Author: gmaxe

On May 18^th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted our annual Chapter Championship tournament.  With a full field of 36 players, The First Tee participants competed in a nine-hole stroke play format including long drive and closest to the pin.  The theme of day was the Nine Core Values.  Every participant put their core values to the test in the wet conditions. “I had to use perseverance the most because how rainy it was.  Not every student has played in the rain before.  It was tough, but a fun day.” – Isabella Herrera The 2019 TFTSV Chapter Championship is a valuable event where the students learn to compete while utilizing the Nine Core Values.  The individual format is a great way for our students to learn how to deal with competition while using sportsmanship.  We hope these tournaments help our students feel more confident in engaging conversation with others in a tournament setting.

Thanks to corporate partners and generous donors, The First Tee is able to offer a variety of educational and leadership opportunities for participants each year. These events often become life-changing experiences for our participants as they further develop an awareness of possibilities that surround them. Rishi Ajjarapu and Thai Hoang have been selected to attend the 2019 Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. Life Skills and Leadership Academy held July 24-30, 2019 in Boise, Idaho. The purpose is to develop and educate our participants in multiple aspects such as life skill development through engaging golf activities, college preparatory and dorm living, and career exploration, all while having the opportunity to play championship golf and develop lifelong friendships. Through the week they are inspired to consider how they can return to their communities and be a leader and role model for other participants. Rishi said, “I am thrilled to be accepted and I look forward to making new friends and meeting people from across the nation. I am also excited to be given a glimpse of college life at Boise State, I think that this will help me especially when I am applying to colleges in the fall. I hope to learn skills that will make me a better junior coach and leader in my community!” Thai said, “This opportunity is a chance for me to explore new ways to be a leader. I hope to learn new ways to communicate with others while improving my leadership skills.” Rachana Ajjarapu was one of 24 girls selected for the John Deere Drive Your Future Academy held June 24-28, 2019.  She shared, “I’m really excited and grateful to be able to attend this event. I can’t wait to interact with and learn from First Tee girls and professionals outside of Silicon Valley.” This all-girls event will focus on leadership development, remaining active in the game of golf, learning the value/impact of volunteerism, and recognizing the importance of teamwork.  Applicants will be asked to define the people or circumstances that ‘drive’ them to take on a position of leadership and describe how they plan to apply those principles in their life. The academy will take place in the city of San Francisco, where participants will be immersed in both its historic and modern culture. TPC Harding Park, site of the 2020 PGA Championship and 2025 President’s Cup, will serve as the host venue. Coach Matt exclaimed, “We are very proud of our local participants for putting in the hard work to be accepted to these wonderful national opportunities. It will be a great chance for them to advance their interpersonal and self-management skills. We are pleased to have these participants represent The First Tee of Silicon Valley!”

The First Tee of Silicon Valley is excited to announce a new initiative that will introduce STEM concepts through golf to all of our participants. We raised over $40K for this new program at our recent 2018 Open tournament. Please consider making a donation (noting “STEM” in the donation memo section) to help us reach our $100K goal necessary to launch in November 2018.

Topgolf plans a 3-story driving range with 120 hitting bays in Alviso and The First Tee of Silicon Valley attended the groundbreaking ceremony.  The 72,000-square foot entertainment complex is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2019 and is on the site of the former Pin High Golf Center (4701 N 1st St). The bays will accommodate up to six people and have specialized golf balls that are outfitted with microchips that score golfers on accuracy and distance.  The First Tee of Silicon Valley participants were invited as special guests to test these balls out during the groundbreaking ceremony on June 6^th.  Eagle participant (age 13) Belinda Sutikto outscored all the attendees with a low score during their demonstration. The First Tee of Silicon Valley is a partner with The Boys and Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley-Alviso located across the street and both organizations look forward to partnering with Topgolf. www.photographybymarian.com

