Center Kyle DeVan devotes himself to mentoring others

By Cliff Kirkpatrick
Corvallis Gazette-Times

Kyle DeVan watched many of the specials during the NFL games on players helping young children through life, emotionally and spiritually.

It just seemed right to him for people in their position to help the community. He was determined to do the same if ever in a similar situation.

DeVan grew up and found his way onto the Oregon State football team. The junior worked his way into a role of prominence, heading into his second season as the starting center.

One day last spring DeVan’s time finally came.

Bryon Bodon was a fifth-grader at Hoover Elementary who was having trouble adjusting to life in Corvallis. His family moved here from Chino Hills, Calif., a Los Angeles-area suburb.

Bodon did well in the fall because of all the sports opportunities, but his grades dropped through the winter. The normally happy child withdrew from the world.

“When we moved away from California, he felt out of place,” said Bodon’s father, Marcos. “Bryon was into sports, but was struggling in school.”

His teachers contacted OSU’s football department, asking for help in their pilot mentorship program. The first name coach Mike Riley thought of was Kyle DeVan.

“Kyle is a pretty diverse individual,” Riley said. “He had a good family, and has a lot of great values.”

The idea intrigued DeVan. This was something he was looking for, and realized that being an OSU football player would have a big impact in this community.

When he learned about Bodon, it was the perfect fit. DeVan grew up in Vacaville, Calif., so there was that home state connection. He also just wanted to play sports and not worry about school until his parents enlightened him.

“A lot of young kids think they can just play sports and make it,” DeVan said. “He was struggling a lot in the classroom. And I was brought in to show him there’s another side to playing sports. There’s also the academic side. You are not going to make it out of junior high or high school or college unless you get good grades.”

DeVan met with Bodon each Friday through the spring and summer for two to three hours. He tutored him in math and reading, and they hung out together playing games.

While that was going on DeVan told him about the facts of life in the world of football. Sports and academics go hand-in-hand until you go pro. And the chances of reaching the NFL are slim.

“You don’t think about the other things in life, and I showed him there was more to life than football,” DeVan said. “Schoolwork is important. I didn’t think about it that way until I got it from my parents. That hit me early, but for some kids it doesn’t. I was honored to show him what it could do. I was given a full-ride athletic scholarship as a 3.3 GPA student.”

DeVan would also sit through class with Bodon and help all the students. He’d go to the chalkboard to go through math problems.

Near the end of the school year DeVan brought teammates Trent Bray and Matt Moore to Hoover to meet the students and sign autographs.

“It’s such a good feeling for me,” DeVan said. “We get a lot from this community, especially being Division I football players. I want to give back. You see a lot in the NFL that they do a lot, more than colleges. In the classroom I was a figure to them so they had someone to look up to. It’s all about Beavers here. To have a student-athlete come show he can play football and do the academic side was important.”

Bodon’s parents quickly saw a difference in their child. His grades went from Cs to As by the end of the school year.

And then it went beyond the classroom.

“Kyle had a huge impact,” Marcos Bodon said. “We saw him completely come out of his shell. He accepted being in Oregon. And now Bryon is taking a leadership role in everything he does.”

When DeVan’s commitments were over, he didn’t abandon Bodon even though most of his time is focused on the team. Right before fall camp DeVan gave him a tour of the Valley Football Center and introduced him to Riley and other players, including Joe Newton.

They went into Reser Stadium, and threw the football around. The Bodon family attended Saturday’s scrimmage, and will return a few times during the season for games as DeVan’s guests.

“Kyle still came to his birthday, and has become a big brother,” Marcos Bodon said. “He’ll always be welcome in our house. There’s not enough we can do to thank Kyle. If my kids grow up like him, I’d be proud.”

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