(Mentor Spotlight: Meet Coach Sean Published 12/5/25) First Tee – Silicon Valley is excited to welcome Coach Sean to our team as our newest Program Coordinator. Sean will be coaching at Baylands Golf Links during the week and at Rancho del Pueblo on Saturdays.
Sean graduated from California State University of Fresno where he majored in Communication and played on the football team. When he graduated, he became an NCAA Football Recruiting Lead and Weight Strength Coach, where he led fitness and weight training for over 150 athletes and where his joy for coaching developed. “I enjoy coaching because it allows me to see others succeed, foster deep connections, and help others grow and unlock their potential.”
He applied the same coaching principles in his other roles as a Senior Recruiter and a Project Manager. His love for golf came ten years after his football career ended, and he pursued this love by becoming a Callaway Custom Fitter for Callaway Golf.
Now he is excited to be part of “a unique opportunity to learn from participants, gain new perspectives on the human experience, and make a profound difference in people’s lives. This is a mission-driven career that offers the satisfaction of helping others and gaining new skills in the process.” Sean believes the most valuable lesson he can teach kids & teens in the program is “to love and respect yourself. Life is not coming at you; it comes from you.”
Other than sports, Sean spends his free time fishing, painting, listening to music and enjoying an outdoor lifestyle.
If you are interested in becoming more involved with FTSV, please visit our website.
(FTSV at 2025 Innovators Forum Published 12/3/25) This past October, two First Tee – Silicon Valley participants flew to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, to participate in the annual Innovators Forum. The Innovators Forum is part of First Tee’s national opportunities schedule where students from around the country apply to participate in leadership and development events to further their education and experience gained through First Tee. The Innovators Forum equips and empowers teens to develop a meaningful service project in their communities based on education, health, human rights, or environmental sustainability. Selected participants had the chance to learn from industry leaders through interactive workshops and group sessions with their peers.
This year, First Tee – Silicon Valley was proud to be represented by Nicolas Hernandez-Lopez and Sahara Huchim Velazquez.
Both participants have been in our program for more than 5 years and are also junior volunteer coaches. They had an awesome time and relished the chance to meet and get to know fellow First Tee golfers from around the country and learn valuable lessons in time management, networking, and project coordination.
Besides the excellent learning and collaboration opportunities, participants had fun too.
“My highlight was taking a ride on the water taxi to attend a charity golf tournament and seeing a dolphin in the water!”, said Sahara. “While we were on the water taxi we learned that the service started as a non-profit supporting river keepers on the St. John’s River and spreading awareness about their cause.”
Even during their down time, participants were still provided opportunities to see how a service project can be implemented in creative ways.
Nico and Sahara both have excellent ideas of how they can start a project to make a difference in their communities. Nico wants to start a community resource fair in East Palo Alto and has been working with the city’s Vice Mayor to make it happen. “I want this to be bigger than me so hopefully I can pass it off when I leave for college and keep it going forever.” Sahara wants to help bring more Latina’s into FTSV by hosting open house community events and leveraging the power of our Junior Council to create events and fundraising ideas to help spread awareness about our program.
“One thing I learned [from Innovators Forum] was that while FTSV may cover much of the cost of entry to our golf programs for those in need, that doesn’t help solve other problems such as transportation. Families may not choose to participant in golf simply because they can’t get to the golf course at the right time.”
Sahara plans to help address possible solutions to these kinds of logistical issues.
We’re so proud of everything these participants have accomplished, and staff here at FTSV only have this advice to give: keep going!
Nico and Sahara both deserved these opportunities, and we’ll look on with excitement and anticipation to see how their service projects come to fruition.
The 2026 First Tee National Opportunities schedule will be released soon – if your teen is interested in applying, stay tuned! Click here for more information on the National Opportunity process.
(FTSV at John Deere Drive Your Future Academy Published 12/3/25) In early November, in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, 36 girls from First Tee chapters from across the country were welcomed to the annual 2025 Drive Your Future Academy, a five-day leadership program specifically for girls, designed to help develop critical skills that will serve students in college and beyond. Kathryn Newton – actress, First Tee – Miami alum, and First Tee Ambassador – headlined the list of mentors on hand to lead a variety of workshops centered around topics such as: advocating for yourself and others, overcoming adversity, cultivating meaningful relationships, roadmap to successful mentorship, and embracing self-awareness.
This year, First Tee – Silicon Valley was honored to be represented by two of our participants and junior volunteers, Alexis Chu and Jennifer Barrientos.
