Beat the Streets New York student-athletes gain new experiences at summer camp

Twenty-eight student-athletes attended a weeklong camp in Pennslyvania.

Beat the Streets New York student-athletes learned new wrestling techniques and experienced the great outdoors last week in Benton, Pennsylvania.

The 28 student-athletes learned wrestling skills from two-time NCAA All-American Rocky Bonomo of Bloomsburg University and other NCAA All-American wrestlers. In addition to picking up skills on the mat, BTSNY student-athletes did archery, hiked on trails, and experienced campfires.

"The kids gained an experience like no other," BTSNY Head Boys Coach Joe DeAngelo said. "Not only did they get great wrestling coaching, but they also got to experience an environment outside New York City, where they could explore and push their boundaries."

BTSNY Academy student-athlete Ashanty Peralta said the summer camp allowed her to form new bonds with her peers.

"I loved that we got to disconnect from our phones and connect with each other and nature," she said. "I got to see a different side of my teammates, and I got to learn something new from all of them."

Since being founded in 2005, Beat the Streets New York has pioneered a movement that now includes 150 individual wrestling programs, a youth league and the first girls high school league. BTSNY works to develop the full human and athletic potential of the urban youth and strengthen the New York City wrestling culture. We aim to make a lifelong impact on student-athletes through the lessons learned on the wrestling mat -- discipline, perseverance, self-reliance, humility and a strong work ethic. Discover how you can make a meaningful contribution to our work at btsny.org/donate.