From Headshots to Handshakes: Tomorrow’s Leaders Prepare for What’s Next
On Sunday, September 27th, athletes arrived bright and early for the second Tomorrow’s Leaders workshop. The workshop drew record attendance, with over 93 young athletes checking in for an exciting day ahead. These young wrestlers started their day off with a Communication and Career Skills Workshop. The workshop featured students rotating in groups through one of our four stations, run internally by Beat the Streets Los Angeles staff.
The first station focused on writing professional emails and communicating clearly. This station was run by Mallory Velte, Associate Director of Mentorship and Programming. Many people don't realize how often email writing is not taught. At this station, students learned how to write clear, respectful, and professional emails to their teachers, coaches, or employers. “I really liked the email portion of this [workshop] because some things I didn’t really know before until now. And now I know why all my emails go to all my teachers instead of one teacher,” says Samir from the Downtown Academy program. He believes these skills will help him in college and with getting a job.
The second station focused on interview practice and questions. Carl Fronhofer, Director of Development, led the station. Learning the basics of interviewing is imperative in these young people’s lives, as they will encounter interviews in their lifetimes, whether for a job, college, or an internship. This workshop concentrated on how to prepare before, during, and after the interview. It also covered the small details many people overlook, such as eye contact, posture, and active listening. These young athletes were paired up to practice interviewing each other. “I really liked the interview one because it made me really question things about myself. It was a pretty hard question to think [about],” says Austin, a Tomorrow’s Leaders participant from Burbank High School. When asked which questions were hard to answer while practicing interviewing, Austin found herself self-reflecting on “The ‘Why should we pick you?’ Because I didn’t really think, like, what’s so great about me? You know, like, what do I bring to the table that other people don’t?”
The third station focused on elevator speeches. Jaylee Cortes, Marketing and Social Media Associate, ran this station. Elevator speeches are especially important because these young wrestlers will meet new people throughout their lives. An elevator speech is a thirty-second introduction that helps someone understand who you are, what you do, and what your goals may be. Students learned how to use this speech to become more comfortable talking about themselves. “I really liked the elevator speech and how [Jaylee] structured it and gave us, like, a format to go off of. I found that really helpful, and I found that it was easy to get my ideas out and get my pitch together,” says Zoe, an athlete from the San Pedro program. At this station, wrestlers also heard from Jim Townsend, a member of BTSLA’s Board of Directors and an international film and television producer with over 30 years in the entertainment industry. He spoke about the importance of elevator speeches in networking and how they can lead to future opportunities or connections.
The last station was headshots, run by Sarah Reyes, Associate Director of Events and Marketing. At this station, students could use their own suit jackets, blouses, or polo shirts or borrow those provided by BTSLA staff for their pictures. Students had professional headshots taken for their email, LinkedIn, or wherever they deemed necessary. All four stations were a huge success; all students engaged with each station and found the information valuable for their future careers.
Adam Hall hosted the on-the-mat portion of the session. Adam Hall is a three-time Idaho state champion, two-time NCAA All-American, two-time Pac-10 Champion, and currently the Head Wrestling Coach at Utah Valley University. Hall focused on wrestlers defending the collar tie and using it for wrist control. He emphasized stepping forward when clearing ties, so athletes can use their positioning to take outside shots and open windows to create scoring positions. Wrestlers also practiced on the bottom, working on arm chops and using them to get into the hip-heist position. From the referee's position, Hall emphasized turning their elbows in, turning back on the opponent, then adjusting with their hips.
As Adam Hall wrapped up the day’s wrestling portion, he gave a brief speech to all who attended. He encouraged Tomorrow’s Leaders to think intentionally about their goals, seek guidance from their coaches, and take advantage of the support systems around them. Students were reminded that growth requires being willing to ask questions, seek advice, and challenge themselves. “If you’re not setting goals that scare you, you’re wasting your time,” Hall said, encouraging athletes to set ambitious goals, write them down, and work toward them. Hall emphasized being coachable and teachable, reminding students that the skills and relationships they develop through wrestling can prepare them for life beyond the mat.
Sunday showed Tomorrow’s Leaders that preparing for the future takes practice. From writing an email and answering an interview question to introducing themselves with confidence, athletes left with skills they can use in school, at work, and in the opportunities ahead.
