Earlier this summer, we celebrated the high school graduations of two of our RBI mentor match program participants. We also spotlighted one of our RBI baseball players who has been with us for 13 years!
These moments inspired a trip down memory lane, to recognize the long-lasting impact of positive, enduring relationships at RBI Austin.
RBI mentors and staff members, Matt Price and Meghan Riewe, were matched with their fourth and fifth-grade mentees, Jeremiah Cavanaugh and Nhi Quan, in 2015. These pairings stood the test of time and embodied the mentoring relationships we dream about for all RBI Austin kids.
Then there’s Andrew “Ace” Cyphers who began his baseball journey with us at age four in 2010. Now he is going into his senior year of high school with our 18U Titans and our 18U Regional Baseball team.
(Right) Now he plays for our 18U Titans (2023).
To witness the physical growth of these kids in photos is one thing. To hear how RBI helped them grow on a personal level is another.
Jeremiah, who traveled to Ohio last month to explore a gap-year program with Matt, credits RBI for not only providing him with a mentor, but a role model and father figure.
Nhi, who plans to work full-time before college, expressed her gratitude for an RBI mentor, like Meghan, who she could rely on and grow up with.
We asked Meghan to share her thoughts on her mentoring relationship:
I’ve learned so much from Nhi and her family over the last 8 years and am so thankful to have had the opportunity to get to know them through RBI Austin’s mentoring program. It’s been a joy to watch Nhi grow up from the 5th grade and see her graduate from high school, and I know our relationship will continue for years to come.
Meghan
In his own words, Jeremiah shared how RBI mentoring helped him over the years:
Having an RBI mentor really changed my life. I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t have Matt… A man I look up to and who challenges me to learn and try new things every day.
Jeremiah
Our mentor match success stories are always inspiring, and the group mentoring that happens when players engage with coaches on a RBI Austin team is equally inspiring.
We asked Andrew why he continued to play with RBI for all these years, and here is what he had to say:
RBI is one of the big reasons I loved the sport and continued to play in the program. It brought people into my life who treated me like family and coaches who helped me build confidence on and off the baseball field. RBI is a place where I can play with my brothers… It is a safe place to learn the game and have fun.
Andrew
These photos and sentiments bring huge smiles to our faces and remind us why we do what we do!