Big 12 coaches partnering with MENTOR

Big 12 Conference football coaches are partnering with MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership to join the Coaches’ Mentoring Challenge, a campaign that connects youth with caring adult mentors.

The Challenge is a collective effort by leading athletic coaches to connect more caring adults and young people through quality mentoring relationships. This year’s Challenge kicks off on August 1 and runs through November 30, with final results released during the first week in December.

In addition to joining the effort, all 10 league coaches are challenging fans to volunteer to mentor youth in their communities. Several coaches have also teamed up with one of MENTOR’s affiliate Mentoring Partnerships and other nonprofit partners.

 “Students in elementary, middle and high school represent our next generation of leaders, and mentoring is proven to prepare youth for excellence, effort and achievement,” Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said. “The Coaches’ Mentoring Challenge is an opportunity for our programs and their fans to support youth through mentoring.”

 “By connecting young people with caring adults we provide them with a powerful asset to achieve success in all aspects of their lives,” said David Shapiro, CEO of MENTOR.

“Coaches are mentors both on and off the field and they are uniquely positioned to motivate fans to become mentors. We’re grateful for the commitment of those involved and the energy brought by the Big 12 support and new coaches joining the challenge.”

The campaign began as a friendly competition between K-State’s Bill Snyder and Nebraska’s Tom Osborne with the goal of rallying new volunteers for mentoring programs in their communities and states. Through this effort, participating coaches and universities have made meaningful contributions to the communities they call home. Since 2008, college coaches at an increasing number of institutions have demonstrated their commitment to closing the mentoring gap by participating in the Coaches’ Mentoring Challenge, having an impact on young people’s lives, their teams, campuses and communities.