Author: juliebdo

Sign up to Volunteer Coach

Do you want to mentor youth? Do you enjoy golf and want to give back? Join our team as a Volunteer Coach! Complete steps 1-9 on our volunteer page by 11/15 and attend our in-person training on 11/23 to volunteer for our Winter Season (12/3 – 2/8). Why Volunteer?
  • Make a positive impact on participants
  • Assist in establishing a supportive environment for a child’s success
  • Be a role model and mentor
  • Assist in developing leadership, interpersonal, and resiliency skills
  • Give back to your community
  • Meet and join other like-minded coaches in Silicon Valley
  • Learn and develop coaching techniques
“Community is a living organism that must be fed. I look forward to every opportunity to interact with participants and their families as we all grow together through the program.” Coach Jeffy “Coaching is wonderful way to spend time. It combines some of my favorite things – teaching golf, being outdoors, and inspiring youngsters to be their best.”  Coach Molly

The First Tee of Silicon Valley Teen Paired with Bernhard Langer in PGA TOUR Champions PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee

San Jose, California (September 26, 2019) – Ralph Kho will represent The First Tee of Silicon Valley when he competes in the 2019 PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee, an official PGA TOUR Champions event to be contested at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, California, September 24-29. The 16th annual event, which is hosted by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, will be televised internationally on Golf Channel. Kho will be paired with Bernhard Langer, who has 40 PGA TOUR Champions victories. Kho is a long-time participant in The First Tee of Silicon Valley’s program. He has been dedicated to progressing through several class levels and generous by giving back to younger participants as a Junior Coach. Kho is truly a fine young man with a very bright future. He is a senior at Junipero Serra High School beginning this fall. Kho’s selection for the event is very timely given his pioneering, class history at Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course which is now Baylands Golf Links. He was one of The First Tee of Silicon Valley’s first participants there as the chapter expanded its classes to the mid-peninsula. The First Tee of Silicon Valley is endeavoring to make an investment to the facility in the form of a learning center and improvements to the range and practice areas. “Ralph should be extremely proud (and excited!) not only by his selection to play in this tournament, but also by his dedication to The First Tee of Silicon Valley. I cannot think of a more deserving participant to represent our chapter,” said George Maxe, President and CEO of The First Tee of Silicon Valley. The PURE Insurance Championship Impacting the First Tee is the only event of its kind where 78 First Tee teenagers from across the country are paired up with 78 PGA TOUR Champions players and 156 amateurs during an official PGA TOUR Champions tournament. Kho will compete for the Pro-Junior Team title. He will join 77 other participants from First Tee chapters across the country. Participants were selected by a national panel of judges based on their understanding and application of the values and life skills learned through First Tee’s programs, as well as their playing ability. “We are proud to continue our involvement with this prestigious event and help support the great work of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation and The First Tee,” said Katherine Frattarola, Chief Marketing Officer of the PURE Group of Insurance Companies. “The impact this event has on the incredible young men and women from the First Tee makes this sponsorship tremendously rewarding for our entire team.” The full junior field was revealed live on Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” on July 3, including a video of World Golf Hall of Fame Member Jack Nicklaus surprising one of the First Tee participants. Other surprises by PGA TOUR players and Golf Channel hosts had been recorded over the last month and aired today as part of the PURE Insurance Championship announcement. This year’s field of professionals will include World Golf Hall of Fame Members Bernhard Langer, Mark O’Meara, Vijay Singh and Retief Goosen, as well as defending champion and recent KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship winner Ken Tanigawa. Clint Eastwood serves as chairman of the PURE Insurance Championship. Play will be conducted on Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course on Friday and Saturday, with the final round contested solely at Pebble Beach Golf Links on Sunday, where 23 First Tee juniors will compete based on their 36-hole performance. The tournament will crown one male and one female First Tee Junior Champion on Sunday. Nearly 1,000 teens from First Tee have played in the PURE Insurance Championship, experiencing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet, play and be mentored by PGA TOUR Champions players and amateurs in the field. First Tee is a youth development organization dedicated to helping young people build character through the game of golf. The First Tee of Silicon Valley is one of 150 chapters around the world introducing the sport of golf and First Tee’s Core Values to kids, positively impacting their lives. Serving the greater Silicon Valley community since 2005, more than 78,000 kids have been impacted through The First Tee of Silicon Valley’s programs. To learn more about The First Tee of Silicon Valley, visit www.firstteesiliconvalley.org. For more information on the 2019 PURE Insurance Championship, visit www.pureinsurancechampionship.com. For more information on Ralph Kho, to request an interview or photos, contact George Maxe – [email protected] or 408-288-2937.  *** About The First Tee of Silicon Valley The First Tee of Silicon Valley develops the character of youth throughout Silicon Valley, transforming their lives and giving them a brighter future. We have positively changed the lives of more than 78,000 youth through our on-course and school programs since 2005. We serve all youth with 98% diversity and 45% girls by offering affordable access and financial assistance. Program location include Rancho del Pueblo (San Jose), Gavilan College (Gilroy), and Baylands Golf Links (Palo Alto).

