2008 Summer Camp Feedback
To share your summer camp experience, email Al at albevi@optonline.net.

Dear Camper and Parent -

I'd like to personally thank you on behalf of Terry and Tom Brands and Pat Popolizio for being a part of our inaugural camp.  Putting together a national camp like this is an enormous undertaking.  It's even a bigger undertaking convincing traditional programs like Iowa to venture away from their neck of the woods.   However, the juice was well worth the squeeze.  The camp was an enormous success.  It was the first time Iowa has held an East Coast camp and it was a safe and fun environment.  More importantly, we were able to expose the younger generation to a philosophy that is conducive to being a good person and a champion.  Being around greatness is a large part of any success formula.  That was certainly the scenario at this camp.  World,  Olympic and NCAA champions shared their wrestling and life experiences with the student athletes over the course of the 5 days. 

The Brands Brothers would like to return to NY State again.  That being said, the adjustments and planning for next year have already begun.  Next year's camp should bring some quality adjustments.   The idea is to create three separate and distinct camps that'll run over a 10 day period (July 11-July19).  2009 will bring a 5 day team camp, 5 day technique / competition and 10 day intensive.  This set up will allow for athletes to pick a camp that is best suited for them.  Some athletes wanted to wrestle 2 times per day and wanted a tremendously intense environment, while others didn't want to wrestle live at all.  Obviously the ones looking for live would be prime candidates for the Intensive camp, while the other would fit better in our technique camp.  Unfortunately when you have 275 athletes grouped together in one camp, you have varying skills and expectations.  You lose a tailored environment.  More importantly this set up will distribute the numbers a bit more proportionately and create a more space and a personalized atmosphere. 

Obviously anytime you do something for the first time, you're going to uncover logistical issues.  Things like key assignments during check in and key return at check out, as well as quality of food, seem to be a common theme of disappointment.  Unfortunately it reflects poorly on us, but we had little control of these issues prior to camp. However, you can be assured that we will not let them happen again.  We've been tirelessly expressing our displeasure with the University on the above mentioned issues.

I hope you understand and acknowledge that this camp is a part of much greater effort.  It's more than just a wrestling camp.  It's about bringing greatness directly into the Northeast and not be required to go to the mid-west to see it.  It is also in our mission to spread the word of wrestling.  The Brands Brothers' preach about a lifestyle that is conducive to being a great person, as well as being a champion.  I feel confident that that came through loud and clear with your son at this camp.  I hope you'll support our cause and grow this camp with us.  Please help us make this into something special.   

Again I thank you for your support and loyalty in year one.

Sincerely,

Frank Popolizio

PS

Feel free to forward any feedback that hasn't already been articulated above.  Positive feedback is also welcome!

Dear Mr. Al Bevilacqua.

I wish to you good health and a long life. Through this letter I want to thank you for the opportunity that you gave me to participate in the technical wrestling camp.

This is the first time that I went away from my family and my close relatives. It was an experience that I will never forget in my life. I will remember the order, discipline, and self service that I learned there. I will remember the coaches that stayed with us to teach us new techniques and patience to reach the goals they set for us in the following days.

I will remember the new friendships I made in those unbelievable days. I want to thank you from my heart for the opportunity that you gave me. Iger Ostrent, an immigrant of four years in the USA from Albania. I wish you all the best from me and my family.

Iger Ostrent
Staten Island, NY

Dear Al Bevilacqua,

Thank you so much for having such a great camp, I had so much fun. I like the camp because it gave me a chance to get away from home and wrestle. The moves I learned that I was taught were very effective was the ankle pick, the single leg sweep, the arm bar and so much more.

Thank you again for the great learning experience.

Anthony Socci
Staten Island, NY

Al -

We just finished up at the Oklahoma's State Camp (John Smith) and it was a tremendous experience.  I feel confident in saying we  share a common thread in our approach to the "Summer camp experience" . Having fun through wrestling can produce all of the great intangibles our sport presents.  Please check out the article that was in this Sunday's Albany Times Union as  proof.

http://timesunion.com/AspStorie s/story.asp?storyID=701516 &category=SPORTS

We made sure the Beat the Street athletes had a unique experience.  We took them on a tour through SUNY Cobleskill's agricultural center.  They got to see livestock up-close and personal J .     Anthony Robles (Amputee wrestler from ASU) spent some quality time with them and they had so much fun with  our giant mat slide.   We had a great time with the Beat the Street group.  Last year we had 4 athletes join us for camp; however this year we had 51 athletes.  The group really added to the  overall camp experience.  They added culture, character and life to the camp!  It was a true pleasure having them at our camp. I'll send some photos soon.

We had 351 athletes at this year's camp from 8 different states and the country of Italy.  The camp was  up 38% from last.  Undoubtedly our growth was in part to Beat the Streets.  John Smith and i wanted to personally thank you and Mike Novogratz for including our camp on the list of camps to choose from and more importantly, sending these fine ladies and gentleman our way.   

Sincerely,

Frank A Popolizio

Al,

This is Dave Bloom and I am the head coach of both the middle
school and high school teams at Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy.

My team just  came home from the Cornell camp and had an unbelievable time. My question is  this, I have three kids that are in summer school until August 14. All the camps are over by then . I was able to find a camp for them to attend in  Connecticut from August 20-25 but the cost of the camp which is $330 per kid is a problem for them.

Is there anything that Beat the Streets can do for  them because they were very upset that weren't able to go to camp with the rest of the team.

Thank you so much.

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From Al Bevilacqua: 

You can count on us to help send the kids to the CT. Camp.  They must ask their parents for transportation and we will take care of the Camp Tuition.  Encourage others from your program who may also want to attend the camp.