Temple University. As part of his degree, he got an internship with BTS Philly. He thought it would just be a temporary assignment, but was drawn to the mission and satisfaction of working with the student athletes“I think something that's just really unique about Beat the Streets,” said Dan. “That feeling like you really are a part of something bigger than yourself. And the feeling that the work I was doing was important, which not everybody gets to feel, especially not as an intern. There are a lot of interns out there that are grabbing cups of coffee and not really doing anything super meaningful. But I felt like I was making a difference in kids' lives. And I was lucky to be able to do that.”The following year, Dan returned as a volunteer at the Mentoring Center. He was planning on returning to school, but then a staff position opened up and he jumped at the opportunity.Dan talks about the many lessons he learned from mentors within the BTS community like former Executive Director Chris Hanlon and PAL coach Ed Schneider, both of whom have been featured on this podcast.Dan is now the Director of Program Operations, a role where he coordinates daily with all of the constituents of the BTS community. He works directly with the coaches and organizes the programming at Beat the Streets 30 programs around Greater Philadelphia. Executive Director James Mangan praised Dan's ability to organize these various programs under the BTS umbrella. “He builds adaptable systems. He's very thoughtful in how we construct programming. He's great at engaging the different stakeholders in the planning process.”In this episode, Dan reviews the Spring Schedule for BTS Philly. See the full schedule at btsphilly.org

In this episode of the podcast, we speak with BTSP alum Aboubakare Diaby about his experiences in wrestling, Beat the Streets, and mentorship. Aboubakare currently wrestles at Drexel University where he studies Mechanical Engineering. He talks about the importance of mentorship in achieving his goals and gives much credit to his mentor, former podcast guest Ousmane Diara. Aboubakare plays an important role in the BTS community and we are proud of everything he has accomplished on and off the mat. And we look forward to what the future brings in his story!

In this podcast episode, we speak with former Beat the Streets Philadelphia (BTSP) Executive Director Chris Hanlon. So much of the impact that BTSP can achieve today is due to his stewardship from a fledgling organization to a presence that currently serves 1,000 youth at 30 wrestling programs in the Greater Philadelphia area. Chris embodies the Beat the Streets spirit on so many levels. He is passionate about not only wrestling but positively altering life's trajectory.

Today we are joined by Ed Schneider who has helped influence thousands of young wrestlers over the years and helped positively alter life's trajectory. Ed was a coach of the Police Athletic Leave in Philadelphia, which in many ways sowed the seeds for the work that BTS continues today. And he has been involved in so many aspects of BTS from its very beginning!

Beat the Streets Philadelphia has some big news to announce.Our Director of Strategic Partnerships, Ben Reiter, will be moving on to a new role as the Executive Director of Beat the Streets National. While we are sad to see Ben go, we are immensely proud of everything he has accomplished and we know he will continue to do incredible things at the National level.“I just feel so grateful for my time with Beat the Streets Philly and I'm really excited about what the future holds for Beat the Streets organizations across the country.”Beat the Streets National was founded in 2017 to organize and focus the efforts of the BTS organizations in different cities across the country. “There are currently eleven accredited chapter organizations and collectively we're serving 8,400 youth across the country,” Ben explained.At Beat the Streets Philly, Ben was instrumental in growing our organization's mentoring efforts and strengthening our ties with partners. And we know that he will continue these ambitious efforts at the national level.“This next chapter for Beat the Streets National is about growing, getting new organizations off the ground, strengthening existing cities, and increasing girls participation,” Ben says. “It's a really exciting time to be doing this.”James Mangan, the Executive Director of Beat the Street Philadelphia, couldn't be more proud of Ben's accomplishments. “Ben is the right person for this job at National. I've gotten to work alongside Ben, and over that time Ben has matured as a nonprofit professional as a leader in this space.”“Ben did a tremendous job locally at Philadelphia, in developing systems around expanding and growing our mentoring center and our partnerships,” reiterated James.According to James, Ben helped grow the mentoring center from the early days, “And it took participation from about 20 to 25 kids, to north of 150 in a matter of one season. So that's tremendous to me.”While we will miss Ben here at BTS Philly, we know that he will always be a part of our family and he will never be far away from us. And he will work tirelessly towards our mission of altering life's trajectory for thousands of student athletes across the country.“I just feel so thankful, so grateful that I can go to sleep every night and I wake up every morning knowing that I'm going to work hard towards something that I full-heartedly believe in,” said Ben. “And I know that the effort I'm putting in is making a difference in this world. Like, how many people have had that?”

