From the Bay to the Mat: Spring Series Kicks Off Strong at Lincoln High School
We kicked off our spring From the Bay to the Mat series on March 28 at Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco. The clinic was led by Beat the Streets Bay Area Associate Program Assistant and Division I All-American wrestler Jaden Abas, who led the session and demonstrated key defensive techniques. More than 35 wrestlers from Lincoln High School, Riordan High School, and the surrounding area showed up ready to train.
We opened with our Beyond the Mat activity, where wrestlers stepped up to share why they love the sport and what it means to them beyond competing. They spoke about the discipline and resilience wrestling demands, and the strong sense of community and belonging they’ve found through their teams.
Our Associate Director of Operations, Olivia Olmedo, then introduced the organization and provided an overview of our mission, upcoming opportunities, and the purpose behind these clinics, which is to provide free access to high-level training while creating opportunities for wrestlers to learn, grow, and build community in the Bay Area.
Jaden Abas led the technical portion of the clinic, centering the session on freestyle wrestling. He broke things down into five core defensive concepts he emphasizes in his training: strong head position, the down block, the sprawl, far-foot defense, and the Abas roll. As he moved through each position, he slowed the room down to focus on the details—positioning, timing, and execution—challenging wrestlers to be intentional with every rep and begin developing their own style.
As each technique was introduced, wrestlers took turns stepping in to demonstrate what they had learned. The room stayed active as athletes asked questions, made adjustments on the fly, and worked through each rep with purpose.
We closed the clinic with a game that tested reaction time and reinforced key concepts from the training, including positioning, motion, and creativity. Wrestlers partnered up to play Shoulder Tag, where each athlete worked to create an opening to tag their opponent’s shoulder while hand-fighting.
As a closing ceremony, we returned to our Beyond the Mat reflection board and recognized one wrestler whose response stood out, awarding them a prize for their thoughtful effort and the way they represented their community.
We’re grateful for the support from parents, student-athletes, and mentors who made this clinic possible. It was a strong start to the series and we look forward to our future training: Sequoia High School in Redwood City with Tyler Knox and in Oakland with Daniel Cardenas.
