Category: Events

FTSV and ARUSD team up for Parent University

(FTSV and ARUSD team up for Parent University Published 5/21/2026) On Saturday, May 16th, 2026, Alum Rock Union School District (ARUSD) and First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV) once again teamed up to bring the 8th annual Parent University to Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course. The event, which has consistently been a successful community event, was no different this year with over 500 students and their families coming out for a day of fun, food and games at the golf course.

At the practice facility and on several holes throughout the course, FTSV set up a taste of what our programs offer, with fun golf games and activities all with a specific life skill to focus on. Each station was had ARUSD students and their families trying out different golf shots to fun, colorful, and engaging targets. Many of the families were trying out golf for the very first time. Each group rotated through the stations before gathering for lunch, music, and a raffle in the afternoon.

The focus of Parent University has always been on gathering the community and bringing valuable resources to the families of Alum Rock. ARUSD’s Student Services Department helped organize fantastic experiences for attendees, including several info booths, a great raffle, food, and even the ARUSD Mariachi. Before the games began, the California Senator of District 15, Dave Cortese provided encouraging remarks to kick-off the event.

Each year, FTSV is proud to partner with ARUSD and come together to serve and benefit the residents of our community. “FTSV was so pleased to play host once again at ARUSD’s Parent University at Rancho. The event was a huge success giving so many students and families the opportunity to experience golf and FTSV’s life skills curriculum. Rancho is FTSV’s home program location and East San Jose’s community golf course, so utilizing it in such a way is a perfect pairing for ARUSD and FTSV.” said George Maxe, FTSV President & CEO.

Interim Superintendent Sandra Garcia had this to say about the event.

“FTSV provides students and families in East San Jose with programming that builds self-confidence, resilience, and character. Their partnership with Alum Rock – with Parent University and in-school programs – contributes to building stronger student academic outcomes and life skills in and out of the classroom. We are thankful for the partnership and commitment of FTSV in making Parent University Family Golf Day a reality for our families.”

A big thank you also goes out to the 40+ FTSV coaches who helped at each of the stations!

Interested in having your school or youth development program partner with First Tee – Silicon Valley? Please contact our Program Coordinator, Tanner Riley at (408) 508-4885, [email protected], or visit our outreach page.

6th Annual Fund the Kids – Presented by Jacobs

(6th Annual Fund the Kids – Presented by Jacobs Published 5/19/2026) Join Jacobs – South County Regional Wastewater Authority for the 6th Annual Fund the Kids Golf Tournament, benefiting First Tee – Silicon Valley on Saturday, September 26th, 2026 at Gilroy Golf Course.

Jacobs has been the Contract Operator for the South County Regional Wastewater Authority (SCRWA) plant in Gilroy since 1984. Under a long-term service agreement, Jacobs maintains the integrity of the wastewater system. It is the goal of SCRWA to protect public health and the environment and ensure economic vitality of the Gilroy-Morgan Hill region. The plant operator’s objective is to provide the best quality recycled water at a superior value to the residents.

This plant has won numerous awards, including Plant of the Year Award for several years in a row, while many of their employees have also won individual awards, winning Laboratory Person of the Year numerous times, with the most recent in 2022.

Community involvement is an extension of the Jacobs’ and the SCRWA culture. They care about their surrounding communities. This is why Jacobs’ felt compelled to sponsor the 6th Annual Fund the Kids Golf Tournament, benefiting First Tee – Silicon Valley.

(Read about last year’s tournament HERE)

Register or Sponsor

6th Annual Fund the Kids Sponsorship Levels

  • $1,500 – HOST SPONSORS: Signage at registration, lunch area, and beverage stations. Recognition on website, on socials, program and 1-Foursome. Sponsor may be on-site with giveaways and/or info.
  • $1,000 – CONTEST SPONSORS: Signage at the (3) contest holes (closest to the pin, longest drive & putting), website, recognition on socials, program and 4-lunch invites. Sponsor may be on-site with giveaways and/or info.
  • $500 – SUPPORTING SPONSORS: Signage at (2) Tee boxes, website, recognition on socials, program and 2-lunch invites.
  • $300 – HOLE SPONSORS: Signage at (1) tee box, recognition on social and program.

