Beat the Streets Bay Area Hosts First-Ever Annual Coaches & Mentors Training!

This past Saturday, August 23rd, Beat the Streets Bay Area proudly hosted our first-ever Coach and Mentor Training—a powerful day of connection, learning, and leadership development. With over 35 coaches and mentors from the BTSBA community and beyond in attendance, this event also marked the exciting launch of our new partnership with Beat the Streets Los Angeles.

On the Mat with Coach Chris Ayres

We kicked off the morning with an inspiring On the Mat session led by Stanford University’s Division I Head Coach, Chris Ayres. Coach Ayres began with a thought-provoking conversation about what it truly means to be a coach. Drawing from his own journey, he emphasized the importance of mentorship—even through challenging seasons—and how success is measured by the impact and growth with your athletes- not just wins.

Our coaches engaged in a dynamic dialogue, asking meaningful questions and reflecting on how mentorship forms the foundation of effective coaching.

Coaching with Empathy: Positive Coaching Alliance

Following our morning session, we dove into an interactive workshop with JT from Positive Coaching Alliance. Coaches explored the "Why, How, and What" behind their coaching philosophies in a hands-on session that sparked laughter, movement, and thoughtful conversation.

This Coaching with Empathy segment gave coaches tools to stay emotionally connected to their athletes while fostering a positive and growth-focused team environment.

Play, Practice & Positivity with BTSLA

To wrap up the day, Mallory Velte and Carl Fonhofer from Beat the Streets Los Angeles brought the group back to the mats with a fun and engaging session filled with games and drills. Their energy was contagious as they demonstrated ways to keep practices exciting, build team spirit, and create a space where wrestlers want to return again and again.

Coaches left with practical takeaways on how to keep youth athletes engaged, motivated, and smiling throughout the season.

Building a Coaching Community

This training is just the beginning. The energy, commitment, and participation we saw on Saturday show that we’re building more than just coaching skills—we’re building a community.

As we look ahead to future training, events, and seasons, we’re excited to continue strengthening this network of mentors, leaders, and changemakers.

Here’s to the start of a new chapter—for BTSBA and the young athletes we serve!