Tom Thieme is a member of CYO’s Pro Staff in Colorado Springs. He’s taught CORE class since fall of 2024. He was born outside Houston, TX, followed a girl to Colorado Springs, and has lived there ever since. Tom has recently gone into real estate; prior to that, he worked in technology for 30 years.
Why did you get involved with CYO?
Well, fishing has always been a part of my life. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t fish. Can’t even remember learning how to fish! I was prepping for a Pikes Peak Fly Fishers fundraiser when I ran into Marty Trujillo, and he talked me into joining CYO.
The PACD training in Fort Collins intrigued me, and once I started really teaching and getting involved with the families, I was hooked. This is something really worth my time and effort!
What keeps you coming back?
The families! It’s incredibly rewarding watching families grow. Into new activities, sure. But also with each other.
One family in particular: the kids were ‘basement dwellers’ (playing video games), typical strife within the family – no one can relate to each other. The kids think their parents don’t understand them.
This family was struggling to relate to each other, and we gave them something in common – a shared activity that creates a bond. It was a bonus that, when one of the kids caught his first fish, he was so excited he almost started to cry!
Within two weeks of starting CORE, another family reported that the teenagers had a better attitude around the house. Now his boys look forward to hanging out with their parents, doing things together. The parent told me, “My teenage boys are actually helping each other instead of fighting. That’s worth everything to me.”
At CYO, kids see that their parent is on their side. That often stops problems before the real trouble starts. I worked with a few other fishing groups previously, but I’ve switched my focus and time to working with CYO.
Is there a PACD lesson you’ve used in your own life?
I live with my 20 year old daughter, and communication has been a struggle. Communication is the hardest, I think, because without it it is so easy for a relationship to collapse. She has two dogs. I wasn’t excited about that. I hate walking dogs. I hate picking up the poop.
BUT. . . I started noticing that I was holding stories from my day so we could talk about it on these 10-minute walks. She was doing the same. We had inadvertently scheduled dedicated time together!
Now it’s the best part of my day. We have created a deeper understanding of each other. And the funny part – she works as a vet tech, so she picks up poop all day long. On these walks, I’m happy to pick up the dog poop. And she really appreciates that I do that for her!
What’s your favorite activity to teach?
I’ve been fishing my whole life. I love teaching people to fish. But when I got introduced to trap shooting, I kinda love it! I’m starting my journey at the same time, and growing it alongside my families. Right now, it’s my favorite. I’m really enjoying the art of trap shooting.
