On the corner of a busy street in an under-served section of Philadelphia sits an unassuming grizzled old building. The box like structure houses the city’s Southwest Police Athletic League facility. It is the latest refuge for several Beat The Streets Philly student-athletes.
Beat the Streets Philadelphia (BTSP) is a sports-based youth development nonprofit that is committed to fostering the holistic growth of student-athletes living in at-risk under-served communities. BTSP implements mentoring, academic support, and wrestling programs throughout the greater Philadelphia region as vehicles to ‘Positively Alter Life’s Trajectory.’
On a warm Spring day in April, several high school and middle school aged wrestlers in the BTSP program have gathered to learn from two of Philadelphia’s finest professional athletes. While most of their peers were sleeping, the group began their day with a 5k run finishing atop the Art Museum steps made famous by Rocky Balboa in the film that has defined Philadelphia for generations.
After a quick ride through the city courtesy of the BTSP coaching staff, the young group of aspiring athletes quickly change into their wrestling shoes. There’s a quiet buzz as NCAA Champion Mark Hall and four time NCAA All-American David McFadden walk into the room.
“I’m not here to talk about me or my accolades,” says McFadden as the kids gathered around he and Hall. “I chose the PRTC because of the opportunities to give back.”
A graduate of Virginia Tech and a native of New Jersey, McFadden lives in Philadelphia now. He and his senior level teammates are currently preparing to compete for a spot on the USA Wrestling World Team.
The PRTC is the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center. The program, led by Olympic Gold Medalist Brandon Slay, provides training and support for elite level athletes pursuing World and Olympic Championship dreams in Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.
The mission of the PRTC is to enrich lives locally and globally through the sport of wrestling, and they do this by living out their core values of Faith over fear, Full effort, Struggle well, and Serve others.
The “serve others” part of that mission is what helped draw Mark Hall towards training in Philadelphia. The recent Penn State graduate and three time World Champion has been competing for twenty years in the sport he loves so dearly.
“The biggest thing for me,” says Hall, “Is giving back to the sport that has given so much to me.”
Stoic in nature, Hall’s face lights up when practice begins. As he interacts with the kids through warm ups and drilling, he smiles while sharing the technique and skills that have made him one of the most famous athletes in his chosen profession.
The young athletes are focused and thankful for the opportunity presented to them. It appears that sentiment is mutual with Hall. At the end of practice, he poses with several of the kids for pictures that will surely be shared on social media before day’s end.
Beat The Streets Philadelphia is led by Executive Director James Mangan. On this particular day, it’s his birthday. He could be at home with his family celebrating 40 years of life, but he knows the importance of these moments.
Mangan is a native Philadelphian. Born and raised in the city, he came up through the Police Athletic League system of athletics and recreation. Beginning when he was just 8 years old, Mangan stayed with the PAL until he graduated from Frankford High School.
He was a mentor in high school and now he leads a program that positively influences over 1400 kids in the city. The passion he has for BTSP is indisputable as he talks about what the new Southwest Philadelphia training location could do for the area.
“Because of the support from the Police Athletic League and Families Behind the Badge,” says Mangan, “we were able to renovate this space and build out a mat room in a pocket of the city that has never had wrestling.”
The building is two miles away from the BTSP Mentoring Center. University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University student-athletes spend time at the Mentoring Center with BTSP kids. It’s another part of the Philadelphia Wrestling “ecosystem.”
The mentors at BTSP work alongside student-athletes while they establish and achieve goals on a path towards believing in better. The mentors meet youth where they are academically to help propel them forward on a positive trajectory.
“There’s a high school right down the street,” says Mangan from inside the mat room. “It could be the next high school in the city to have wrestling, if this goes well.”
After an hour or so of training, the group is ready for a break. It’s lunch time and meals have been provided by BTSP.
Everyone gathers outside for some fresh air while relaxing on some chairs loosely arranged under a large tent for shade. Two men are standing in front of the group. One is familiar to the kids. He’s BJ Futrell, the Director of Mentoring for BTSP.
Futrell is a vibrant and energetic presence among the group. The man standing beside him is quiet and unassuming. His name is Richard Perry. Futrell introduced him and the young group grew silent in awe.
Perry traveled from Lancaster, Pa to speak with the kids of the BTSP Southwest PAL. An original PRTC resident athlete, he is currently involved with Beat The Streets Lancaster, a relatively new organization with similar goals as BTSP.
Perry was on a path towards reaching his World and Olympic dreams when he sustained a severe injury while at a USA Wrestling training camp in California in 2018. During a training exercise with the US Marines, his eye was impaled. He suffered through severe brain trauma, facial, and eye damage from the injury.
He shared his story with the group. He talked about the injury and how it left him paralyzed for weeks. He had to learn how to walk, talk, and eat as if he was a newborn.
“It has been a struggle,” he said, “but I never lost focus.”
“How did you feel when you realized you wouldn’t be able to reach your goals and dreams any more,” asked one the young BTSP athletes.
Without hesitation, Perry responded.
“My dreams have not changed. I just focus on what I have to do next.”
Perry is working towards competing again. He still hopes to one day have a chance to compete for a World or Olympic Championship.
Standing behind the BTSP kids while Perry spoke, McFadden seemed to be absorbing all that was being shared. He was in awe as was everyone else under that tent. It was inspiring.
McFadden and Hall live in the city. They train together and are making a difference in their adopted community.
In the afternoon, another of their teammates would arrive to take over the teaching. Ethan Lizak spent the rest of the day with the kids.
According to the BTSP coaches and Mangan, this type of “giving back to the community” happens ever so frequently within Philly Wrestling. It’s a mindset of what the sport means to so many.
One would be hard pressed to find a similar environment as exists in Philadelphia. The professionals who choose to train and be involved in giving back understand this.
According to McFadden, “It’s a special time to be involved with the Philly Wrestling ecosystem.”
Upon seeing the focus and drive within the youth of the BTSP on this warm sunny day in the city, one would certainly agree.
Philly Wrestling™️ 
Great story!
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