Both participants are long time participants in our program, junior volunteers, and members of our Junior Council. At the event they had a great time learning from their peers and mentors and came away with a ton of valuable life skills they will surely use in their futures.
For Jennifer, it was also a new life experience, being the first time she’s left her home state.
“I really enjoyed the experience overall – everything was brand new for me; it was even my first time on a plane!” she reflected. “The biggest highlight for me was the lesson on mentorship – we can always offer support to people by offering our skills and diversifying the people you surround yourself with. Our coach laid out a timeline of her mentors and taught us that each mentor will lead you to your next.”
The event reinforces First Tee’s commitment to empowering girls through its programs, which are offered through 150 chapters across the country. Most First Tee Chapters, including us here at FTSV, provide dedicated programming for girls, intentionally inviting and engaging them in a variety of opportunities. At our chapter, that is Girls Golf, a quarterly event geared specifically (but not exclusively) to girls, designed with input from our Junior Council and put on with help from junior volunteers like Jennifer and Alexis. When asked to sum up the importance of creating safe spaces for girls in golf and how that was created at Drive Your Future, Jennifer replied,
“Being a group of all girls, we had similar challenges. I’ve had struggles being the only women and Latina in certain spaces, but at Drive Your Future, we were reminded that girls can advocate for themselves and accomplish anything we want. Hearing stories from women that have grown so much through their lives and careers was inspiring.”
Events like these are so valuable for participants to build on the lessons they’re already working on in their First Tee classes back home.
Congratulations to Jennifer and Alexis for being selected for this amazing opportunity. Well deserved!
The 2026 First Tee National Opportunities schedule will be released soon – if your teen is interested in applying, stay tuned! Click here for more information on the National Opportunity process.
(3rd Annual Participants vs Parents Tournament Published 11/26/25) The 3rd annual Participants vs Parents Tournament delivered everything we hoped for and more—a fun, spirited competition packed with energy, laughter, and just enough friendly rivalry to keep everyone on their toes. Despite stormy forecasts earlier in the week, the golf gods were clearly on our side, holding back the rain for a beautiful, competition-ready day at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course.
The morning kicked off with warmups on the driving range and putting green, where both kids and parents shared smiles and encouragement before stepping into competitive mode. With the Participants holding a 2–0 record over the Parents from the last two tournaments, there was anticipation, determination, and a whole lot of playful pressure.
A New Format for 2025
This year featured a new twist: Stableford scoring, with different point systems for Participants and Parents:
PARTICIPANTS
PARENTS
Eagle = 4
Eagle = 3
Birdie = 3
Birdie = 2
Par = 2
Par = 1
Bogey = 1
Bogey = 0
Double Bogey = 0
Double Bogey = -1
The format added strategy, suspense, and a fresh dynamic to every hole. The fun kicked in right from the start: closest to the pin on hole #2 & longest drive on hole #4. The excitement didn’t stop there—special challenge holes made sure everyone stayed on their game: hole #6: parents spun a wheel to determine a random club for their tee shot. Hole #8: kids could swap their tee shot with one parent’s or guardian’s—strategy at its finest.
This year’s competition brought out some outstanding individual performances from the winners:
Closest to the Pin
Parents:Matt
Participants:AJ
Longest Drive
Parents:Brent
Participants:Johnny
Though the Participants came in as two-time defending champs, the Parents arrived ready to rewrite the story. And rewrite it they did! With impressive teamwork, clutch shots, and maybe a little motivation from that -1 double-bogey penalty, the Parents secured a thrilling 11–8 upset victory—their first win in the tournament’s three-year history. The day wrapped up with an awards ceremony, slices of well-earned pizza, and plenty of smiles across all ages. As always, the real win was the community spirit on display. A huge thank-you goes out to all Participants, Parents, and families who make this annual event something truly special.
SAVE THE DATE
We’re already excited for next year’s showdown. Mark your calendars: November 14th, 2026!
(FTSV Girls Golf Play Day Published 11/26/25) First Tee – Silicon Valley hosted its Girls Golf Play Day on November 15th at Rancho Del Pueblo. Twenty of our participants enjoyed a fun, collaborative day enjoying a variety of activities. The theme of the day was Snoopy and the Peanuts team!
Working as a Team
Coach Gracie challenged the players to a team building activity where they needed to work together by chipping towards hoops without “waking” Snoopy and Woodstock from their winter nap. For the girls to complete their goal, they needed to be masters of collaboration, have open communication, and show confidence in their chipping skills.
