You may not be aware that the ISU Athletic Department, coaches and team were winners last Saturday! No, I’m not from another planet. I was at the ISU-Texas Tech football game last Saturday and came away disappointed at the final score.

However, there was another game being played at Jack Trice Stadium that day: the game of life.

I work with juveniles in trouble with the law, supervising a mentoring program called No Fear. The No Fear kids were invited to attend the game Saturday. A large group turned out. What the fans may not have seen on the field was the interaction of these kids with their mentors in the stands, or the fact that the ISU Athletic Department, Gene Smith and Coach McCarney have been supporters of this mentoring program from its start! I watched Tom Ortiz, assistant wrestling coach and a No Fear mentor, interact with a young man who is part of this program. It was hard to tell which one was having more fun!

In a community where so many families excel, at-risk kids struggle at best. But thanks to Coach McCarney, Gene Smith, the ISU Athletic Department and many volunteers who give their time, these kids are learning that they have value, that someone cares and that there is a better way in life than breaking the law. Friends, that’s my definition of a winner!

Steve Ward

Client services coordinator

No Fear Mentoring Program