Beat the Streets – Los Angeles recently welcomed 2008 U.S. Olympian, Marcie Van Dusen to its professional staff. Marcie brings college and international wrestling experience, as a coach and competitor, to the Los Angeles based nonprofit corporation. The Southern California native will serve as both Program Coordinator and Coach.

She joins a staff which also includes Executive Director Yero Washington and Program Director Kevin Lake.

“The addition of Marcie brings another quality person to our organization in addition to Kevin Lake, our Program Director,” said Executive Director Yero Washington. “In her role as Program Coordinator, Marcie's experience as a leader, coach and competitor will help our organization tremendously. We are methodically putting all of the pieces in place to ensure we have not only the right administrators, but also the best coaches and support staff.”

Van Dusen brings a dynamic skill set that centers on the holistic development of the student-athlete. In particular, Marcie will be the head coach for one of the middle school program’s starting in the fall.

Van Dusen was ninth at the 2008 Olympic Games at 121 pounds. She was a 2004 University World Champion, a silver medalist at the Pan American Games and a member of the U.S. Women’s national team.

She was the coach for the women’s varsity wrestling team for Menlo College from 2010-2012 and has coached California’s USA Wrestling women’s athletes at the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Nationals for many years. She has served on USA Wrestling’s Board of Directors as well as other leadership roles with the organization. Van Dusen has also been the featured clinician for women’s wrestling clinics held at major events nationally, sponsored by Arno Niemand. She is originally from Rim of the World High School in California.

The staff at Beat the Streets – Los Angeles has an extensive background within wrestling.

Washington came to Beat the Streets – Los Angeles after serving stints as head assistant wrestling coach for Columbia and Iowa State. He was a two-time All-American for Fresno State, and also a California junior college state champion for Fresno City College. He was also a talented international freestyle wrestler, qualifying for Freestyle Team USA a number of times. He is originally from Porterville High School in California.

Lake also came to Beat the Streets – Los Angeles with extensive college coaching experience, working in an assistant coaching role for Fresno State, Princeton, Central Michigan, South Dakota State and MacMurray College. A native of Indiana, he competed for Manchester College on the Div. III level.

The organization is also expanding its volunteer leadership and support by adding talented and successful people to its Board of Directors. A recent addition to the Board is Andy Redman, chief operating officer of The Tornante Company. A wrestler at Princeton University from 1998 – 2002, Andy also serves on the board of numerous holdings including the Topps Company Inc. and Vuguru LLC. Founded in 2005 by Michael Eisner, The Tornante Company is a privately held company that invests in, acquires, and operates companies in media and entertainment. Andy came to Tornante in 2005 from The Walt Disney Corporation where he worked with Eisner as an analyst in Corporate Strategic Planning.

For more information, visit
http://beatthestreets-la.org/

Marcie Van Dusen, Program Coordinator & Coach, Beat the Streets – Los Angeles

2008 U.S. Olympian Marcie Van Dusen joins Beat the Streets – Los Angeles as Program Coordinator and Coach.  Van Dusen, a Southern California native began her wrestling career competing in USAW and CAGWA events in the inland empire of Los Angeles. Ready to give back to the community and sport that helped her develop as a professional and an athlete, Van Dusen is eager to join BTS-LA.

Graduating from Rim of the World High school in 2000 Van Dusen then transitioned to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO where she lived and trained from 2002 to 2008. As a 5-year member of the U.S. National Team Van Dusen’s impressive competitive resume includes a 3rd place finish in the 1998 Cadet World Championships, University World Champion in 2004, and U.S. World Team Trials Champion in 2005, 2007 and 2008. She earned a silver medal in the 2007 Pan American Games and represented the United States in Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games finishing in 9th place.

Van Dusen graduated from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs with a B.S. degree in Geography and Environmental Sciences. Following her passion for coaching Van Dusen became the first female head coach on the college level when she was named women’s coach at Menlo College in Atherton, CA serving in that role from 2010-2012.

With a coaching philosophy that is centered on the holistic development of the student-athlete, Van Dusen strives to enhance her athletes’ physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual, and social characteristics. She believes that the lessons learned through sport can lead individuals to become successful leaders in their communities and work places as well as their future athletic pursuits.

Beat the Streets – Los Angeles mission

Beat the Streets – Los Angeles, a non-profit corporation, strives to cultivate and support youth development programs in underserved communities in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Within this context, Beat the Streets – LA utilizes the sport of wrestling to foster and encourage a desire for excellence, respect for peers, fair play, leadership, and perseverance. With community engagement and investment, Beat the Streets – LA will provide support and direction for youth programs, enhancing young men and women’s lives in school, sports and the community.