Category: Type

First Tee – Silicon Valley hosted our annual Chapter Championship tournament at Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course on May 22nd. Twenty-seven participants competed in an individual stroke format playing against their respective skill level. The Chapter tournament is a valuable event for our students.  Our younger-level participants are able to experience tournament play, golf rules, and pace of play while our older participants experience competition from other highly skilled players. Our low-pressure tournaments are a great stepping stone for students to learn to use good judgment, set expectations, and how to manage emotions.  We hope our tournaments help our participants to build more confidence in understanding tournament play and how you can create new bonds with players They’ve never met before. “I had a great time at the tournament especially with my group being more experienced tournament-wise. It was great seeing how they played the game and also just socializing in general. The simplistic way my partners played helped me relax and enjoy the time more.” – Joshua J.  Ace level participant. The event concluded with a raffle and the announcement of our tournament winners.  Congrats to the following winners of each level! Ace: Norah Yang Eagle: Joey Jang Birdie: BenjaminTorrelio-Bachofer Par: Andrew Leong Congratulations to all of our participants for competing in our individual format with courtesy, integrity, and great judgment!

FTSV moved at the end of April thanks to a very generous donation from Swenson for our Operations office. We are now in a larger space with more storage. Our good friends at Moreno & Associates cleaned the space and even moved us as a gift to FTSV. Also, the location is centrally-located along Hwy 280 between Hwy 87 and 880. We love it! Case Swenson and Ernesto Moreno have been long-time supporters of FTSV. They both go back to FTSV’s and Rancho del Pueblo’s roots in about 1999 when FTSV began as the Eagles at Rancho Junior Golf Program. Our operations/shipping address is: 1401 Parkmoor Avenue – Suite 125 San Jose, CA 95126 Tue-Fri from 10am-5pm    Our billing/mailing address is: 2797 Park Avenue – Suite 207 Santa Clara, CA 95050 No visitors please You may have also noticed recently that FTSV switched to a Verizon OneTalk telephone system. Our main telephone number is now 408-508-4880, from which callers may select options to be connected directly to a member of our core staff. You may also dial our direct telephone numbers. View all of our FTSV locations (including golf courses for classes) on our web site.          

Have you ever felt in control or in the zone? In sports, music, work, or school we all experience a time where our mind and muscles are in sync. Many athletes tell stories of when they felt in complete control and performing becomes effortless. The stories include feeling a mixture of calmness, positivity, and confidence. The question is, do we get calmer and more confident when we perform well, or do we perform well because we have confidence? This varies for everyone, but the great athletes are able to manufacture confidence. The late Kobe Bryant (professional basketball player) used to say, “If I missed 13 in a row, then there is no way I was going to miss 14. I am due.” When he was performing well would say, “If I made 10 in a row then I was for sure going to make the 11^th.” Either way, his confidence remained constant as that gave his muscles the best chance to succeed. In golf, manufacturing confidence and peace of mind is tricky because we have so much time to think between shots. Golf is a demanding sport that requires precision and, as Dr. Bob Rotella puts it, the ability to “get out of your own way.” He believes we all have the ability to be good putters, but we get in our own way through negative thoughts, or by overthinking. He says, “If we can toss a tennis ball to someone, then we can be a good putter.” We just need to trust ourselves and have confidence in our process. Afterall, one of his books is titled “Golf is a Game of Confidence.” The obvious step towards developing confidence is to practice, to build muscle memory that can be relied upon when it matters most and when our brain interprets pressure and feelings and our thoughts become more active. When one performs an action the proprioceptors in your muscles and tendons send information to your brain. The brain uses this information to send input back to your muscles. This process repeats establishing muscle memory and adapting to the challenge at hand. Our brain is our greatest strength, but it can also be our weakness. If our brain is not in the right frame of mind – calm, confident, and quiet – then the signals between mind and muscle get interrupted. Emotional wellness is every bit as important to a golfer as a practice swing and it requires practice just like our swing. At FTSV, we practice emotional wellness techniques in our first level (PLAYer) when we introduce the core values Perseverance and Confidence, then in our second level we build on mental exercises with our 3 Tips for Having Fun (Patience, Positive, Ask for Help) and the 4 R’s (Replay, Relax, Ready, Redo). Lastly, our Eagle players (4^th level) explore the connection between mind, emotional state, and body through the lesson, Healthy Body, Mind, and Heart. Our participants are learning that they might not be able to have complete control where their golf ball goes, but they can work to manage their mind and emotions. In the big picture of life, that is winning. To join our program and learn emotional wellness techniques please visit our Youth Classes page. Registration for Summer opened Wednesday, May 12^th, and registration for the Fall opens Wednesday, August 11th at 10am.