Adult-Junior Tournament

(Adult-Junior Tournament Published 3/05/26) On Saturday, February 28th, 18 FTSV participants teamed up with adult mentors to compete in our annual 9-hole Adult-Junior Tournament. Many participants paired up with their parents while others joined forces with other family members and relatives. A heartfelt thank you to all the adults who played alongside their participants.

The teams competed in a 2-person alternate shot format, which challenged them to collaborate, communicate, and strategize together. It was great to watch the golfers bond and support one another throughout the tournament. We encourage families to play golf together as it can strengthen their relationships and make for lasting memories.

Long time FTSV participants Brent and Ryan (Father and Son), shared about their experience playing together. “It was a pleasure playing alongside each other in the alternate shot tournament. We had a great time navigating the course together. While Ryan’s golf game is already impressive, spending time with him in tournaments like this really makes the day special. We love The First Tee of Silicon Valley program,” said Brent.

The event wrapped up with families gathering for pizza and awards. It was wonderful to see families connecting, and our FTSV participants forming new friendships. Congratulations to all our participants for competing with respect, integrity, and sportsmanship.

Results

First Place: Luke L. / Rodolfo L.  27

Second Place: Asher A. / Austin A. 35

Third Place: Gwen B. / Stehen M. 39

Long Drive: Adam R. / Robert R. (Almost drove the green)

Closest To the Pin: Audi S. / Ravin S. 12.2 FT

Please save the date for the next pre-season tournament on May 30th. Click here to learn more about our tournaments and other opportunities.

Annual Kids & Coaches Tournament

(Annual Kids & Coaches Tournament Published 3/05/26) This past Saturday, February 28th, FTSV hosted the “Kids & Coaches Tournament” to officially kick off our 2026 Spring season. With an outstanding turnout of 30 participants—15 players and 15 coaches, including four FTSV Board Members—the exciting event took place at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course.

From the first tee shot to the final putt, the course was filled with positive energy and enthusiasm. Players encouraged one another, and coaches offered high-fives and advice.

The competition concluded with some outstanding performances:

Team Results

🥇 1st Place: Christine, Aaron, Coach Suri
🥈 2nd Place: Mateo, Coach Josh
🥉 3rd Place: Riley, Coach Alexis

Congratulations to all our winners and participants for their hard work and dedication!

In addition to regular play, three on-course contests added to the excitement:

  • Hole 4: Long Drive Contest (Kids)
  • Hole 7: Closest-to-the-Pin Challenge (Kids)
  • Hole 5: Closest-to-the-Pin Challenge (Coaches), featuring a challenging shot over water

Course Contest Results

  • Closest to the Pin (Hole #5): Max VP
  • Closest to the Pin (Hole #7): Ikher
  • Longest Drive (Hole #4 – 12 and older): Aidan

The tournament wasn’t just about scores — it was an opportunity for growth, sportsmanship, and the comradery. The afternoon wrapped up with congratulatory handshakes, high-fives and fist-bumps. Participants and coaches were then treated to a pizza lunch.

Thank you to all the parents, families, and coaches for your unwavering support of the program. Your encouragement and dedication make events like this possible and help our young athletes continue to grow both on and off the course.

We’re already looking forward to the next tournament and another unforgettable day with our First Tee Silicon Valley family! Please save the date for the next pre-season tournament on May 30th.

Click here to learn more about our tournaments and other opportunities.

Girls Golf Sanrio Play Day

( Girls Golf Sanrio Play Day Published 3/05/26) 15 Participants came out on a warm Saturday morning February 28th and created memories, built friendships, and enjoyed the camaraderie that comes with playing golf. Our Girls Golf events are designed to create a safe space for participants to be themselves and develop friendships with others. We hold 4 Girls Golf events throughout the year. This season’s theme featured the colorful characters of Sanrio.