The First Tee of Silicon Valley attends Back to School Community Events

In August, The First Tee of Silicon Valley attended Back to School “Maze Days” at Taft Elementary and Hoover Elementary, as well as a Backpack Giveaway event at KIPP Excelencia in Redwood City. Later in the month TFTSV participated in Back to School nights at Washington Elementary and Empire Gardens Elementary in San Jose. TFTSV set up an informational booth for parents and students to learn more about our program and register for our upcoming 8-lesson session. In addition, the Parks and Recreation department of Redwood City passed out our marketing collateral to 4 other Redwood City schools during their respective Back to School days. Thanks to the efforts of the Police Activities League Redwood City, Parks & Recreation of Redwood City, our staff, and the school officials from Hoover, Taft, KIPP, Washington, and Empire Garden Elementary we were able to have our highest registration to-date for the upcoming Fall Session. “We are fortunate to partner with outstanding organizations and schools that welcome us to their community and encourage collaboration. We look forward to continuing our goal of introducing more families and students to our programs and supporting our local community,” said Chris Moreno-Hunt, Program Manager.

Record-Breaking Fall Registration

The First Tee of Silicon Valley has achieved the most registrations ever in a season with over 600 participants currently enrolled in this Fall’s classes! TFTSV has been visiting schools, performing clinics, and participating in outreach events to recruit students to attend classes. We have made a significant push to increase enrollment along the Mid-Peninsula at Baylands Golf Links in Palo Alto and SportsHouse in Redwood City. Through the support of our sponsors and 125 volunteers, TFTSV has been able to reach this record and to build the capacity to accommodate this record-breaking number of students. The First Tee of Silicon Valley owes a sincere thank you to SAGA Foundation led by President, David Bartoshuk for their generous $100K donation to further develop TFTSV program in the Palo Alto-Redwood City area and participation at Baylands Golf Links. The SAGA Foundation assists nonprofits to work smarter, reach further, and have a lasting impact. They stand out in their unique approach as both supporter and partner. Expanding TFTSV’s reach into Redwood City and other cities of southern San Mateo County requires solving some key problems and overcoming some notable challenges. In parallel to their donation, SAGA Foundation made strategic introductions for TFTSV in Redwood City, including to Parks & Rec, Sheriff’s Activities League, and Police Activities League. These new community partnerships with youth-serving organizations have laid the foundation for TFTSV’s program expansion at Baylands Golf Links to ultimately teach life skills to over 1,000 youth there annually. In addition, such partnerships will lead to TFTSV’s programs reaching at least 5,000 more youth beyond the golf course in school and after school. “We are fortunate to have an all-star staff working diligently to meet our goal of enrolling over 600 participants in the Fall. A special thank you to Lina, our Operations Assistant, who called hundreds of low-income families to recruit them for our Fall Season,” said Matt Sheppard, Program Manager.

