Sports Buddies big help for Big Brothers

Video

UT radio color man and former Vol basketball player Bert Bertelkamp talks about Sports Buddies, a new Big Brothers/Big Sisters of East Tennessee program. Watch »

What better place than a basketball court to put a new spin on a 40-year-old community service program.

Many of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of East Tennessee gathered at Thompson-Boling Arena on Wednesday afternoon to help kick off a new program called Sports Buddies.

The concept is to give Big Brothers and Big Sisters places to go with their "Littles," the children to whom they serve as mentors.

"A lot of these activities revolve around sports," explained Bert Bertelkamp, the UT men's basketball color commentator who was on hand with UT coach Bruce Pearl tip off the program.

"The 'Littles' are interested in sports and the 'Bigs' are interested in sports. So, their activities could revolve around sports."

Brent Waugh of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program explained the East Tennessee chapter has 200 children on the waiting list for Big Brothers and Big Sisters; of those, 150 are boys.

"One of the biggest barriers for men who might be interested in being a Big Brother is that they don't know what to do with the children, where to take them."

The Sports Buddies program will include participatory sports as well as going to watch events.

The Big Brothers/Big Sisters program is working with the UT athletic department, the Knoxville Ice Bears and the Tennessee Smokies to provide tickets to sporting events.

"The goal is to recruit mentors," said Bertelkamp, once a Big Brother himself. "Get them interested through sports and then it can grow."

For information on the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program call 865-523-2179.

Steve Ahillen may be reached at 865-342-6259.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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