Local Coaches' Support of Mentoring

Leedey Public Schools' BISON coaches support mentoring,
Team Oklahoma, and the Coaches' Mentoring Challenge.
Head Baseball Coach Eric Castle, Elementary Basketball
Coach Kris Gore, Head Girls' Basketball Coach Leah Beer,
and Head Boys' Basketball Coach Lance Carpenter
all are B.I.S.O.N. Mentors, too. 11-10-15

Below are ideas borrowed from Team Oklahoma in the Coaches' Mentoring Challenge. OSU's Coach Mike Gundy and OU's Coach Bob Stoops will co-captain Team Oklahoma in this multi-state new mentor recruiting campaign. Kansas State University's Coach Bill Snyder and University of Nebraska's Coach Tom Osborne began the challenge in 2008.

Why Coaches?

• Coaches are natural group mentors. 

• Their upperclassmen peer mentor younger teammates.

• Fans respect and follow coaches so their voices matter.

Coaching and mentoring are synonymous, and we salute all coaches who have shaped and are shaping young men and women into citizens of character, action, and discipline.

Coaches cannot mentor every youth in their towns, but they can use their considerable influence to advocate for mentoring, recruit new mentors, and/or spur a pilot mentoring program where none exists.

Requirement for Endorsing the Challenge/Mentoring
The only requirement for signing up for the challenge is that the Boren Mentoring Initiative is allowed to use coaches' photos and endorsement in PR and social media to advocate mentoring and recruiting new mentors.

Rogers State University Coaches with
mentors and mentees, July 2016

Above is another example of a group photo coaches at RSU in Claremore took to endorse mentoring. Pictured are Director of Athletics Ryan Erwin, Golf Coach Josh Fosdick, Cross Country/Track and Field Coach Chris McCormick, Baseball Coach Chris Klimas, Men’s Basketball Coach Justin Barkley, and Men’s Soccer Derek Larkin.

Optional Ways to Support the Coaches’ Mentoring Challenge (and mentoring all through the year)

Anywhere on Campus or at a Staff Meeting

Pose with signs supporting mentoring and send us the photo. (See above.)

At a Game

• Allow mentoring programs to host a mentor recruitment table at a home game. 

• Allow a mentoring public service announcement to be read over the loudspeaker during one or more home games. Or prerecord your own public service announcement.

• Provide a limited number of free game tickets for mentors/mentees to attend a game and/or a receive a free concession item.

• Give mentors/mentees a moment for on-field recognition.

• As a group, allow mentors/mentees to meet you and your players for autographs

• Spotlight any of your team or fellow coaches who mentor.

Within Your Community

• Encourage athletes, parents, fellow coaches and fans to become mentors.

• Issue a local press release in partnership with community mentoring programs.

• Print and display Coaches’ Mentoring Challenge or mentoring posters in the school or on campus or have students design their own.

• Share your own mentoring stories with local civic and religious groups to recruit mentors.

On Social Media

• Post photos and updates about your involvement in mentoring or the Coaches’ Mentoring Challenge to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or other social media outlets. Please include the hashtag #okcoacheschallenge at the end of your post.

• Send photos with captions and news of your efforts to bwoodrome@ofe.org. Please note that students under 18 must have parent/guardian permission to publish photos in print and online.

Advocate or endorse the development of a local mentoring program, such as:

• A peer mentoring program on your campus for upperclassmen mentoring freshmen.

• A program for college or high school students to mentor elementary and middle school students.

• Career-oriented mentoring program by community professionals for high school and college students.

• After practice one evening a week, have a team mentoring program, such as Camp Fire Club or some other mentoring model that teaches life skills, community service, and outdoor activities. Your team could also serve as peer mentors to younger students.

[On 7-12-16, we visited with Sara Williams, Rogers State University's Assistant AD, and we can hardly wait to post the creative ways RSU athletes mentor and/or interact with community youth. Stay tuned!]

http://okcoacheschallenge.org/

Ret. 7-11-16

Coaches' Mentoring Challenge 2015

Published in Oklahoma's premier business publication...

Coaches team up for youth mentoring

By: Journal Record Staff August 5, 2015

Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy, left, and Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, right, talk before an NCAA college football game in Norman. (AP photo/Sue Ogrocki)

OKLAHOMA CITY (JR) – Head football coaches Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State University and Bob Stoops of the University of Oklahoma are teaming up with the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence through its Boren Mentoring Initiative for the Oklahoma Coaches’ Mentoring Challenge, a statewide campaign to recruit mentors for young people.