Meet TFTSV’S New Board Member

The First Tee of Silicon Valley recently added a new Director to our Board in August. Lucas Watson is the Chief Marketing Officer & General Manager of Ridehail Business Unit at Cruise in San Francisco. He previously worked as EVP/CMO at Intuit, VP at Google, and Global Marketing Director at Procter & Gamble. Lucas has been in corporate leadership and sales positions his entire career with deep experiences across Consumer Products, Retail, Media, Technology, and Saas driven business at the Fortune 500 level. https://www.linkedin.com/in/watsonlucas/ Lucas said, “I like that The First Tee grows the game of golf. As a member at Stanford and Sharon Heights, I know I am fortunate and feel strongly that we need more women and minorities to benefit from the game of golf. It has taught me wonderful things about relationships and perseverance, etiquette and fighting through challenges.” Lucas has a passion for giving back and golf. His 3-year Director them is through 2022. Board Directors vote, provide planning, performance, legal and financial oversight and raise sufficient funds to ensure TFTSV’s success. Board Ambassadors give advice, assist with projects, represent the organization in the community at events, help raise funds, and expand TFTSV’s network throughout Silicon Valley and beyond. Click here to meet all our Board Members. Contact Judy Dixon if you have interest in learning more about a volunteer Board opportunity.

2019 Adult & Junior Tournament

On August 17th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted our annual Adult & Junior Tournament at Rancho Del Pueblo golf course.   The event commenced with our participants meeting their adult playing partner and learning new things about each other. Nineteen participants were paired with a parent, guardian, or a TFTSV mentor in a 9-hole alternate shot format.   Congratulations to all of our participants for competing with honesty, integrity, and sportsmanship. Special thanks to Lee’s Sandwiches for donating a healthy dinner to the participants! The 2019 TFTSV Adult & Junior Tournament is a valuable event for our students to bond with a mentor or family member in a safe golf environment.  This specific tournament helps promotes the “Family” aspect of our Healthy Habits.  Our participants are more likely to succeed in achieving their goals when our family and mentors engage in conversation, share a meal, and participate in their seasonal events.  

2019 Summer Girls Golf

On August 17th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted our Girls Golf Summer Play Day.  With 22 Girls Golf members, we enjoyed nine holes of soccer golf.  With the theme being centered around the “friends” aspect of Healthy Habits, the girls were tasked with working together in a hybrid sport that they haven’t experienced. Once soccer golf ended, the girls attempted to complete our Mission Imputtable game.  In teams of four, the girls were challenged to complete each putting course in 4 putts or less.  Each hole contained obstacles to test their perseverance.  These types of challenges promote exploring the game, learning new golf rules, and overcoming challenges together. The day concluded with brunch provided by Rancho Del Pueblo golf course. Girls Golf Play Days are beneficial events where our female participants enjoy an all-female day with friends and a supportive group of coaches and volunteers.

TFTSV Bridges the Gap

Some major challenges facing public schools are: Classroom Size, Poverty, Family Factors, Bullying, Student Attitudes and Behaviors, and Student Health. The First Tee of Silicon Valley’s youth development program helps bridge the gap by teaching our participants The First Tee Nine Core Values, Nine Healthy Habits and 4 Life Skills for use both on and off the course. Our coaches work with the students to help them apply what they learn in their golf class to their school life. The games in our classes are designed to be fun, educational and promote self-discovery. Our 3 tips for having fun are Be Patient, Be Positive and Ask For Help which we encourage participants to take to the classroom too. From Grades 2 through 12, youth progress through 5 different levels of age appropriate First Tee curriculum and are required to pass an assessment to progress. All participants start at the PLAYer level regardless of age. The pinnacle of The First Tee is completing Ace and The First Tee of Silicon Valley is very proud of our 56% retention rate – one of the highest amongst all First Tee chapters across the US. Here is a snapshot of what Life Skills our participants learn at each level:
  • PLAYer (2nd grade & up) – Tee up for the first time and learn the game of golf and The First Tee’s Code of Conduct: Respect for Myself, Respect for Others and Respect for my surroundings.
  • Par (3rd grade & up) – Focus on interpersonal and self-management skills on and off the course.
  • Birdie (5th grade & up) – Emphasis on setting goals and making them a reality.
  • Eagle (7th grade & up) – Learn resilience, conflict resolution, and future planning.
  • Ace (9th grade & up) – Put it all together and hone in on setting goals, career, education, and giving back to the community.