The Dryvebox Experience
Thanks to the Dryvebox team, our girls were introduced to a high-tech simulator where they were able to hit full swings into a detailed screen and see their results based on their swing plane and club head speed. Our girls enjoyed the fun and goofy game modes while learning a bit about their swing mechanics.
Visiting Snoopy’s House
Our group of golfers took part in a fun maze on the putting green. The team was tasked with navigating through the hurdles of this puzzle to reach Snoopy’s house. This was a challenging endeavor for our participants. Many worked as a team to help identify and avoid the dead ends of the maze. A big thanks to Coach Khaton and Alonso for creating such an in-depth and elaborate puzzle to putt through!
Range Time with Coach Angelina
The final activity concluded with a mini golf clinic with one of our amazing coaches – Coach Angelina. Our participants were able to work with and ask questions of Angelina, a former junior tournament competitor. Each participant was given a short lesson that catered to their specific golf swing.
Pizza Time!
The day concluded with our participants enjoying pizza while playing Jenga and taking photos together. Our events are important as our youth experience a day of empowerment, collaboration, and goal setting while building positive self-esteem. Thank you to all of our Coaches and our ACE Junior Council for preparing the activities, managing the Girls Golf budget, and for creating an amazing and safe environment. Thank you to the Dryvebox team, and thank you to all our participants for attending and having an amazing time! We look forward to seeing you at our next Girl’s Golf event on February 28th.
(2025 FTSV College Day Tournament Published 11/26/25) On Saturday, November 15th, First Tee – Silicon Valley hosted our annual College Day Tournament, where 33 participants paired up with a collegiate golfer from three schools in the region for an alternate shot tournament. We were so excited for such a great turn out and continued our tradition of inviting 6 participants from First Tee – Greater Sacramento. We also we welcomed a new college team – Menlo College Men’s! Thank you to all the players from FTGS, Menlo Men’s, Stanford Men’s, and Santa Clara Men’s and Women’s, as well as all our FTSV participants, for joining us!
This tournament offers our participants a chance to learn from their college golfer partner and receive mentorship, advice, and encouragement. There was a feeling of positivity and gratitude all around, from the junior players and college players alike.
Not only did everyone involved demonstrate the life skills and character traits that First Tee is all about, but there was some awesome golf out there as well. In a tight competition, we had 2 scores under par, another 2 scores at even par, and some great performances in the individual course contests too.
FTSV College Day Tournament
2025 FTSV College Day Tournament Winners
Closest to the Pin (Hole 2): Yoodham (Stanley) Ko – 10ft
Straightest Drive (Hole 4): Kanoa Vierra – 1ft, 6in from center
Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all the participants. An extra thanks to FTGS, Stanford, Santa Clara, and Menlo as well. We can’t wait until next year!
Our College Day tournament next year will be November 14th, 2026. Please save the date!
To participate in this tournament, and our other pre-season tournaments throughout the year one must be an active FTSV participant. Click here to join our program, and click here to learn about our pre-season tournaments.
(FTSV Parents/Guardians Participate in FREE Golf Clinic Published:11/13/2025) On Saturday, November 8th, First Tee – Silicon Valley held a free golf clinic for FTSV parents/guardians at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course. Thank you so much to all who attended! We hope that everyone had fun, learned helpful golf techniques, and gained confidence to play with your child(ren).
During the clinic, FTSV staff members demonstrated how we structure our classes and curriculum. We introduced our Golf Cue curriculum and offered all parents/guardians individual golf tips. Afterwards, parents put their new skills to the test with fun games just like it’s done in our participant classes.
FTSV believes that when parents/guardians understand and are involved in their participants’ golf journey, everyone has more fun and sees improvement more quickly. Our goal is to provide the resources and guidance so that the parents/guardians feel motivated to join their kid(s) and play together as a family.
Starting any sport can feel intimidating. With golf, there are terms and jargon that can be challenging, so we created a resource document and a video that details what you need to know to get range balls, set a tee time, and everything else you need to know when playing on a golf course.
We encourage parents/guardians to practice during their kid’s class. If you don’t have clubs, please come ask us, or ask to borrow/check out clubs at the pro-shop. Our coaches and staff are available and happy to provide additional information about playing/practicing golf.
Golf is a game you can enjoy your whole life. From everyone at FTSV, we hope to see you out at the course.
(FTSV Appreciates Our Coaches Punished: 11/13/2025) First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV) held a coach appreciation event on Saturday, November 8th, with games, prizes, and dinner.