The grand opening for Bayland Golf Links was officially on Saturday, May 26th, capping off a week of festivities. Baylands is the newly renovated Palo Alto Muni, which went under reconstruction in 2016. The First Tee of Silicon Valley’s President & CEO, George Maxe, was on hand for the ribbon cutting by City of Palo Alto Mayor Kniss, who was joined by Council Members, Deputy City Manager, Rob de Geus, and architect, Forest Richardson. The First Tee of Silicon Valley began holding its life skills classes at Palo Alto Muni in 2010. When construction began in 2016, classes moved to The Golf Club at Moffett Field, which had recently been leased by Google and operated by OB Sports. Now OB Sports is also the operator at Baylands, which will be especially good for The First Tee of Silicon Valley as we return with classes there this summer. On Friday, May 25th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley’s Program Manager, Matt Sheppard, and George Maxe played Baylands for the first time as part of a special outing. There is a dramatic and positive difference between the playing experience of Baylands now versus Palo Alto Muni in the past. Matt Sheppard said, “The course has a whole new, fresh look with a few holes that are kindly reminiscent of the old Palo Alto Muni. The Pure Select bentgrass and Platinum TE Paspalum presented great lies and fun challenges throughout the undulating greens. I appreciate Forest Richardson’s attention to detail throughout the course. Well done, Forest!” A very special guest, good friend, and former Board Member of The First Tee of Silicon Valley, Grant Spaeth, showed up for Baylands’ grand opening. Grant is a former USGA President, player on the Stanford Men’s Golf Team, and Attorney for Cooley-Goddard. He has been a huge fan of Palo Alto Muni, not to mention advocate for all public golf, for decades. He played and practiced at Palo Alto Muni regularly throughout his career. George Maxe said, “It was terrific to see Grant at Baylands’ grand opening. I admire him enormously for what he has done for public golf, but more importantly, for his exemplary character. What a wonderful man he is!” Matt Sheppard, Grant Spaeth, George Maxe, Ralph Kho

Coach Alan and Downtown College Prep Alum Rock High School Partner for Success Coach Alan is a The First Tee Level 1 Coach, coaching 2 classes this season.  He is also the coach for the Downtown College Prep Alum Rock High School (DCP) golf team. The team began practicing with The First Tee of Silicon Valley, as concurrent enrollees, in the Fall of 2016.  They have taken three classes together which has allowed Coach Alan to incorporate the Nine Core Values and course management (e.g. pace of play) into their practice time. The team competed in their first match in the Spring of 2017 and have competed in two matches so far this year. The team consists of eight regular players, one of whom had swung a golf club before. The other 7 players had no previous exposure to the game. In the 2 years since they began practicing they have persevered through the growing pains that comes with learning the game of golf.  The DCP Lobos have found success and have won both of the matches in which they have competed in the Private School Athletic League this season. The partnership of The First Tee Silicon Valley and DCP began when Coach Alan first began thinking about starting a golf team at DCP.  One of the athletic directors referred him to The First Tee as he had partnered with us in the past with Golf and STEM classes. Coach Alan is really thankful how the TFTSV coaches helped his players become golfers.  They also opened his eyes on how he could become a more effective golf coach and leader.  It’s been a great relationship!

Open Houses are scheduled in April and May to further educate people about The First Tee of Silicon Valley and encourage support through advocating, volunteering, or donating. Board Members Ernie J. Moreno and Ben Heben will host their Open House at San Jose Country Club on Wednesday, April 25^th. The casual wine and cheese gathering will include a couple of testimonial speeches from past participant Ryan Rankin and current Ace instructor Robby Keith in addition to a video and overview of our program. San Jose Country Club and The Ernest Pieper Jr. Santa Clara County Championship have been benefactors to The First Tee of Silicon Valley for a number of years. Board Members Greg Staszko, John Ritchie, Baiba Scott and Thao Dang will host their Open House at Silver Creek Valley Country Club on Thurs., May 3^rd. Guests will be served cocktails and snacks while hearing from current Ace instructor Robby Keith and 2018 First Tee Scholar Isabel Suizo. There will also be a special appearance by San Jose Major Sam Liccardo and an overview of our program by Executive Director George Maxe. If you would like to host an Open Houses of your own, please contact our Development Director, Judy Dixon, at [email protected].

