On Saturday, October 19th, Madison rolled out the mats for middle school wrestlers when they hosted a Beat the Streets Junior League Jamboree.

In years past, the Junior League wrestled during the winter months, same as the high school teams. This year, the Junior League season was moved to the fall. This move was done to enhance, and expand the sport in New York City middle schools.

Two former Madison Mayors Cup champions working the BTS Junior League Jamboree. Tournament Director, Steven Santimauro (2009), and on the mat is Konstantin Parfiryev (2013).

The fall season allows Beat the Streets to take advantage of better gym availability. With so many teams vying for gym space during the winter months, getting a middle school event to take place in a high school was all but impossible.

This change also gives the high school coaches a greater opportunity to watch more Junior League wrestling, and have an opportunity to build a relationship with middle school student-athletes, and hopefully get them to continue wrestling in high school. It also gives middle schoolers the opportunity to follow more closely along during the high school wrestling season, and build their interest in the sport year-round.

The event at Madison, one of five taking place that day, was attended by Eugenio Maria De Hostos (IS 318), Elite Wrestling Academy (Sheepshead Bay), Lincoln Terrace (PS 189), Riverdale Avenue School (PS 446), Seth Low (IS 96), and Wingate (IS 232).

The Seth Low team with current Madison wrestler, Albi MIraka, who wrestled for Seth Low in middle school.

A special thanks to the Madison wrestlers who came out to support middle school wrestling. They gave up their Saturday morning to help set up, run, and referee the matches.