Michael (Little) and Phil (Big) were matched 10 years ago in the Sports Buddies program. Phil recalls meeting Michael that spring and enjoying some fun board games at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado headquarters. Michael was seven at the time and very shy and reserved, but also very smart and poised for his age. Michael and Phil were able to bond quickly that first year and continue to strengthen that bond still.
Michael’s older brother, Jonathan, was in the program a few years ahead of him, so he witnessed the positive impacts that the program could have on a person. His mother believed that the program was a good place for her children to meet other children and be around male role models that had a unified goal of positively impacting kids through sports.
Because Michael and Phil were part of the Sports Buddies program, their events and activities have been heavily favored toward athletics and participatory exercise. They have enjoyed countless activities organized by BBBSC, including unique experiences such as Wings Over the Rockies Exploration of Flight, Castle Rock Adventure Park, taking Gold in the Annual Silly Olympics, meeting professional athletes, and winning funniest Halloween costume match. In the last two years, Michael and Phil have also been Match Ambassadors, sharing their story with our supporters and volunteering at events like our Sanctuary Golf Classic.
In the early years, Michael always expressed his fondness for animals, and Michael and Phil would often talk about his dog and cat. Those interests continue to transpire as Michael recently graduated from Sheridan High School. Michael will use scholarship funds to get an Associate’s degree at Arapahoe Community College, then he plans to transfer to CSU to enroll in their School of Veterinarian Medicine and pursue a career as a Veterinarian. Since Michael has graduated from high school, he and Phil are transferring from Sports Buddies to a new post-18 extension program at BBBSC to support matches after high school graduation in the transition to adulthood.
Michael reports, “I used to be a pretty aggressive and hyperactive kid, and now I’m much more calm and mellow since I met my Big. He’s definitely helped me with that and that’s a big example of the impact of the program in my life.”
Phil shares, “When we started the program, Michael was 7 and waist height on me, and now, I have to look up at him as he stands 6’2! I have seen his confidence boost over the years as we engage in familiar and new activities each month. Michael is a perfect example of how impactful this program can be for these Littles and for the Bigs as well. I could not be more proud of what he has accomplished and what the future holds for him! I am looking forward to the next challenges as he enters into early adulthood.”