Summer on the Mat: 150+ Youth, 13 Guest Coaches & One Unforgettable Season
Happy wrestlers at the Beat the Streets Open Mat Summer Sessions, 2025.
This summer, over 150 youth from across the GTA stepped onto the mat with Beat the Streets, not just to train, but to connect, grow and be part of something bigger.
Our Open Mat sessions, held throughout July and August, welcomed wrestlers as young as six and brought together athletes from different schools, cities, and experience levels. Led by our dedicated coaching team and a roster of special guest clinicians, these weekly sessions combined hard work and fun in a low-pressure, high-impact environment.
"I am very proud of how hard all the athletes worked this summer! It's exciting to see the traction our summer program is getting... already looking forward to the future!" Braxton, Team Lead & Head Coach, Open Mat Sessions, Summer 2025.
This year, we were honoured to host some of Canada’s best wrestlers and coaches as guest clinicians, giving youth the chance to learn directly from elite athletes:
Jevon Balfour
Hannah Taylor
Ligrit Sadiku
Mia Friesen
Garette Saunders
Stan Tzogas
Saeed Azarbayjani
Serena Di Benedetto
Nyla Burgess
Alec McNeil
Gregor McNeil
Bernard Sanchez
Carlos Vargas
Special thanks to Arely Torales, Kristina McLaren, Phil Kennedy, Todd Idenouye and Ken Burgess for helping out!
And of course, thank you to our head coaches: Braxton Stone-Papadopoulos and Dillon Williams.
Happy wrestlers at the Beat the Streets Open Mat Summer Sessions, 2025.
Each guest brought something unique to the mat, a technique, a mindset or a story that left a lasting impression. Practices regularly drew between 40 and 50 participants, sparking questions about what we’ll be offering next summer, a sign of just how meaningful this program has become.
A Mother's Reflection
We’re deeply grateful to the parents and caregivers who supported their young athletes all summer, cheering from the sidelines, chatting with our coaches, and helping their kids show up consistently. One mother shared the following reflection after attending every session with her daughter:
“What stood out to me was the pursuit of excellence your team set as a standard for every athlete. This wasn’t about filling time to meet grant targets — it was about real growth, discipline, and personal development through sport.”
“The coaches never lost focus. They corrected athletes with patience, broke down complex moves into scaffolded steps, and always encouraged them with sincerity. Even after class, the youth kept interacting with the coaches. My daughter, who loves to grapple but is still finding her confidence, came away with both skill and self-belief.”
“As a parent and a nonprofit professional, I was moved by how your team didn’t treat participants as objects of intervention, but as subjects of their own development. That subtle shift is a powerful form of equity.”
“And your coaches didn’t just support the kids — they engaged us as parents, reinforcing an ecosystem that sustains growth beyond the mat.”
A Word on Parents
Feedback like this from parents means the world to us. It reminds us that our work isn’t just about technique or tournament prep, it’s about the holistic development of each young person we serve. And that takes more than just great coaches.
At Beat the Streets, we believe in supporting the whole athlete, building not only strength and skill, but also confidence, discipline, and resilience. That kind of growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It takes a community.
From quick conversations after practice to feedback that helps shape our programming, their involvement strengthens the ecosystem around each athlete, helping them stay active, supported and seen.
We’re incredibly grateful to all the families who showed up this summer and can’t wait to continue building with you this fall.
What’s Next?
As we look ahead to the new school year, we’re excited to launch another season of after-school wrestling programs, continue offering Open Mat sessions, and introduce a bold new initiative: Girls Can, designed to not only get more girls to try sport, but to stay in sport. In fact, we already launched our first two-day self-defence workshop during the Open Mat Sessions, with Olympian Leah Ferguson. You can read more about that successful event here.
Looking even further ahead, it’s clear this summer’s success has sparked something special. With youth and families already asking about next year’s Summer Open Mat sessions, we’re committed to growing this program and continuing to make summer a season of connection, resilience, and readiness.
Huge thanks again to the Ontario Charitable Gaming Association (OCGA) for supporting this free, community-focused initiative. Their investment helps us continue to deliver meaningful, inclusive programming that brings kids together, both on and off the mat.
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.
