GearUp! Initiative
One first step a lifetime of change.
Youth living in poverty are 6x more likely to quit sports due to cost, making cost the biggest eliminating factor in youth sports.
Each year, 3500 Beat the Streets kids step onto a wrestling mat for the very first time. It’s the beginning of a life-altering journey filled with discipline, resilience, mentorship, and community. Your support of the GearUp! initiative ensures every young athlete starts their journey with the tools they need: a pair of BTS wrestling shoes.
Wrestling shoes may seem small, but they carry big meaning. They represent belonging, opportunity, and the belief that every child deserves a fair chance to compete and grow. With your help, GearUp! equips our student-athletes not only for the mat, but for life, giving them the confidence to face challenges and the foundation to succeed.
When you give, you’re doing more than providing shoes. You’re fueling dreams, strengthening communities, and helping young people step confidently toward a brighter future.
2026-27 Progress
The annual GearUp! Initiative is fueled by an annual crowdfunding campaign that has distributed more than $1 million worth of gear to accredited BTS organizations thanks to strategic partnership like Asics, Gear2Compete, Bras for Girls and annual sponsors such as Resilite, The Dusty Rhodes Foundation and The Fergus Family.
