Mentors Making History: Big Brother Jerry’s Mentoring Journey is About the Power of Showing Up for Youth
March 28, 2025, Samreen Saadi
For Jerry Woods, mentorship has always been about opportunity—helping young people recognize their strengths and step confidently into their futures. Every handshake, every shared laugh, and every game played as a youth sports coach reinforced his belief that with the right support, youth can thrive. Growing up with a single mother who instilled in him a strong work ethic, Jerry saw firsthand the impact of having adults who believed in him.
Inspired by his own teachers, coaches and mentors who nurtured his passion for sports and academics, he carried that same torch into coaching, first guiding his own children and their teammates before expanding his mentoring reach. Today, as a volunteer mentor, Big Brother and Graduation Coach with Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities, Jerry is making history as a mentor, showing up for youth time and time again in ways that create lasting impact.
“Everybody can’t do this,” Jerry reflected. “Everybody can’t give back. But I have the opportunity—so I feel obligated.”
Building a community of belonging as a youth sports coach
Jerry’s coaching journey wasn’t just about sports—it was about fostering resilience, teamwork, and confidence. Whether on the football field, the baseball diamond, or over an impromptu game of Uno, he created spaces where every young person felt valued and empowered.
His leadership ensured that all players had the chance to contribute, reinforcing their potential rather than focusing on wins and losses. Over time, Jerry’s ability to build trust and community made him a mentor whose influence extended beyond the sidelines, reaching youth in schools, neighborhoods, and mentorship programs.
“To me, it’s like coaching,” Jerry explained. “If you coach a team, you’re responsible for being there, whether that’s scheduling, making sure everybody’s aware, and getting everyone there. You don’t leave until all the parents show up. That’s mentoring to me—it’s something I’ve always done.”
Creating opportunities for youth success as a mentor
Jerry’s journey as a mentor also grew through his career. His longtime employer, Cummins, encouraged employees to give back, allowing him to explore volunteerism. Over the years, he participated in various initiatives supporting youth, including Big Brothers Big Sisters and The 100 Black Men of Twin Cities. When he joined the school-based mentoring program, Graduation Coach, three years ago at Hope Community Academy in Saint Paul, he saw it as another way to uplift young people, a Big Brother who supports them in high school. He had mentored before, but group mentoring with high school students was a new volunteer opportunity.
By showing up every week, Jerry is not only a continuous source of guidance but also changing the landscape of mentorship in Minnesota. His presence reinforces that young people deserve mentors who reflect their interests, experiences and aspirations. He was there as a mentor to listen, to challenge them, to guide them the way a good sports or graduation coach does. “I like the group because you can impact more kids,” Jerry shared.
Making mentorship history through youth sports and schools
Jerry never set out to make history. He simply understood the power of showing up for young people. From the time he first coached his sons’ youth football team in Brooklyn Center to being a Big Brother for high school youth from freshman to senior year, Jerry’s impact is rooted in his belief that mentorship isn’t about changing young people—it’s about amplifying their strengths. His dedication is paving the way for more youth to have the guidance and representation they need. From sports coach to Graduation Coach, his presence has become a steady force in the lives of young people over the years, showing them they are capable, talented, and deserving of opportunities.
Reflecting on his approach to mentorship, Jerry shared a lesson that has shaped his own path:
“You start, you finish—but you don’t quit.”
Thinking about becoming a mentor? Let Jerry and our mentors’ stories be your reminder that showing up matters.