Honesty is a virtue and it can be taught to children. Teaching the value of honesty to children is part of the development of moral and emotional strength. The quality of honesty helps to develop character and solid self-esteem.   Honesty is an important trait to have in your academic and professional life but also core to the game of golf.  Golf is unique from other sports in that players regularly call penalties on themselves and report their own score. The honesty of players is captured when they follow the rules and etiquette of the game of golf. What would you do in these situations? Your ball is in the rough. You take a full swing intending to hit the ball but miss it completely. You did not touch any part of the ball, nor did you change the ball’s position. Would you pretend the stroke was a practice swing and not count it? You’re preparing to hit out of a bunker but accidentally ground your club in the sand. No one noticed. Do you play the shot without taking a penalty? As one of The First Tee Nine Core Values, honesty has to do with being truthful. Not only when playing golf but in everything a young person engages in throughout life. Our goal is to teach participants honesty through hands-on activities. Games that require them to implement honesty by tallying their own score, determining if their ball stayed within the boundaries of the course and learning what it means to be accessed a penalty stroke. In the words of Tiger Woods, “Achievements on the golf course are not what matters, decency and honesty are what matter.” Consider registering your child in a class, becoming a volunteer or supporting our non-profit youth development organization.

Everyday your body uses loads of energy to help you manage your busy life. While eating, working, studying for a class, and even playing a round of golf, you’re using energy which is equipped through the calories in your diet. Energy fuels your body’s internal functions, repairs, builds and maintains cells and body tissues, and supports the external activities that enable you to interact with the physical world.[1] This is why it is so important to make sure you are eating enough nutritious food to support a healthy lifestyle and especially to fill your body with useful energy. Children need energy because they are growing quickly and are continually becoming more active. Energy is also needed for mentally challenging endeavors such as reading, doing homework, listening and learning in class and more! Creating a healthy diet that is high in vitamins and minerals and includes a good supply of protein, carbohydrates and fats will ensure your children with enough energy to make it through the day. Families should try and limit the intake of sugar they give to their children as it can cause bad eating habits at such a young age. Sugar has no nutrients, therefore eating too much can result in negative effects on your energy levels and can increase the risk for obesity. Because children are still developing, it is significant they do not eat big portions, but instead eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day so they are able to conserve energy. Their stomachs are still growing hence the need to eat more than adults. The First Tee of Silicon Valley encourages youth to stay active, eat right, and develop a healthy lifestyle so they have the energy they need to live life to the fullest. Our goal is to help youth by not only staying active on the golf course but by providing positive learning environments as well. Consider registering your child in a class, becoming a volunteer or supporting our non-profit youth development organization. This post was written by Morgan McGwire, a student athlete at Santa Clara University and volunteer with TFTSV. [1] http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/five-reasons-body-needs-energy-4673.htm

Respect is one of the most important virtues a child can have. Teaching your child how to respect others will ensure they develop positive relationships with their family, friends, teachers and mentors throughout their life. Respect can be taught in many ways, but ultimately it is about ensuring your children lead a happy life and treat other people kindly. The First Tee has established Nine Core Values that represent some of the many inherently positive values connected with the game of golf.   Respect is one of the cornerstone core values. By participating in The First Tee of Silicon Valley, young people are introduced to these core values which are incorporated throughout the program and they are encouraged to reinforce these behaviors at school and at home. In the game of golf, it is important to show respect for oneself, playing partners, fellow competitors, the golf course, and for the honor and traditions of the game. Have you ever noticed at the beginning and end of a round of golf, players shake hands? The sport of golf was built on the long-standing tradition respect between players. Consider registering your child in a class, becoming a volunteer or supporting our non-profit youth development organization.

The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted its quarterly Girl’s Golf Play Day on March 3^rd at Rancho del Pueblo with a Winter Olympic theme. Led by LPGA Coach Molly Springmann and Program Coordinator/Coach Manny Gallardo, girls 3^rd through 8^th grade enjoyed an afternoon of lunch, inspiration, games and activities. The favorites in the game category were the cross patio skiing on paper plates and the noodle throw.  In the spirit of the First Tee Nine Core Values, the girls listened to Olympian speeches and discussed the key qualities that make a medalist. They also sported their creativity by making marshmallow snowmen and decorated cookie medals.  The day of fun and building friendships concluded with closing ceremonies and anticipation for the next Play Day scheduled on May 12^th.