Spotlight on our parishioners

Once a CU Buffs Ralphie Runner…Now a Ralphie Runner Trainer!
Meet former St. Peter altar server, Colton Behr!

How many years were or are you a member of St. Peter Catholic Church in Monument?
              I have been going to St. Peter since I was a child, 24 years
              If you have moved, where do you attend Mass now?
              My local parish is now Nativity of Our Lord in Broomfield, CO
What are some of your favorite memories of St. Peter Catholic Church?
I grew up altar serving almost every Sunday, and I enjoyed getting to know all the priests. I also got to serve at a Mass given by Bishop Sheridan.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.  How many are in your family?  Please share anything extra you’d like others to know about you and your family.
              I have two brothers and one sister, and both of my parents are active parishioners. My dad has been on the parish council, sings in the choir, serves as an EMHC, and is now in-line to become a Deacon.
 
Where did you attend high school? Discovery Canyon High School
Sports and/or extracurricular activities? Football, baseball
College? University of Colorado Boulder
Graduation year? 2018
Degree? B.S in Technology and Media
Current occupation? Support Engineer at Vicon Motion Systems
 
Why did you want to become a Ralphie Handler at CU?
              Ralphie represents everything that is great about CU. She’s the greatest mascot in college football and represents the tradition of the Colorado Buffaloes and the student body. Watching her run for the first time, I knew I wanted to be a part of it.
             
What was required of you to compete for this position?
              Potential Ralphie Handlers complete a sprint tryout and personality interview. I tried out during my freshman year and ran at my first football game in Fall of 2015.
 
Tell us about your experiences as a Ralphie Handler.
  • What was your primary position when you ran Ralphie out onto the football field at Folsom Field in Boulder? Five different handlers run with Ralphie at a time, and I was able to run any of the five positions. I mainly ran “loop”, which runs behind Ralphie and is responsible for slowing her down.
  • Describe your weekly training as a Ralphie Handler. We trained as a team 4 days a week, 2 days of weightlifting and sprint workouts and 2 more days of practice with Ralphie on the soccer field. We were also required to train at least one additional day per week with an athletic department strength coach.
  • Preparation for game day? Game days are everyone’s favorite, early in the morning we get together with the whole team and eat a hearty breakfast to prepare for a long day. We pick up Ralphie from her ranch and get her ready for a day in the spotlight. Before the game, we bring her to the official CU tailgate to take pictures with fans and answer questions. Before kickoff, we bring her in to the stadium and get her ready to run!
  • Game day experience? What was is like running onto to Folsom Field in front of the Buffs football team on game day? There’s nothing like the adrenaline rush of running with a buffalo while leading the football team on the field. All the behind-the-scenes work is worth it when you can feel the stadium shaking from 50,000 fans screaming “We want Ralphie!”
 
Tell us why you desired to become the volunteer Ralphie Handler Assistant Coach.
              Getting to be a Ralphie Handler was such a defining experience for me in college. I met so many lifelong friends and had the privilege of carrying on CU’s greatest tradition with them. I want to continue to share this experience with as many student handlers and CU fans as I can.
 
Tell us about your paid occupation job and your volunteer role as the assistant coach?
              In my “day job”, I work as a support specialist for motion capture systems. This involves troubleshooting hardware like IR camera systems and motion analysis software, as well as building new systems and training users. In my role as assistant coach, my main responsibilities are to take care of Ralphie, train the handlers, teach them how to interact and run with a buffalo, and act as an ambassador to CU fans.
 
How has your Catholic faith strengthened or added to your post-high school experiences?
              The power of prayer has always helped guide me. Difficult college classes, job hunting, managing a busy schedule, adjusting to the constant changes of life, and every obstacle that college and post-grad life presents has been made easier by trusting in God.
 
Please share your words of wisdom to anyone who practices the Catholic faith and has a dream to fulfill.
              God’s plan is always greater. Even if I can’t see the entire road He has planned for me, I can trust that where He’s leading me is the right direction.