The Coaches’ Mentoring Challenge started in 2008 as a friendly competition between coaches Tom Osborne of the University of Nebraska and Bill Snyder at Kansas State University. Since then, many current and retired coaches from Big 12 and Big Ten teams have joined the challenge.

Last year, Oklahoma joined the challenge for the first time, recruiting 3,340 mentors, which represented 32.4 percent of the 10,285 recruited among six participating states. This year, 11 participating states have set a goal of recruiting 15,000 mentors through the Coaches’ Mentoring Challenge.

“Anytime you’re able to help young people in developing their goals, their habits – anything you can do to assist young people in finding their way and reaching their full potential – you need to extend a hand and do your best to help,” Stoops said.

Gundy said mentoring has been an important part of his coaching career, and he encourages Oklahomans to help youths in their communities.

“The most enjoyable part of being a coach is the opportunity to see a young man come in at 18 years old and leave our institution with a degree and an opportunity to play championship football and to develop in so many ways – to be on time, to be respectful, to help others and to really contribute to society,” Gundy said. “I think one of the greatest gifts we can all give is to pass on the lessons of mentorship – being kind, treating people fairly, the ability to learn from failure and get back up and keep moving forward.”

Stoops and Gundy are teaming up with the Boren Mentoring Initiative and its statewide network of mentoring organizations to recruit and place mentors. The Boren Mentoring Initiative has launched a website at www.okcoacheschallenge.org where prospective volunteers can find local mentoring opportunities.

Oklahoma high school and college coaches are also being encouraged to endorse and support the campaign by signing up at the website. It includes promotional materials and ideas for promoting the campaign on campuses and communities across the state.

In a recent survey of Oklahoma mentoring organizations, the Boren Mentoring Initiative found that the greatest challenge facing mentoring organizations was a shortage of volunteer mentors, said Beverly Woodrome, director of the Boren Mentoring Initiative.

The Boren Mentoring Initiative, named for Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence founder and chairman David L. Boren and his wife, Molly, was started in 2006 to promote youth mentoring programs statewide.

The initiative has created a directory of more than 150 mentoring partner organizations statewide and works with the organizations to offer resources and promote mentoring best practices. Mentoring programs can join the network for free.

http://journalrecord.com/files/2015/08/np-coaches-mentoring-8-6-15.jpg    Ret. 8-7-15

Coaches' Mentoring Challenge, OKC Rotary 29

Often online, the newsletters of various clubs, fraternities, sororities, and other organizations around the state are useful tools to publicize your mentoring program. Use every vehicle to spread the word. Perhaps assist a member of an organization in writing the article to post under his or her byline.

Emily Stratton, the executive director of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, is a loyal member of Rotary Club 29, the largest Rotary Club in world in 2013. She wrote a column about the Coaches' Mentoring Challenge for the October 21st issue. We are so proud of Emily, our fundraiser-in-chief among many other job descriptions that accompany being the leader of the foundation!

http://www.okcrotary.com/portals/0/programs/RotNews_17-15.pdf

Ret. 10-23-14

Coaches' Mentoring Challenge, OPSU's Recognition

We cannot write this as well as Justine Gaskamp, Oklahoma Panhandle State University's Sports Information Director, did; therefore, we borrowed it. Note the recognition and background of the local mentoring programs highlighted during half-time. 

OPSU News

OPSU Head Football Coach Russell Gaskamp supports local mentoring groups through the Coaches' Mentoring Challenge.—Sarah Henderson photo (9/20/2014)

Coach Gaskamp Supports Area Mentoring

By Justine Gaskamp on 10/14/2014

Goodwell, Okla.—As a part of the Coaches' Mentoring Challenge, OPSU Head Football Coach Russell Gaskamp recognized local mentoring groups during halftime of the Sept. 20 Aggie home football game against Oklahoma Baptist University.

The Coaches' Mentoring Challenge is a collaborative effort by leading athletic coaches to connect more caring adults and young people through quality mentoring relationships. Along with the help of the Boren Mentoring Initiative, a program of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, coaches across the country are helping to promote the campaign and recruit more mentors.

As a show of support several local mentoring groups were present and recognized at halftime following a public service announcement by Gaskamp. In attendance were the Main Street Transformers group, Cassie's Kids, and the Texas County Family YMCA.

The Main Street Transformers were founded by Manny Barias and are directed by Melyn Johnson of Main Street Guymon. Focusing on high school students, the Transformers' mentors strive to help young adults learn about themselves and their community as well as help prepare them for their futures.

Cassie's Kids is a mentoring group founded by Cassi Joe Schriefer and is also a Main Street Guymon program. Designed for junior high-aged girls, their mission is to help young girls realize their- self-worth. The mentors meet at least twice a month, engage in group activities and offer help with school work.

