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The Boston College men’s hockey team was denied in its bid to win its second consecutive NCAA championship and its third in four years, but to the students in Pat Mooney’s fifth grade class at St. Columbkille Partnership School in Brighton, they will always be champions.
Through a program devised by Assistant Coach Michael Cavanaugh and enthusiastically supported by Men’s Coach Jerry York and Women’s Coach Katie King, the players on the men’s and women’s hockey teams have each committed themselves to a one-on-one mentoring relationship that St. Columbkille Head of School William Gartside describes as a transformative experience for his pupils, who are reaping the benefits of having role models in their lives.
Under the mentoring program launched this fall, the hockey players are teamed up with 23 St. Columbkille fifth graders, with the goal of forming relationships that will last beyond their respective school years. Meeting in person regularly at both at BC and St. Columbkille, the players help with homework and offer encouragement, while also making themselves available via email for the occasional boost of confidence that all preteens need as they navigate the often turbulent waters of adolescence.
“What I like best about my mentor Chris Venti is that he listens to me,” says St. Columbkille fifth-grader Ryan Sullivan of Brighton. “I am not really a big hockey fan; I just like knowing that he is there for me.”
The presence of the BC students has made a noticeable difference in the attitudes of the St. Columbkille pupils, according to Gartside.
“This mentoring program elevates the aspirations of our students because they are surrounded by people who have actualized their dreams,” he says. “It shows them that there are more possibilities than they could ever have imagined.”
The program has also had a positive effect on the BC student-athletes, who say that working with the St. Columbkille students has brought their teams even closer as a result of the experience.
“It is a good feeling to give something back to the community and to serve as a role model for a kid who might not otherwise have one to look up to,” said sophomore Pat Mullane. “But it has also been good for our team, as it gives our teammates a common bond through service.”
Cavanaugh agrees.
“Other teams always try to copy our fore check or our penalty kill, but it is our team culture that is the key to our success,” he says. “When you are involved in a program like this and realize how happy you can make someone, it makes you happier. This program is an extension of the BC culture. It is a reminder to our players of what is expected of them, and the good feeling they receive from giving back.”
St. Columbkille first-year teacher Pat Mooney says that in addition to the tutoring and personal encouragement the players offer when the teams visit, the meetings provide a developmental and motivational boost that goes beyond the classroom.
“The BC players are role models who provide an example of what hard work can do both on the ice and in the classroom. That is one of the best things I can drive home, that in order to attend a great school like BC and compete at this level, all of the BC student-athletes worked really hard for what they have.”Mooney says the program’s benefits extend to the parents and families of the St. Columbkille pupils as well.
“Our students have skated with the BC players on Kelley Rink, and have been invited to hockey and basketball games at Conte Forum with their families. The kids will say to their parents, ‘Look, that’s my friend out there!’ It gets the whole family involved.”
The BC basketball team has also partnered with the St. Columbkille School under the direction of Coach Steve Donahue, coming every other Friday to the school for an hour of reading, tutoring or individual instruction.
BC seniors Joe Trapani, Biko Paris, Corey Raji and Josh Southern have been singled out for the warm relationships they have forged with the St. Columbkille students who welcome their guidance and friendship.
Gartside says plans are also underway to set up a relationship with the women’s lacrosse team and the ultimate Frisbee club to mentor and offer instructional clinics. Coaches York, King and Donahue have also pledged to continue their teams’ involvement so that current fifth-graders who are paired with freshmen players will have the same BC mentor throughout their elementary and middle school years.
“Every time I have ever had a need, BC has delivered more than I could have imagined,” said Gartside. “They are a wonderful friend and partner, and their student-athletes have become real-life heroes in relationships that our students will never forget.”