TeamMates of the Month: Isaac and Bryce

A “Marvel”ous Match

Isaac was a third-grade student at Cavett Elementary School when he met Bryce and the pair instantly clicked. 

“We didn’t talk like you’d expect people meeting for the first time. It wasn’t surface level,” Isaac said. “I’d come back the next week with something new to talk about. I could spring on him whatever was on my mind.”

Isaac’s love for Marvel comic book characters initially sparked their conversation. 

“The first thing he sprang on me was superheroes,” Bryce said. “He made me watch all of the Marvel movies in chronological order. To this day, my wife and I are huge Marvel fans.”

Throughout the years, the pair have bonded over more than superheroes. Isaac and Bryce also enjoy sports.  The mentoring pair partake in several competitive activities together,  such as tossing footballs, shooting hoops and dueling each other in ping pong. 

“We’d argue about who was the best player overall,” Isaac said.

“I know on the court, on the football field, that is a driving factor for Isaac and I’m just a sports addict. I played soccer for 16 years,” Bryce said.

Isaac’s passion and energy are two traits Bryce admires about his TeamMate. He also mentioned Issac’s knack for solving numbers. 

“With him being very smart with numbers and math, I’ve been telling him, there are jobs in sports analytics. You can combine those two things,” Bryce added. “We’ve got a few years to talk about that though.”

The pair’s chemistry also opened the door for exchanging many thoughts on different topics. 

“We have a lot of these little debates about this and that,” Isaac said. “He’s always down to debate and it’s crazy because we’re always on opposite sides. So, we learn from each other.”

“I sort of let him dictate where the conversation goes,” Bryce said. “I want him to just feel comfortable. That has always been my goal, that every time we meet, he walks away feeling comfortable.”

Bryce’s approach of allowing Issac to lead the conversation has amplified his mentee’s trust. 

“I can talk with him about the good things and also if something went downhill during the week,” Isaac added. “It’s easy to talk to someone when they look like they want to talk to you.” 

 

Lots have transformed since Bryce met Issac in the third grade, but one thing remained the same – Isaac’s authenticity. 

“The topics of conversation, the knowledge within that conversation has changed, but Isaac’s identity and who he is hasn’t changed,” Bryce said. 

Issac and Bryce’s relationship further shows the marvel and power of mentoring through TeamMates. 

 

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