The Texas County Family YMCA offers numerous programs for children of all ages. The YMCA believes in nurturing the potential of every child through organized activities and after-school-programs. Cassidy Livengood is the interim CEO of the Texas County Family YMCA in Guymon.

Gaskamp is proud to offer support to these groups stating, "It is a great project to be a part of and a true honor to be able to impact the community through football and coaching. When you give back to the community you get so much more in return and our football team really came together and had fun working with these groups."

For more information on the Coaches' Mentoring Initiative contact Beverly Woodrome, Director of the Boren Mentoring Initiative at 405-236-0006. For those interested in mentoring local youth, please contact the groups listed above.

     

###

www.opsu.edu/News/?id=2522 

Ret. 10-15-14

Coaches' Mentoring Challenge, OPSU

OPSU stadium, north side

Seize the day (Carpe diem.) and venture forth with excitement!

We did not realize how well-planned, fun, and professional the mentor recognition at Oklahoma Panhandle State University would be when Russell Gaskamp, the OPSU's head football coach, invited us to represent the Coaches' Mentoring Challenge at a game on September 20, 2014. (Goodwell is near Guymon in the Panhandle.) This event offered another chance to experience closely-knit and inclusively-caring western Oklahoma. Read a OPSU press release about the experience in the next blog.

On the east side of the field, a few lucky attendees watched from
 lawn chairs and enjoyed free pizza. 

Location
Coach Gaskamp had ordered part of the street in front of the football stadium entrance to be blocked off with orange plastic cones. This area was designated for a professional, custom-made grill on a trailer and a place for the Coaches' Mentoring Challenge display, anchored by an Oklahoma State University pop-up since OPSU is part of the OSU system. As planned, everyone had to walk by the barbecue, a sensory extravaganza, and the CMC display to enter the game.

Meeting the Coach
As we arrived, coming down the street was a hulk of a man with a six-foot table easily held above his head. Welcoming and kind, he made sure that anything we needed was provided and that we could have free barbecue upon request. Later, when the wind scattered paperwork for previously paid orders for the barbecue, the coach went over to help gather them. Other coaches followed his lead, too. We liked the coaches and their quick reaction. In addition, the players and students we encountered were polite and well-behaved. Imagining someone misbehaving with Coach Gaskamp around is impossible.

Barbecue

Ashby Williams in red shirt with friend and family

The barbecue was a fundraiser for the OPSU softball team. The family of Ashby Williams, one of the players from Amarillo, Texas, grills competitively and professionally. The family even took 120 orders for smoked pork loin at a previous game, froze the cooked meat, and delivered it. 

This game day they had generous portions of delicious barbecue sandwiches with sides for attendees. Food fundraisers are popular in Oklahoma, but this food was definitely competition quality. Inside the stadium gate, traditional concession food earned money for the athletic program, too. The alumni association was selling items also. Games can be expensive!

Introducing the Team
Every team has its own special entrance ritual. At OPSU, two motorcyclists ride onto the field and rev their engines as the game announcer also revs up the audience. Team mentors run between the two motorcycles and through a banner. 

Recognition

 Keila, mentee; Maribel Mesta, Keila’s mentor; 

Melyn Johnson; and Cassi Jo Schriefer

Prior to the game, almost every seven minutes, the game announced would interrupt the lively music to announce that HALO, mentors, and the Coaches' Mentoring Challenge would be honored at half-time. During the half-time ceremonies, the Hispanic American Leadership Organization (HALO) athletes were recognized on the field and then Coach Gaskamp's pre-recorded encouragement to mentor was played. After his message, a brief recording of the representatives from the local mentoring groups were played, and the mentors and mentees in the stadium recognized. 

To read the script and hear the recording, click upon "Public Service Announcements," lower right of the box, at http://ofe.org/mentoring/coaches-challenge/promotional-materials.htm. 

HALO athletes are recognized during half-time, one by one.

Background
In June, we had held a Magical Mentoring Tour in Guymon. Main Street Guymon, directed by Melyn Johnson, had established Main Street Transformers mentoring program. This year with Cassi Jo Schriefer, Main Street launched Cassie's Kids, a mentoring program for middle school-age girls. Texas County Family YMCA was another program honored. Melyn Johnson, in the same Rotary Club as Coach Gaskamp, planted the initial idea of mentor recognition. 

By the way, OPSU won the game!

Thanks, Coach! Thanks to the community, too, for supporting its own area youths.

From under our OSU pop-up,
looking opposite the stadium
to the field house
where the team assembled.

BE POSITIVE…STAY POSITIVE…DO POSITIVE…GO AGGIES!!! J