Progress is easy to spot when it’s growing on your upper lip.

Early in November…

Left to right: Asst. Athletic Director Jared Phillips, hockey player Joey Olson, and tennis coach Tommy Valentini.

After 30 days of Movember…

Left to right: Jared Phillips, Joey Olson and Tommy Valentini.
(credit: Gustavus Sports Information)

It’s also easy to spot when the number of those participating hovers around 100.

Men across the Gustavus Adolphus College campus sported mustaches throughout the month of November, hoping to raise men’s health awareness over the past 30 days.

And if you ask assistant athletic director Jared Phillips, he’ll say the fuzzy inaugural Movember event shows potential for even more … growth.

“It went really well,” Phillips said. “To be honest, participation was great. The fact we had members from each men’s team participating was a bonus in my eyes. I wasn’t sure how this would go from the start, but to have as many kids and coaches get involved as we did was really, really cool.”

Really cool, indeed – check out the whole bunch of mustachioed men on Gustavus’ Flickr page.

(credit: Gustavus Sports Information)

Beyond Bounds featured the movement earlier this month, and according to Phillips, it’s been a teaching moment, too.

“It showed kids that it’s a powerful tool to raise awareness about a specific cause – or any cause that people may be passionate about,” he said.

Yes, there were a handful who weren’t able to last the month with a caterpillar beneath their nose, but those who did will be able to look forward to an even better Movember in 2013.

“We are working with health services on campus to partner with them, and get more of the entire campus involved,” Phillips said, as the Gustavus Movember movement wasn’t about fundraising as much as it was bringing men’s health to the forefront.

“We’ll see what health services can do to promote men’s health next year. I think it’ll turn into a really good thing for us annually.”