Expanding Opportunities for Girls in Sport: Beat the Streets Awarded Ontario Trillium Foundation Grow Grant
Beat the Streets is proud to announce that we have been awarded a two-year Grow Grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to expand our Girls CAN Wrestle & Lead program to Thunder Bay.
We are incredibly grateful to OTF for their investment in our work and their commitment to building stronger, healthier communities across Ontario. This support marks a major milestone for our organization and for the future of girls in sport.
Building Pathways for Girls in Sport in Thunder Bay
Girls CAN Wrestling Camp, January 2026
© Leah Hennel
With support from OTF, Beat the Streets will deliver 20 high-impact weekend wrestling and empowerment camps for 400 girls aged 10–17 in Thunder Bay over the next two years.
These camps are designed to do more than introduce sport; they are built to develop confidence, resilience, and leadership through a powerful combination of:
Self-defence and boundary-setting
Movement skills and introductory wrestling
Social-emotional learning through our You Grow Girl model
At the same time, we will train four local women to become certified wrestling coaches, creating a sustainable pathway for girls to continue in sport long after the camps end.
This is about more than participation — it’s about building a system where girls can enter, stay, and grow in sport.
Why Girls in Sport Matters More Than Ever
Across Canada, girls are leaving sport at higher rates than boys, and we’ve seen this firsthand.
At Beat the Streets, girls once made up 50% of our after-school wrestling participants. Today, that number has dropped significantly. In some programs, girls have told us plainly: “This isn’t for me.”
We listened.
Because the reality is clear: Girls don’t stay in sport just because a spot exists—the environment has to be designed for them.
In Thunder Bay, where wrestling has deep community roots, but girls represent only a portion of participants, the need for intentional, girl-centred programming is especially strong. For many girls – particularly those facing economic, geographic, or cultural barriers — access alone is not enough.
They need spaces where they feel safe, supported, and seen.
Local Leadership: Building Something That Lasts
Olympians Leah Ferguson and Erica Wiebe
© Leah Hennel
This expansion is led in partnership with Olympian and gender equity advocate Leah Ferguson, who is based in Thunder Bay and has already begun piloting this work locally.
Leah’s leadership brings not only elite sports experience but also a deep commitment to creating inclusive, empowering environments for girls. Through this project, she will mentor emerging female coaches, helping to build a new generation of leaders within the sport.
Together, we are not just delivering programming; we are building local capacity.
By the end of the grant, Thunder Bay will have female-led, girls-only wrestling programs that continue beyond this funding cycle, ensuring long-term impact in the community.
A Proven Model, Built to Grow
The Girls CAN Wrestle & Lead pathway is built on years of learning and impact. It includes:
Girls CAN Defend – self-defence, safety, and boundary-setting
You Grow Girl – confidence, resilience, and belonging through movement
Girls-only wrestling sessions – skill-building and sport identity
Train-the-Trainer – developing female coaches and leaders
This model has already reached hundreds of girls and demonstrated measurable gains in confidence, resilience, and continued participation in sport.
Now, with OTF’s support, we are ready to scale it.
Creating Lasting Impact for Youth Wrestling in Ontario
Girls CAN Wrestling Camp, January 2026
© Leah Hennel
This investment will directly support:
400 girls participating in programming
20 weekend camps delivered
4 emerging female coaches trained and certified
New girls-only after-school wrestling programs launched
But beyond the numbers, this project is about something bigger.
It’s about ensuring that girls, especially those who have been historically underrepresented in sport, have the opportunity to build confidence, develop leadership skills, and see themselves reflected in positions of strength.
It’s about changing who feels like they belong.
About the Ontario Trillium Foundation
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. Through its Grow Grants, OTF supports organizations in expanding proven programs that improve the health and well-being of communities across the province.
Beat the Streets is proud to be among the organizations recognised for advancing physical activity and youth development across Ontario.
Looking Ahead
We are deeply thankful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their trust and support.
This investment allows us to expand our reach, strengthen our programs, and continue building pathways where girls don’t just participate in sport, they take up space!
And this is just the beginning.
About Beat the Streets:
At Beat the Streets, our mission is to advance the education of low-income children and youth in the Greater Toronto Area through fun and unique wrestling, life skills, and employment-based development programs. Since 2015, we have served over 28,000 young individuals through our Wrestle 4 Fun, Level Up, You Grow Girl, Work it Girl, After-School and Open Mat Sessions programs, providing them with opportunities to develop their physical, mental, and social well-being. We believe in empowering the next generation by breaking down barriers and creating pathways to success.
Join us in our mission to impact youth:
Join us in making a difference by supporting our cause and learning more about how you can contribute to the education and growth of children and youth in need. Together, we can shape a brighter future for all.