On the first hole, participants hit from the tee-box until they made it to the green. Then they had to navigate through the Sanrio Maze. Each section was a “town” owned by a different character, ending at the Hello Kitty hole at the end.

Next, they were faced with a creative chipping challenge. Each participant had to chip towards a different Hello Kitty cut-out and if they hit the apples out of her hand, they won a fun prize.

On the back portion of the game course, players spun the wheel which determined how they would hit the ball. The wheel had hitting styles based on each Sanrio character, for example, “Gudetama” meant you had to hit very lazy-like.

On the last hole, participants had some fun bunker practice. Each player took turns trying to hit the ball out of the sand over the Sanrio cut-outs.

To end the day, all Girls Golf participants and coaches were treated with pizza and fun rainbow black scratch paper to draw their favorite Sanrio characters.

Special thanks to the Junior Council Girls Golf planning committee and coaches: Natalie, Jennifer, Vian, Varnika, Dahlia, Julia and Vikrant.

To learn more about FTSV’s Girls Golf, please contact Manny Gallardo – [email protected] or 408-508-4887. Please save the date for the next Girls Golf on May 30th. Click here to learn more about our tournaments and other opportunities.

3rd Annual Participants vs Parents Tournament

(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:

PARTICIPANTSPARENTS
Eagle = 4Eagle = 3
Birdie = 3Birdie = 2
Par = 2Par = 1
Bogey = 1Bogey = 0
Double Bogey = 0Double 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

(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

(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

3rd Place: Gabriella Borrego (FTGS), Cooper Stearns (Stanford) – 28 (E)

2nd Place: Suri Lau (FTSV), Ethan Gao (Stanford) – 27 (-1)

1st Place: Myles Pena (FTGS), Dean Greyserman (Stanford) – 27 (-1)

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 and Community Outreach

(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.

Community Outreach

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].

Community outreach 2
Community outreach 3

PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee

(PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee – Published 10/03/25) FTSV participants, Alexis Chu, Brian Yu and Walton Li were selected and competed in the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee at historic Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. Everyone played very well, including a 4th place finish for Alexis and 3rd place finish for Brian. More importantly, all players conducted themselves with respect and kindness, building lasting relationships while playing golf in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Fantastic work!

For more than 20 years, the PURE Insurance Championship has provided selected First Tee participants from around the country with the unique opportunity to showcase the skills and values they’ve gained through their respective First Tee Chapters. The tournament pairs 80 standout teens from First Tee Chapters nationwide with PGA TOUR Champions players and amateurs from the business community. The teens were selected by a national panel of judges who evaluated their essays, letters of recommendations, and golf resume. Throughout the week, our three participants competed in the prestigious tournament, got to eat meals with the professional golfers, and were able to network with their peers and tournament golfers. The annual event was broadcast internationally on Golf Channel and took place September 19th – 21st.

In addition to our participating teens, our chapter organized a field trip and brought 30 FTSV teen participants to cheer on Alexis, Walton, and Brian. Thanks to the generous grant by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, our field trip teens rode to Monterey in style with a charter bus. While there, they enjoyed their time walking the course, watching the pro’s and supporting dedicated young First Tee players. They made sure to get autographs and soak in this unique experience.

Congratulations to all the athletes and thank you to the Monterey Peninsula Foundation for hosting First Tee – Silicon Valley!

Boulder Ridge Ladies Group Supports FTSV’s Girls Golf

(Boulder Ridge Ladies Group Supports FTSV’s Girls Golf – Published 10/03/25) Boulder Ridge Ladies Golf Club held its 4th Annual Member-Guest Tournament on September 26th. They celebrated with “Talk Birdie to Me” as their theme and chose First Tee – Silicon Valley’s Girls Golf program as the beneficiary. Varnika Arun, FTSV Participant, Junior Council member, and Junior Coach, spoke at the lunch program to share the impact FTSV has had on her self-confidence, and how she is driven to show other girls that they belong. Development Director, Judy Deaton was also in attendance and spoke to the ladies about getting involved as volunteer coaches so the girls have female role models and mentors. Speaking to the group, Varnika talked about her experiences at First Tee – Silicon Valley.

