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University of Minnesota Athletics
Blog: Gophers Host Big Brothers Big Sisters
4/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
In addition to the regular festivities of the Spring Game, the Golden Gopher football team hosted a group of more than 100 special visitors at TCF Bank Stadium Saturday.
University of Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster invited a group from Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities to the Spring Game and took time out of his busy day to interact with the group, both before and after the game. According to Kathy Campfield, a Match Support Coordinator for the Twin Cities' Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, the event was a smashing success.
"We had tons of fantastic feedback," Campfield said. "I'm not sure who was more excited ... the 'Littles' or the 'Bigs.'"
More than 100 Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Little Brothers/Little Sisters -- or "Littles" and "Bigs" as they are called -- were in attendance at the Spring Game. They were welcomed into TCF Bank Stadium before the general public and got to see the Gophers' Victory Walk from inside the stadium and give team members a high-five or shout encouragement as they entered the stadium. Following the Victory Walk, Coach Brewster took a few minutes to speak to the group.
"It was a really good experience for these kids to see people from the University of Minnesota recognize them and give back to them," Campfield said. "Coach Brewster made sure they knew they were invited as special guests of the football team. For him to give them that message and for him to want to take the time to talk to the group before the game, everyone thought that was very cool."
The "Littles" and "Bigs" then enjoyed a lunch, which was provided by Aramark. Following their meal, they got to explore the stadium a bit before the game started. During the game, some members of the group were invited down to the sidelines to interact with the team, handing out water and getting an up-close view of the action. Following the game, they were part of the hundreds of Gopher fans who were on the field to get autographs from their favorite players and coaches.
"Getting the trading cards and being able to get autographs was very much appreciated," Campfield said. "The face-to-face contact with the players was really great for the kids."
Campfield had nothing but high praise for Coach Brewster's assistant Emily Lussenhop, who coordinated the event for the football program. Campfield said both Coach Brewster and Lussenhop deserved a great deal of credit for hosting such an event.
"Emily and I are already talking about trying to see if we can do a similar event next year," Campfield said.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is the area's oldest mentoring organization. For more than 89 years, BBBS has made a difference in the lives of local children. Nationally, Big Brothers Big Sisters began in New York City in 1904, when a young law clerk named Ernest Coulter sought men to befriend the boys he saw coming through the court system. Since then, BBBS' mission has remained the same: to enrich young people's lives through one-to-one friendships.
Campfield said Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities is always looking for volunteers to serve as Big Brothers or Big Sisters. More information on the organization or the program is available on the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities website.
-Andy Seeley