Mentors and Instructors Attended Training

Saturday, August 28th saw 20 mentors attend the pre-fall season training. The mentors that attended were 10 adults and 10 juniors (under 18); 12 were new to volunteering and 8 were returning volunteers. Coach Matt and Coach Chris led the training with a mind towards coaches noticing where the participants are in their Comfort/Stretch/Panic zone.  Understanding these zones goes a long way towards building rapport with the participants and helping them to feel comfortable in class. The mentors took turns being the coach then the participant as they walked through a weekly lesson using the Try-Show-Try-Play model. The fall instructor meeting was attended by 12 of the fall coaches and focused on the fall goal of “Be more intentional with your coaching.” The instructors made and flew paper airplanes to demonstrate learning through doing vs learning through showing.  They discussed the FAR method – Focus, Ask, Reward, and how this can help students understand both the golf skills and the core values each week. The instructors also reviewed the parent/participant survey results from the Summer season. The results showed an increase over previous seasonal survey in these areas:
  • “I intend to take another class.”
  • “I had fun.”
  • “I felt part of the group.”
  • “My coach cared about me.”
Mentors
Instructors

PGA TOUR Superstore Club Drive Saturday, August 10th

Time for a new set of clubs! Bring your used clubs to the PGA TOUR Superstore in East Palo Alto on Saturday, August 10th from 1pm to 5pm. Collecting used clubs enables The First Tee of Silicon Valley to pursue our mission to impact the lives of under-served youth by providing education programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.  These donations allow us to provide the necessary equipment for those on financial assistance to participate. Bring your used clubs in good condition and less than 10 years old to the PGA TOUR Superstore (1751 East Bayshore Road, East Palo Alto, CA  94303) on Saturday, August 10th from 1pm to 5pm. What We Accept
  • Clubs: full sets, usable drivers/putters/fairway metals, and iron sets (Junior sets preferred)
  • New bags, balls, towels, tees and ball markers
We are not able to collect clothing (hats, shoes, socks, jackets) or equipment (pull/push cards, training aids, travel bags, used bags).  

TFTSV PAL and SAL students attend first class at Baylands Golf Links!

On June 21st, TFTSV in partnership with the Police Activities League and the Sheriffs Activities League held the first of 7 classes for 24 students at Baylands Golf Links. Our partnership started with both programs in October of 2018. With funding and support from the SAGA Foundation’s President, David Bartoshuk, TFTSV began working with PAL and SAL of Redwood City to bring DRIVE to their programs and schools. Our partnership began with DRIVE clinics held at Taft Elementary, Garfield Elementary, Fair Oaks Elementary, Connect Charter School and Hoover Elementary. Students who enjoyed the DRIVE clinics and wanted to continue their golf experience then attended our 8-week sessions at SportsHouse, an enclosed soccer & recreational facility in Redwood City for the Winter and Spring. Beginning this Summer, 24 of those students had van transportation to Baylands Golf Links thanks to the financial backing of The Saga Foundation, and the coordination and assistance from the PAL staff led by Program Director, Anthony Gomez. For most of the 24 participants, this was the first time they had ever been to a golf course. TFTSV Program Manager, Chris Moreno-Hunt, said “We are thrilled to have the students continue their TFTSV classes and experience at a real golf course. The road to this point was a product of a successful collaboration with multiple dedicated youth and community leaders.  We are grateful for the contributions of the PAL staff, SAL staff and Sheriffs, school leaders at our partnering Redwood City Schools, Redwood City Parks and Recs, Baylands Golf Links, and the SAGA Foundation. Together we are able to positively impact students and will continue to provide a unique Life Skills experience through golf.” TFTSV will continue to collaborate with our community partners and schools with the intention of building a sustainable pathway for students to access golf and golf facilities.

TFTSV Participates in the Spring ARUSD Parent University

On Saturday, June 1st The First Tee of Silicon Valley participated in the Alum Rock Union School District’s (ARUSD) Parent University Family Fun Day.  In addition, the San Jose Police Department Summer Kick Off event was combined with the Parent University to bring over 700 people from the Alum Rock community to connect them with city resources and services. TFTSV set up golf games and an information table for students and parents to play and learn more about our program from our bilingual staff. The events at Arbuckle Elementary also included organized family activities, health screenings, and a resource fair. “TFTSV are proud partners with ARUSD and we are grateful for the invitation to present our program to the ARUSD community.” Said TFTSV Program Manager Chris Moreno-Hunt. “We are committed to reaching out to our communities, opening our doors, and making golf more accessible for everyone.”