Thank you!

We would like to thank the very generous Presenting Sponsor: Hsing Family Foundation, Boulder Ridge Ladies Group Raffle Donors, and all the Hole Sponsors who donated a total of $10,000 directly to FTSV.

  • Hsing Family Foundation  
  • Jillian & Timothy Conroy
  • Applied Materials
  • Fields In Motion Physical Therapy  
  • Sobrato Charitable Fund
  • Meadow Outdoor Advertising
  • SBG
  • Material Motion  
  • Kelly Family
  • Mintz  
  • Colonial Life  
  • Ken’s Solar and Pool
  • The Wilshire Group
  • Fremont Fire Department  
  • HELO Energy  

Special thanks to Tournament Chair Candace Caballero and Co-Chair Jillian Conroy for her continued support!

First Tee – Silicon Valley’s Girls Golf Program is an opportunity to appreciate and enjoy the game of golf while empowering participants to feel confident, build self-esteem and make new friends in an all-girl environment. Girls Golf seasonal events are open to all FTSV Participants – click here for more info.

KRTY Writers Cup Benefits FTSV!

(KRTY Writers Cup Benefits FTSV! – Published 10/03/25) The 2nd Annual KRTY Writers Cup benefitted FTSV in a BIG WAY by raising $40K! 124 golfers, including 6 Nashville Songwriters, came out to Cinnabar Hills Golf Club on a cloudy Wednesday for a day of golf, guitars and giving back!

“We are very proud to be able to produce this event for the benefit of First Tee – Silicon Valley” said Nate Deaton, KRTY.com General Manager. “We are lucky to have 6 amazing songwriters with us this year, Trent Tomlinson, Luke Dick, Ben Williams, Casey Brown, Chris Bandi, and the last-minute entry, Matt Stell. One night at the end of last year, I mentioned to Cole Taylor that I had an idea to do a Charity Golf Event with Songwriters. He looked at me and said, we could call it the Writers Cup! And here we are.”

After a full day, players and sponsors were treated to dinner and a show. The songwriters told stories, played guitar, and sang some hit country songs. Smack dab in the middle, First Tee – Silicon Valley participant and junior coach, Adam Rosa, spoke about his experiences. Adam shared how FTSV helped him set his own goals and grow at his own pace instead of comparing himself to others, which gave him a new positive perspective about his self-worth and his accomplishments.

The KRTY Writers Cup raffle, live and silent auctions raised an astounding $40K for First Tee – Silicon Valley’s financial aid program. FTSV would like to thank the Writers Cup sponsors, players, and the staff at Legendary KRTY.COM for their support. Without such support, FTSV could not continue to help MORE Kids!

Writer’s Cup Results Recap:

Songwriter Trent Tomlinson’s Winning Team = Score 679

Tony Damore, Jeff Athens, Rigo Gutierrez, Justin Moles, Ben White, Geno Gingery, Robby Zipp, Shone Freeman, Hayden Freemen, Tom Holt, Kurt Klein, Mark Chiavetta, Lucas Chiavetta, Jeff Narduzzi, Sean Narduzzi, Cathy Smith, Tak Taoyama, Keven Want, Tomoaki Kumagai

Foursome Winners = Score 125

Justin Moles, Ben White, Geno Gingery, Robby Zipp

Putting Contest = Avery Cook

Closest to the Holes = Matt Leslie Lake #2, Matt Moore Lake #8, Adam Craig Mtn #2, Shelley Carr Mtn #8

If you have an upcoming tournament and would like to partner with and make First Tee – Silicon Valley the beneficiary, please click here.

We’ll see y’all next year!

KRTY Writers Cup Benefits FTSV – Photo Gallery