Coach pairs players with teachers to give athletes a head start
'This isn't all about sports, but about life.' - Chris Ruffinelli head basketball coach
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers ONE ON ONE- Rio Mesa High School biology teacher Carol Fujita meets with sophomore Eric Buchanan for a mentoring session at the school on Wednesday.

Basketball coach Chris Ruffinelli wants his players to think beyond the court.

Recently, Ruffinelli developed a mentoring program for the 42 teenage boys on his Rio Mesa High School basketball teams.

Also the school's AVID coordinator, Ruffinelli said he wanted the sports-minded teenagers to have someone to go to for practical and academic guidance while at Rio Mesa because society doesn't always provide positive role models for young men.

AVID is a program that prepares students for the rigors of college courses.

Ruffinelli discovered which were the more popular teachers with the students and asked 30 of them to be mentors. The teachers chose one or two basketball players to guide for the rest of the students' time at Rio Mesa.

Teachers and students meet weekly to discuss academic progress, set goals and work through social and family pressures.

Biology teacher Carol Fujita admits she's strict in the classroom, but will have to play a more nurturing role with one of the two basketball players she mentors.

With 16-year-old Eric Buchanan, Fujita said she first must earn his trust and then wants to instill in him a sense of responsibility.

"There's so much potential," Fujita said. "That's exactly why we do things like this- kids have so much potential you hate to see them waste it."

Eric said with guidance from Fujita, his second year in high school could be less stressful than his first. With plans to attend art school after graduating high school, Eric knows good grades from this year forward are crucial.

"It's more important to have your education first," said the 16year-old, who once considered pursuing a professional basketball career.

The teachers don't mind that they aren't paid for the extra time or work they spend being a mentor.

Like math teacher Jeremiah Brennan, they do it for the reward of watching the student progress.

"I just love working with kids," said Brennan, who left a lucrative job in the financial industry years ago to become a teacher. "You're not a teacher for the pay."

Every week Brennan records freshman Joseph Soto's grades in all six of his classes and creates a spreadsheet to track the 14yearold's progress. Brennan made a practical todo list for Soto: who to see for help with Spanish, the best time and place to study at home. Joseph's grades have improved to the point where they now surpass the minimum threshold grade point average to play on the basketball team.

"He just guided me through the whole thing," Joseph said. "He's been very, very generous (with his time). He's a friend now."

That's what Ruffinelli said he hoped to achieve with the mentoring program.

"This isn't all about sports, but about life," Ruffinelli said. "Being a good person."