The event brought together adult coaches from our three program locations – Baylands Golf Links in Palo Alto, Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course in San Jose, and Gavilan College Golf Course in Gilroy. The night was a great and fun bonding/celebratory event. Games were played, raffle prizes were awarded, and food and drinks were provided throughout. More importantly it was a great to have everyone together, strengthening our coaching community. We have around 250 coaches (volunteer and paid). With how big our territory is, it is important for us to bring our coaches together – whether that is through our quarterly trainings or big celebratory events like this one.
“We are HUGELY thankful for all of our coaches, who give back to kids and teens with their time and their wisdom from life experiences. They are the connectors between the kids and teens and all our life skills curriculum, so their role is critically important. Then, when we multiply this by our high number of coaches, we increase the chances that all our participants will benefit from high-quality mentoring. Thank you, Coaches!” said George Maxe, FTSV President & CEO.
Being a coach in First Tee – Silicon Valley is an incredibly impactful thing to do.
Character building is a long-game, a never-ending process, that is developed through mentorship and experiences. Simply by spending their time coaching and guiding others, our coaches are changing lives for the better.
The world is always in need of high character individuals, and being a coach provides the opportunity to help build high character leaders for the future.
Additionally, not only are coaches impacting others, they are building a community for themselves full of hard working, kind, growth-minded people who want to spend their free time doing something for others.
Interested in becoming a coach? Please visit our VOLUNTEER PAGE.
(Change the Game for MORE Kids! Meet Nicolas Hernandez Lopez Published: 11/12/2025) Nicolas has been involved with FTSV for the past 10 years as a participant, a volunteer coach, and a Junior Council member. He is consistently pushing himself to become more involved and finding ways to give back. As a coach, Nico is patient and kind, making class fun, impactful, and exciting for the young participants. As a participant, Nico engages in and applies our life skill into the activities. He also goes out of his way to make sure other participants are included. Additionally, he has been part of a group that helped plan community events and games for our chapter.
Nico’s enthusiasm and dedication extends beyond the golf course. He excels in a variety of pursuits, putting to work the skills of setting and achieving goals that he’s learned from First Tee – Silicon Valley. Not only has he become the fastest swimmer on his swim team, Nico also turned a dream into reality by starring in his own weekly podcast at school.
He explains, “Setting goals is like laying out a path to improve and achieve anything you want. When I set a goal, I can easily visualize my progress. It boosts my mental well-being and helps me move forward. Through my time with First Tee – Silicon Valey, I feel like I’ve not only gotten better at golf but also grown as a person. I’ve learned how to set short-term and long-term goals as steps to achieve my final goal along with my coaches and friends.”
Nico Attending National Opportunities
This year Nico was selected by a national panel of judges to attend the First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. at the University of Minnesota. There he engaged in conversations and interactive workshops paired with introspective activities on self-awareness, inclusivity, and community building. Later in the year he was also selected to attend the Innovators Forum held in Florida. The Innovators Forum equips and empowers First Tee teens to develop a meaningful service project in their communities focused on education, human rights, or environmental sustainability.
Both events are part of the national opportunities provided by First Tee headquarters designed to inspire and encourage high school students on a deeper level as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities. Nico’s FTSV engagement and high character helped him be one of few from around the country to attend these opportunities. We are so proud of him.
Mentoring is Priceless.
Think about the mentor who made a difference in your life. That kind of guidance—listening, encouragement, and wisdom—shapes kids forever. Over the years, First Tee – Silicon Valley has provided this transformative mentorship to more than 100,000 young people. Your steady, monthly support ensures every child in our program has a mentor by their side.
Kids Need Us Now More Than Ever.
Social pressures, loneliness, mental health challenges, family struggles, and inequities across Silicon Valley weigh heavily on today’s youth. At FTSV, we provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive community where kids are free to be themselves and discover their inner strength.
Long-Term Impact That Lasts a Lifetime.
We’re proud of the results of our youth development program.
100% of our long-term participants graduate high school.
100% go on to college.
100% gain life skills that make them caring, responsible citizens.
75% of our high school participants give back as junior mentors.
This kind of consistency is possible only when our supporters are consistent too. That’s why monthly pledges are so vital!
Be Part of the Change and Change the Game for MORE Kids in 2026!
As we look to 2026, we need your help to build on this momentum. A monthly pledge is the most powerful way you can support our kids & teens. Your commitment provides the stability and resources necessary to help thousands of youth grow into resilient, confident, and compassionate leaders.
