Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Prepared by: Jos Valenzuela, Executive Director March 4, 2012 Revised: May 19, 2012
www.bostonwrestling.org
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Objective
Mission
Why wrestling?
Youth development and youth sports in the United States
Our partnerships
What People Are Already Saying About Boston Youth Wrestling
Student-Athlete Proles
What People Are Already Saying About Boston Youth Wrestling, cont.
Volunteer Coaches Proles
1 1 1 1 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 8
Budget
Supporting the future of youth wrestling in Boston
Executive Summary
Objective
The purpose of this report is to explain the need for expanded youth wrestling opportunities in the City of Boston, as part of a greater need for overall development of our citys youth towards improved academic skills, greater self-esteem, improved health and nutrition, and the kind of goal-setting that leads to college preparedness and a successful career.
Mission
Founded in January 2012, the mission of Boston Youth Wrestling is to promote youth development in inner-city Boston by inspiring personal, academic, and athletic success through the sport of wrestling. Our work will include: direct support of youth wrestling teams in coaches in middle schools and high schools throughout the City of Boston; off-season wrestling clinics during the Spring, Summer and Fall; training and support of coaches to expand the number of wrestling programs in the Boston Public Schools; a training facility centrally located in Boston for wrestlers to train year-round, and to receive academic and college support; mentorship opportunities for at-risk youth; scholarships for wrestlers entering two and four-year universities and colleges.
Why wrestling?
The purpose of youth sports is to provide experiences for future life activities by introducing the concepts and skills of a myriad of sports available in the United States, and wrestling, the oldest sport, is no different. Young people are attracted to wrestling because they have been practicing the skills of the sport from an early age. Our most at-risk youth (11-15 years old, especially) nd wrestling engaging and fun, at a time in their lives when they begin to disengage from school. Keeping these kids engaged in these activities eventually lead these students to understand the benets the sport brings off the mat, as well. The skills learned in wrestling are easily transferrable to the classroom, and college-preparedness is a major focus of the sport, and not pipeline dreams, like professional sports. Young people are ready for more programmatic interventions in Boston, and wrestling provides a tremendous opportunity for our citys youth. Parents are attracted to wrestling because it is one of the safest sports with fewer serious injuries than football, basketball or soccer. Thanks to the use of thick, foam rubber mats, a sole referee for every two wrestlers during competition (to ensure safety), and rules that are written with the safety of wrestlers in mind (no punching, body slams, or other dangerous, illegal moves), over 95% of injuries are limited to minor muscle pulls. Parents are equally attracted to the sports egalitarian qualities wrestling is truly a sport for all. Sons and daughters are given an equal opportunity to participate, regardless of size or shape all competitors are matched up based on weight, and often times at the youthlevel, based on experience and ability, as well. Parents can take pride in the success that their children enjoy. Boston Youth Wrestling | Executive Summary and Plan FY 2012
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School administrators are attracted to the high levels of participation that wrestling offers to middle schools and high schools. While sports like basketball often must cut players and can only serve 15 players at a time, wrestling has no limit to the number of participants that can join a team in a given season. Varsity teams with more than 30 wrestlers are not uncommon in high schools across the state. This all comes at a signicantly reduced cost from most other sports, with fewer equipment needs. Equally, school administrators appreciate the way that the sport helps to develop discipline, tness, and condence in a way that is unique to almost any other sport. Wrestling targets, and is sought out by, our most troubled youth, and serves a great need for schools seeking to create opportunities for these students. Lastly, high school athletes in Boston, by and large, have been ignored by college recruiters for some time now. While basketball and football players are competing with each other for ever diminishing roster spots and (the occasional) scholarship, wrestling is a sport that is looking for determined athletes to prove their toughness on the mat and in the classroom. Wrestling is one of the few sports from which Boston is not at a major competitive disadvantage when compared to the suburban school districts. Investing in middle and high school wrestling in the Boston Public Schools will bring respectability, pride and enthusiasm to Boston scholastic athletics once again.
Our partnerships
In order for Boston Youth Wrestling to succeed in its mission of expanding wrestling opportunities to the students of Boston Public Schools and providing critical academic, mentorship, health, and other youth development services, a multitude of partnerships have been worked out to support our work, with more partnerships being sought.
Current Partnerships
The mission of the Beat the Streets USA Wrestling Program is to expand wrestling in Americas urban centers by helping at-risk kids through discipline, structure, while developing wrestling from the youth through the Olympic level in these cities. The goal is to provide opportunities for boys and girls in the activity of wrestling, building lifelong skills. BCYF offers a range of affordable programs including preschool, schoolaged &adult education, family literacy, youth employment, violence prevention & intervention, senioractivities,recreation and enrichment. BCYFs 35 facilities are located throughout Boston. As the birthplace of public education in this nation, the Boston Public Schools is committed to transforming the lives of all children through exemplary teaching in a world-class system of innovative, welcoming schools. We partner with the community, families, and students to develop in every learner the knowledge, skill, and character to excel in college, career, and life. Citizen Schools partners with middle schools to expand the learning day for children in low-income communities across the country. By drawing thousands more citizens into schools each year, were promoting student achievement, transforming schools, and re-imagining education in America.
Citizens Schools
Name: Javaughn White School: TechBoston Academy, Dorchester, MA Grade: 9th Favorite Subject(s): Math, English and History Favorite Athlete: Vince Wilfork (Defensive Tackle, New England Patriots) What Wrestling Taught Me: Wrestling has taught me a lot. Wrestling has taught me there are other ways to express myself and my feelings. Wrestling taught me how to control my anger into a way that I can express it. Wrestling taught me a lot that I thought I couldn't do until I tried.
What People Are Already Saying About Boston Youth Wrestling, cont.
Name: Joscard Lucas School: Dever-McCormack K-8 School, Dorchester, MA Grade: 6th Favorite Subject(s): English Other Sports: Soccer, Football, Basketball What Wrestling Taught Me: Each time we dont do stuff well they just take you and help you get it right step-by-step until you get it right. Wrestling is different from basketball and soccer and footballin football you tackle and in wrestling you kind of do that but you use other methods to take down people.
Budget
Supporting the future of youth wrestling in Boston
2012 is an important year for youth wrestling in Boston! The budget below would meet the organizations goal of supporting two new youth wrestling programs for the winter season 2012-2013. Description Wrestling mats for new programs Equipment for new programs: wrestling shoes Equipment for new programs: wrestling head gears Insurance for new programs with USA Wrestling Membership fees for new wrestling programs in Massachusetts Youth Wrestling Association Cleaning supplies and other equipment for new programs Transportation (bus costs per competition) Coaching stipends 2 10 2 $100.00 $300.00 $1,000.00 Subtotal Total $200.00 $3,000.00 $2,000.00 $12,265.00 $12,265.00 Quantity 2 25 25 1 2 Unit Price $3,000.00 $25.00 $10.00 $50.00 $70.00 Cost $6,000.00 $625.00 $250.00 $50.00 $140.00
Contact Information
If you are interested in getting involved with Boston Youth Wrestling by volunteering your time or making a donation to the organization, you can contact us directly. Boston Youth Wrestling, Inc. c/o Jos Valenzuela, Executive Director PO Box 300264 Boston, MA 02130 T (617) 297-8079 E bostonyouthwrestling@gmail.com www.bostonwrestling.org Federal Tax ID Number: 44-4450102