2025 South Bay League Ends the Season on a High Note
November 7th marked an exciting and memorable day to end our 2025 Fall BTS BA South Bay League, held in partnership with the Evergreen School District.
We were thrilled to welcome 85 young wrestlers, many competing in their very first sports tournament ever!
2025 K.Smith Team
Warm-Ups
The afternoon began calmly as wrestlers arrived at Quimby Middle School in San Jose, preparing for their final tournament of the season.
After finishing their hour-long study session, they gathered on the three mats and began warm-ups led by Coach Sergio Hernandez, head coach for Holly Oak and Evergreen. His leadership and strong relationship with the teams helped ease their nerves and build excitement for the competition ahead.
Following stretches and jogging, Program Assistant Jaden Abas joined Coach Sergio to lead a short “mini-clinic,” refreshing wrestlers on key techniques and lessons they’ve learned throughout the past two months. This refresh helped give wrestlers the confidence they needed to get on the mat later in the day.
The four participating teams, Holly Oak, O.B. Whaley, K. Smith, and Evergreen, showed impressive focus and determination. Between drills, you could hear murmurs and whispers of encouragement shared between the wrestlers, helping each other shake off nerves and get mentally ready to compete.
Matches Begin
At 3:00 p.m. sharp, BTS BA staff and Evergreen coaches kicked off the tournament with introductions and a special appearance by EJ Parco and Grigor Cholakyan from Stanford University. They shared advice and encouragement with the wrestlers before matches began across all three mats.
As the competition got underway, parents and friends filled the gym with cheers and support, creating an atmosphere buzzing with excitement and positivity.
Even in the face of tough matches, coaches provided steady guidance-helping athletes channel their emotions and turn challenges into learning moments.
Our Stanford guests also took time to mentor wrestlers, emphasizing the importance of experience, perseverance, and seeing failure as a key part of growth.
Closing Moments
After three hours filled with pure wrestling, the final matches wrapped up and the award ceremony began. Smiles, claps, and cheers filled the gym as each wrestler proudly stepped forward to receive their medal.
We ended the day with a big group photo and heartfelt thanks to our dedicated South Bay coaches: Sergio Hernandez, Fabiola Gonzalez, Tien Mai, DeAnte Whitman, Eleni Fakaosi, and Amber Schneider. Their leadership, passion, and dedication to making the most of the time with their teams, resulting in exceptional programs.
After refueling with some well-deserved pizza, our wrestlers headed home, marking the close of the 2025 South Bay Elementary League season!
Looking ahead, BTS BA hopes to continue serving Evergreen and San Jose youth through future community programs, clinics, and other opportunities to grow through wrestling.
A special thank you to all our South Bay Elementary League coaches and to the Evergreen School District for their ongoing enthusiasm and support.
We’re excited for what’s next in our partnership with Evergreen and the greater San Jose community.