(Origins of #GivingTuesday Published: 11/7/2025) Origins of GivingTuesday: When did Giving Tuesday Start? According to the national GivingTuesday organization, “GivingTuesday was born and incubated at the 92nd Street Y and its Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact in New York City. GivingTuesday is now an independent nonprofit and a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.”
2025 #GivingTuesday: December 2nd – GivingTuesday happens annually on the Tuesday after the Thanksgiving Holiday.
The fundamental idea and vision of the GivingTuesday concept is Generosity. The #GivingTuesday organization says “Generosity is uplifting, generative, equalizing, and connecting.” Furthermore, “Generosity is Giving Tuesday’s universal rallying cry and the foundation of our strategies.”
This #GivingTuesday, First Tee – Silicon Valley needs help from YOU to Change the Game for MORE Kids & Teens!
Our Kids Face Heavy Stuff. The pressures of social media, loneliness, mental health struggles, family dynamics, peer and family judgment, inequities of living in Silicon Valley and devastating world events are all adversely affecting youth. FTSV creates a supportive, safe, and positive environment where kids are empowered to be themselves, and feel included!
We are committed to providing affordable access to all youth – no matter their financial hardship or background. We need support from the community to grow affordable access for our youth development golf and life skills program at our 3 golf course locations. Help us provide an 8-week session to 200 additional participants.
There are many ways to help First Tee – Silicon Valley Change the Game for MORE Kids & Teens. The most convenient way to help MORE Kids & Teens is to make a pledge. $40 a month for high-quality mentorship teaching our character-building life lessons that have proven to make a difference.
(FTSV and Community Outreach Published 11/7/2025) The fall season means back-to school nights, school-wide harvest celebrations, and community resource fairs. FTSV has been dedicated to attending these events and being part of the community that we serve, especially East San Jose. In September, we attended the back-to-school district event at Aptitud Academy at Goss and the National Night Out at the Mayfair Community Center. In October, we attended the Alum Rock Unified School District Parent University resource fair, and in November, we will be attending the SOMOS Mayfair Harvest Festival.
At each event we get to meet and greet with parents and participants, build relationships with other community resource groups and leaders, and showcase our program. We strive to show everyone that our program is affordable, accessible, and welcoming to everyone. We thank our community and school supporters for inviting us to their events.
Beginning on November 6, we will begin hosting 15 school field trips at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course where students will be taking a 1-hour lesson from our staff. For many of the participants, this will be their first time at a golf course.
Community resource fairs are so critical for a connected and supported community. Often resources exist but are not taken advantage of due to lack of exposure. We thank the community and school leaders for their efforts in building these resource fairs and advocating on our behalf.
If you have a fair or event that we should be attending, please contact [email protected].
(Inspire Youth Through Volunteerism Published: 11/7/2025) At First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV), we believe in the power of people who care — people who want to shape brighter futures for our youth. Our mission goes beyond golf; it’s about teaching kids and teens life lessons that build confidence, communication skills, integrity, and perseverance.
By volunteering as a coach or mentor, you’ll play a vital role in guiding participants toward success—on and off the course. Together, our team of dedicated volunteers and staff foster a supportive, encouraging environment where every youth has the opportunity to grow into a strong, compassionate leader. And with just a few hours of your time, you can create impact that lasts a lifetime.
Why Volunteers Matter
FTSV’s success depends on the enthusiasm and commitment of our community. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on volunteers who are eager to make a real difference in the lives of youth. Our mentors and coaches bring our curriculum to life — helping kids and teens learn essential life skills through engaging activities that make learning fun.
To ensure each participant gets the attention and support they deserve, we maintain a 4:1 student-to-instructor ratio. That means every volunteer plays a critical role in making our programs meaningful and effective. And while you’re helping young people build character and confidence, you’ll also find yourself developing new leadership, communication, and coaching skills — all while becoming part of a community with a shared purpose.
The Power of Giving Back
Volunteering isn’t just about giving your time — it’s about being part of something larger than yourself. When you give back to your community, you not only change lives but enrich your own. Research shows that helping others can elevate your mood, strengthen your sense of purpose, and bring deep personal fulfillment.
As the saying goes, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” At First Tee – Silicon Valley, that change begins with you. By volunteering, you help create a future where young people have the tools, confidence, and support to thrive. Whether you can offer a few hours a month or more, every bit of your time contributes to something extraordinary.
Get Involved
Thank you for considering how you can support First Tee – Silicon Valley. If you’re ready to get started, visit OUR VOLUNTEER PAGE to learn more and apply today. Together, we can continue building a stronger, more inspired generation — one young person at a time.