In this episode of the podcast we are joined by former Beat the Streets student-athlete Harold Anderson.Harold is currently a senior at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business where he is concentrating in Management. Harold has been able to leverage his degree to pursue the field of corporate social responsibility.Harold first discovered wrestling shortly after transferring to Belmont Charter in the middle of sixth grade. One day the wrestling coach approached him to join the team. “I had no friends and wasn't doing anything at that time,” he says. “So I'm like I might as well give it a try, I have nothing to lose.”Harold immediately felt a sense of purpose on the wrestling mat. “It gave me that sense of camaraderie,” he explains. “That sense of being a part of something that's bigger than yourself.”Through Beat the Streets and the sport of wrestling, Harold met many mentors who pushed him to better himself on and off the mat. “I met people who would later form my support system and people who are still in my support system.”When he got the chance to join a travel team, he jumped at the opportunity. Even though he took some tough losses, Harold brimmed with enthusiasm for the sport. “Take me anywhere I'll do any day, I'll wrestle with anyone, I don't care. I just want to go and experience stuff.”Wrestling taught Harold many valuable lessons over the years that he still carries with him today. As someone with a deep sense of serving others, Harold saw it as a vehicle to help others. “It takes a very intentional mindset to understand that you have a responsibility to those around you,” Harold explains. “Whether that be helping someone who's struggling with conditioning by doing an extra lap with them or making sure you're paying attention to your teammates while they're wrestling. If you see someone down sitting on the bench maybe just going by and saying ‘Hey, what's up? Is everything, okay?'”Nowadays, Harold continues to serve and be involved with the Beat the Streets community by helping organize the Youth Ambassadors Program, which is aimed to give a voice to the younger BTS graduates within the organization. “I think there is a very strong case to be made for child empowerment and child advocacy. And knowing that children have things to say, that they know what they're talking about. When you're dealing with a specific group of people, whether that be kids, whether that be a marginalized group, you can't do anything sustainably without using their actual voices.”“And I think one of the big things that I want to accomplish with this group is giving the student athletes and their families more of a voice, more empowerment to actively be a part of changing the trajectory.”Harold is continuing his track record of service in his career choice as well. He landed his dream opportunity with Viacom in their social responsibility department. And he is doing an internship with Nickelodeon Animation's Community Efforts Department.“I'm at a dream place, the kid me would have never thought I was working at. If you went to that kid who showed up to Belmont that day, and told him all these things happening, he would honestly probably run away. Or be like, ‘Nah, get out of here.'”

In this episode, we get the chance to speak with Joey McKenna. 

Ousmane Diarra has such an inspirational story. He first arrived to US from Mali at age seven and worked his way to becoming valedictorian of his middle school. In this episode he talks about his roots in wrestling and the life lessons it taught him. And about his work as a mentor to so many younger student athletes.  Ousmane is currently working towards a Master’s Degree in Public Health at Drexel University  and doing some amazing research.

In this episode we are joined by Lakita Williams, a BTS alum, mentor, and coach. But most importantly, an inspiration to so many younger athletes coming up through Beat the Streets. Lakita shares her story of starting wrestling as a girl, despite the people who doubted her. She loved the sport and all of the lessons it taught her. And she talks about the Beat the Streets community and what it means to her.Read more about Lakita here: https://btsphilly.org/lakita-williams

James Mangan is the Executive Director of Beat the Streets Philadelphia. But there is so much more to James' story. He grew up wrestling in Philadelphia in the days before Beat the Streets existed. And later, he became a volunteer coach to help the next generation of Philly wrestlers. In this episode, James talks about what it means to be part of the Philadelphia community as well as the BTS community. He talks about the mentors who helped him reach where he is today, and the important of mentorship for student-athletes. James talks about the problems that BTS faces and its goals for the future.James has seen the organization from so many different levels and it was great hearing his story and unique insights! Read more about James here: https://www.btsphilly.org/james-manganYou can find BTS Philly on Twitter and Instagram @btsphilly.If you're inspired by this episode, visit our website for more info on how you can help out!

Edwin Morales is a Beat the Streets Philadelphia alumnus who currently wrestles at Bridgewater State University. Edwin has been a crucial member of the BTSP community ever since he first began wrestling in 9th grade. In this episode, he talks about how wrestling changed his life and taught him values like hard work and accountability. Because of his experience with BTSP, he dedicated himself to mentoring younger student athletes and has served as a role model for so many youths in Philadelphia. If you want to learn more about Edwin, check out: https://www.btsphilly.org/edwin-moralesYou can find BTS Philly on Twitter and Instagram @btsphilly.If you're inspired by this episode, visit our website for more info on how you can help out!

Hey everyone! Welcome to the very first episode of the Beat the Streets Philadelphia Podcast. In this episode, co-hosts Rollie Peterkin and Ben Reiter talk about the upcoming podcast episodes where we will hear stories from the Beat the Streets Philadelphia community. Ben and Rollie discuss the creation of the podcast and their personal stories of wrestling and social impact work.For more info, visit our website: https://btsphilly.org/Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @btsphilly