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published March 26, 2010
Ryan, Baseball Coach and Mentor
This is the third installment of our focus on Breakthrough’s Network Model.
Volunteering as a coach for Breakthrough’s Youth and Family Services Program has forever altered Ryan’s worldview. “For a kid who grew up in a small, rural town that was very homogenous, I had at least a few glimpses of urban life,” he says. “We traveled a lot.” But it was not until Ryan volunteered that he began to learn about the complex issues that affect urban youth who are at risk. Now, his passion about injustice in tough neighborhoods is evident.
“Being involved here has opened my eyes to some serious issues. At one of the high schools in Breakthrough’s neighborhood, the average ACT score is 14. That’s below the minimum entry requirements for 90% of colleges out there,” he says. “How did things get so bad, and how can we turn it around?”
Ryan says he has learned a lot by attending Breakthrough’s BUILD Program and reading books that discuss causes and effects of poverty in urban America. He first became involved after being introduced to a Breakthrough staff member at his church and learning about an opportunity to coach youth baseball. “I had coached other places over breaks during college, so this was kind of a natural thing. But it just goes to show you…I had taken a few spiritual gifting tests, and I literally got a zero on the ‘service’ portion,” he laughs. “It’s true that I don’t want to cook food for people. I’m probably not a good host, but I do enjoy coaching kids.”
In fact, this summer will be Ryan’s 9th season as a youth baseball coach. He has coached basketball with Breakthrough in the winter for almost as long. “It’s fun and gives me great enjoyment,” he says. However, coaching for Breakthrough has become much more than a hobby for him. His dedication is evident as he describes the long-term experience.
“Most of these boys have a good head on their shoulders. At age 12, when I meet many of them, they wear their hearts on their sleeves. A lot of them are trying, but they have to deal with family issues and other struggles. They’re just looking for love and guidance, so it’s a critical age,” he says. “Some are in really difficult situations, and I’ve coached some who have grown up to make really poor decisions. It’s tough to see that. It’s sad when you think about all the lost potential, and it really bothers me.”
However, after so many years volunteering, Ryan has seen some boys take a more positive path. Lamar is one such young man.
“Lamar was on the second and third year teams I coached. He was a slightly younger and more inexperienced than others the first year, but by the end of his little league career, he was definitely a contributor to the team,” remembers Ryan. “From the very beginning, he always had a good attitude. But he developed as an athlete. And he became a ‘glue guy’…the kind of person who is an encourager and helps us coaches keep things in order. Lamar was a good team player and someone that we knew we could count on.”
After Lamar’s last baseball season, Ryan and his wife took him to visit to their alma mater, the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Every Little League season, Ryan instills the importance of education, including college, in all the players.
Lamar, now a high school senior with college aspirations, made the most of opportunities that came his way and guidance from caring, Christian adults. Even after Lamar’s little league days were over, Ryan was a presence in his life. “Ryan is one of the guys I met early on,” says Lamar, “and he is still a mentor to me.”
Ryan is, in fact, an integral part of Lamar’s network of support…and also in the network of many other young men who play or have played sports with Breakthrough. “The kids that I coached the very first year are now sophomores in college,” he says. “It takes young people like them and like Lamar to be trailblazers so that other youth believe that they have options to succeed.”
Ryan is an example of Breakthrough’s network model at work. His compassion, consistency and enthusiasm continue to impact youth in East Garfield Park. He challenges others, “Keep looking for the right place to use your giftings from God. People hesitate and wonder whether or not they’ll find value in volunteering. It’s so clichéd, but in my experience…you really do learn a lot about yourself, and you begin to understand what a privilege it is to serve others.”
Next month, meet a second person in Lamar’s network.