When Jordan Puente was only 13 years old, he faced his first expulsion from school due to his challenging behavior. By the time he turned 14, his anger and aggression had escalated to a point where his mother feared he would eventually end up in prison. Fortunately, a sports coach and mentor named Roddy Slater entered his life, working with him through his school in Reading, and set Jordan on a transformative path.
Through weightlifting, which served as a tool to help him escape his troubled teenage life, Puente found solace and support from Slater. In an interview with BBC Sport, he expressed how the gym sessions not only provided physical training but also served as an unexpected mentoring session where he learned valuable life lessons without even realizing it. A decade later, Puente, now 25, has come full circle by working alongside Slater, mentoring and coaching vulnerable young individuals during a time where the necessity of positive role models is emphasized.
In recent discussions triggered by the release of the popular Netflix series “Adolescence” and former England manager Gareth Southgate’s Richard Dimbleby lecture, the focus on toxic masculinity and online influencers affecting young boys’ perceptions has been amplified. Sports coaches, as identified by UK Coaching, play a significant role in addressing these issues, being deemed the most trusted profession among 18 to 24-year-olds in a survey conducted last year – even surpassing teachers, nurses, and social workers.
The importance of real-life interactions in a digital era has been underscored by Slater, emphasizing the need for face-to-face contact with role models. He believes that creating a safe space where young people can share their thoughts and be heard is crucial in establishing meaningful relationships that are often lacking in today’s digitally dominated world. With around 30 youth facing adversities visiting the Raw Mentoring site in Reading daily, they receive individualized coaching in various sports, activities, and mentorship – a program that has positively impacted many, including Zeph, a student who attests to the program’s effectiveness in fostering personal growth and development
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