Up2Us Sports coaches are leaders in the field of sports-based youth development (SBYD), but they often don't receive the recognition they deserve. Coaches' Corner is our way to show our appreciation for our incredible coaches who make positive change in their communities every day!
This month, we spoke with Jessica Kemgne, a coach at Beat the Streets New York City (BTS NYC).
One of the best things about the Up2Us Coach program is the significant number of Up2Us Sports coaches who are alumni of the sports programs at which they now coach. They participated in the program when they were younger, and then they enjoyed it so much that they decided to return to it as a coach — now helping kids learn to love the sport as much as they did.
And that’s exactly what Jessica Kemgne has done as a wrestling coach at Beat the Streets New York City (BTS NYC).
“I am an alumna from BTS,” Jessica said, “[and] I worked as a mentor during my time there as an athlete too. I just wanted to continue in that pathway and help grow the program [by becoming a coach].”
Jessica has spent almost four years with BTS NYC, with the last seven months as an Up2Us Sports coach. She primarily coaches students in the BTS NYC Junior League, the only middle school wrestling league in New York City. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge of the sport with her students and loves to be able to “pass on… skills to these children,” which she considers to be her greatest accomplishment as a coach.
“I am an alumna from BTS [and] I worked as a mentor during my time there as an athlete too. I just wanted to continue in that pathway and help grow the program [by becoming a coach].”
Jessica described her students as very eager and engaged, even the ones who were new to the sport. “The beginners were very excited about learning about wrestling,” she said. “I love that these kids supported each other; they were pushing each other through exercise.”
One of the hallmarks of being a sports-based youth development (SBYD) coach is that the coach cares about their athletes beyond just what they are accomplishing on the field — or, in this case, on the wrestling mat. The way Jessica runs her practices is a perfect example of the implementation of SBYD coaching techniques and shows her commitment to her athletes’ wellbeing.
“A typical practice session… will begin with everyone sitting in a circle for check-in,” she said. “[We go] around the circle to ask about the lows and highs of our day. We will then move on to warm-ups, techniques, and a game related to the techniques we are learning or something that they choose. Finally, we will make a circle again and ask how they feel after practice.”
But even when Jessica isn’t coaching, wrestling is still a big part of her life. She is an athlete at the New York City Regional Training Center (NYCRTC), an elite USA Wrestling facility which aims “to provide college-level [and] World/Olympic-level athletes the best opportunity of achieving their goals for national and international success,” as per the organization’s website. Recently, she even attended a national wrestling team camp at Arizona State University where she received training from former wrestling World Champions and Olympic medalists.
Given her dedication to the sport, it’s no surprise that when asked what she likes to do for fun, Jessica said, “I wrestle for fun... [But], okay,” she admitted, “I have a life outside of wrestling. I enjoy reading, watching movies, [and] doing my hair and makeup.”
Currently, Jessica is a first-year student at Fordham University in New York City. Regarding what’s next for her after coaching, she said, “Some of my goals for the future are to obtain my bachelor's degree, TAKE A BREAK FROM SCHOOL, then go back to school and see where the future leads me[!]”
Jessica began her year of service as an Up2Us Sports coach in September 2021 at Beat the Streets NYC thanks to support from AmeriCorps.
