This summer, wrestling stepped outside and onto the sand. Our Beach Wrestling Sessions gave athletes a chance to train in a new environment, challenge themselves in new ways, and experience the sport alongside their community.

This summer, Open Mat brought athletes together to move, learn, and connect in a welcoming and supportive environment. From skill development and friendly competition to new friendships and shared experiences, the sessions were about creating a space where everyone could show up, challenge themselves, and have fun. Take a look back at the moments, people, and community that made Open Mat special.

From the mat to the ballpark, this summer has been full of unforgettable moments for the Beat the Streets community. This year, participants had the opportunity to experience a Toronto Blue Jays game alongside coaches, mentors, and supporters—a day that was about so much more than baseball. It was a chance to build connections, create memories, and celebrate the young people who make our community so special.

Beat the Streets is honoured and grateful to be an Ontario Trillium Foundation Capital Grant Recipient. Their support will enable us to buy more mats and serve even more youth through wrestling after-school programs.

Thanks to the Healthy Horizons Foundation, youth in Ulukhaktok will have more opportunities to stay active, build confidence and connect through wrestling, culture and mentorship. Read more about the impact of this generous support.

Beat the Streets is proud to be named a 2026 Nike Community Impact Fund grantee. With this support, we will deliver You Grow Girl programming for approximately 160 girls across four Toronto schools, helping participants build confidence, stay active and feel welcome in sport.

At Beat the Streets, being a team means more than just showing up on the mat—it means showing up for each other. Through the Be There Certificate, we’re learning how to build a community that is more supportive, aware, and ready to have real conversations about mental health.

Starting wrestling can feel intimidating — especially if you’ve never stepped on the mat before. But here’s the truth: no one walks into their first practice knowing everything.At your first wrestling practice, you’ll learn the basics, meet supportive teammates, and realize that everyone starts somewhere. You don’t need to already be strong, confident, or experienced to begin. You just need the courage to show up.

Not every wrestling journey feels confident or successful all the time.There are days where you feel behind, doubt yourself, or wonder if you should quit altogether. But those moments don’t mean you’re failing — they’re part of the process.The athletes who grow the most usually aren’t the ones who never struggled. They’re the ones who kept showing up anyway.Because sometimes the biggest win isn’t getting everything right. It’s refusing to give up on yourself.

A lot of girls grow up feeling like they need to be smaller, quieter, or take up less space. Wrestling teaches the opposite. It shifts the focus from how your body looks to what your body can do — becoming stronger, more confident, and more resilient with every practice. Over time, that strength starts showing up everywhere: in school, friendships, challenges, and the way you see yourself. Because strong isn’t just physical. It’s a mindset.

For a lot of girls, wrestling can feel intimidating at first. You might feel nervous, inexperienced, or like everyone else already knows what they’re doing. But every wrestler starts somewhere — and confidence doesn’t come before you begin, it comes after. Wrestling isn’t about being perfect right away. It’s about showing up, trying anyway, and discovering you’re capable of more than you thought. Sometimes growth starts with simply stepping onto the mat.

In our after-school wrestling programs, students aren’t just learning holds and techniques… they’re building confidence, finding their people, and discovering they can do hard things. Read more to see what students, coaches, and teachers are saying.

With ivari’s support, Beat the Streets is helping over 100 youth in Toronto build confidence, resilience, and lifelong healthy habits through wrestling and sport-based programming—part of a growing impact that has already reached more than 400 young people.

The wrestling program at SATEC @ W.A. Porter Collegiate Institute continues to rise , and this year’s Regional Championships were proof. With 21 athletes competing, the team delivered one of its strongest performances yet, with 16 wrestlers finishing in the top four and qualifying for the City Championships.

The first Beat the Streets combined practice brought together students from Joseph Brant and Chief Dan George Public School for an afternoon filled with friendly competition, learning, and connection. For many athletes, it was their first time wrestling someone outside their own team, a moment that brought nerves, excitement, and an opportunity to grow.

Tavoy’s journey from Open Mat sessions to a top-six finish at OFSAA shows the power of youth wrestling programs in Toronto. Discover how consistency, access, and determination are shaping the next generation of athletes.

This season at Westview proved that the biggest victories don’t always happen on the scoreboard. For many athletes, the real progress showed up in quieter moments, the first time they pushed through a tough practice, the first drill they completed without fear, or the first match where confidence replaced doubt. Read more about their achievements!

Thanks to the Canadian Women in Sport's Spotlight Grant, girls and women coaches had access to national training and competition at the GirlsCAN Camp in Calgary.

Beat the Streets proudly supported the GirlsCAN National Athlete & Coach Camp, supporting girls’ wrestling and values-based coaching across Canada.

We’re honoured to be selected as a 2025–2026 Kindness in Community Fund grantee, supported by Born This Way Foundation, co-founded by Lady Gaga and Cynthia Germanotta. This funding strengthens our community-based, youth-informed mental health work, rooted in movement, belonging and care.