2024 Coach and Mentor Training

Posted: August 26, 2024

This past weekend Beat the Streets Los Angeles hosted its Annual Two-Day Coach and Mentor Training. The event had a great turnout with over 80 local coaches participating on Saturday and over 50 coaches attending Sunday representing 20+ of our highschool, middle school, and community programs. 

 

The training kicked off Saturday with a dynamic Strength and Conditioning session led by Alex LaRochelle, who focused on enhancing power and endurance through tailored exercises, ensuring our wrestlers are physically prepared for the demands on the wrestling mat.

After a short break Chris Reed, Director of National Partnerships, and Victor Johnson, Los Angeles Manager at The Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport (CHJS) lead an engaging segment focusing on mentorship and mental health. Their involvement underscored the importance of integrating support systems and community partnerships into our athlete development program.

 

Closing out Saturday’s training, Coach Chris Ayres, Head Wrestling Coach at Stanford University, led an interactive on the mat demonstration. He provided invaluable insights, guiding our coaches through advanced drills and techniques to refine their strategies.

On Sunday, Jimmy Karam led a training session on Sports and Performance psychology, offering strategies to boost mental resilience and performance under pressure. Additionally, Yero, Carl, and Mallory led a Team Binder tutorial, addressing critical elements of performance tracking and essential policies and procedures to foster a cohesive and motivated group.

 

After lunch Chris Reed from The Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport (CHJS) returned to host an interactive workshop outside. The workshop focused on the importance of building a strong sense of community within a team. Reed emphasized the significance of creating a safe environment where every individual feels included, ensuring that no one is left out. The session highlighted how sports can be a powerful tool in fostering a sense of community and belonging, reinforcing the idea that teamwork and inclusivity are fundamental to success both on and off the field.

17 of our Tomorrow’s Leaders student-athletes were able to participate in the training and get a glimpse of life as a coach, and the development opportunities afforded to BTS coaches. Several of our Tomorrow’s Leaders will pioneer a new coaching apprentice program in this 2024-2025 year. The collaborative atmosphere, combined with the diverse range of expertise and innovative expertise shared, made for an exceptionally productive and empowering training session.