Leadership Matters

The National Mentoring Partnership estimates 15 million youth are in need of a mentor. In 1991, Tom Osborne, who was then the head coach of the University of Nebraska football team, and his wife Nancy, took notice of this need and teamed up 25 middle school boys in the Lincoln Public Schools with 25 University of Nebraska football players. Of the original TeamMates, 22 stayed in the program with 20 graduating from high school and 18 continuing on to post-secondary education. Today, nearly a quarter-of-a-century later, there are 112 TeamMates chapters serving 6,500 youth in communities located across Iowa, Nebraska, and California. Join co-hosts John Jeanetta and Jenni Frumer as they discuss with their guest, Suzanne Hince, Executive Director of TeamMates, why mentoring is important and the impact it has on youth and adults.