First Tee – Silicon was one of 10 chapters selected for an exciting new grant. The Teen Innovation and Retention Grant will help First Tee chapters in PGA TOUR Superstore markets focus on the retention during the critical teenage years. First Tee is thankful for the support of PGA TOUR Superstore and together we will build experiences that build character to empower kids through a lifetime of challenges. PGA TOUR Superstore and The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation have supported First Tee for more than a decade, helping First Tee grow from reaching 260,000 kids in PGA TOUR Superstore markets in 2011 to more than 1.5 million young people in 2019. The $25,000 grant will support our existing initiatives and allow us to expand upon them, including:

• Participant Advisory Committee – form a teen leadership committee which provides input for our staff and Board to create more engagement, interaction and commitment
• Birdie/Eagle STEM – purchase STEM demonstration related gadgets/products for our developmentally appropriate STEM class curriculum which uses golf activities as a way for our teen participants to explore how science, technology, engineering, and math connect to and impact our Nine Golf Fundamentals. STEM classes are set to a problem-solving framework which fosters critical thinking and a deeper understanding of golf while inspiring STEM careers.
• New Technologies – Purchase carts and other equipment to begin using two Telepresence (TP) Units donated by Cisco.These technologies will first be used in teens classes, including STEM. The TP Units are a combo of “Zoom and iPad” for advanced coaching.
• Golf Treks – provide unique opportunities for teen participants to play golf with donors and Board members, including quarterly Board Outings to create more engagement and interaction. Our goal will be to match up teen participants with adults working in fields they are interested in to provide career development and mentoring exchanges.
• Coaching – increase instruction ratio in all existing teen classes and fund the expansion of an additional teen class to ensure that we attract/retain teen participants by offering a higher level of mentoring to prepare them to become candidates for First Tee opportunities, including PGATSS Leadership Series.

FTSV’s teen program is a safe haven that provides structure, direction and intentional mentorship addressing the epidemic of high school dropout rates, aggressive antisocial behaviors and childhood obesity. We fill the opportunity gap and provide inclusion for all teens experiencing challenges associated with poverty and ethnicity in a region with the nation’s second most diverse area. Learn more about getting your teen involved in our program.

Borina & Sophie will showcase golf skills among 48 other teens from across the First Tee network at The Walker Course at Clemson University on June 20-25. Borina Sutikto and Sophie Thai of First Tee – Silicon Valley will compete in the upcoming First Tee National Championship at Clemson University on June 20-25, 2021.  Borinia attends Connecting Waters Charter School and has Rancho Del Pueblo as her home course where she practices, takes lessons and works. Sophie attends Los Altos High School and plays out of numerous public courses including Baylands Golf Links. The first-ever event with a total of 48 players will bring together First Tee’s elite golfers for an opportunity to showcase how the program has helped build the strength of character needed to play at the collegiate or next level. The tournament was postponed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Borina will be attending Santa Clara University in the Fall and has an offer/scholarship to play on their golf team. She has earned national recognition as a golfer. In 2019, she was named the JGANC Female Player of the Year and Scoring Champion. She has been in our program for over 9 years and has contributed over 170 hours as a volunteer coach for FTSV all while receiving 4 Associate Degrees from San Jose City College. Sophie finished her junior year at Los Altos High where she achieved first team all-league golf honors. She is a highly ranked golfer, is a 2-time Girls Championship flight winner and has logged 3 top 3 finishes in AJGA tournaments which is the top junior golf tour in the nation. She has been in our program for 9 years and has made it to our Ace level. She is an active advocate of our chapter having presented in our fundraisers and in our board meetings. In school she is the Vice President of the National Honor Society. While COVID protocols will be in effect, the 54-hole event will take place and the winners of each girls’ and boys’ divisions will be awarded with the Tattersall Cup and also will earn an exemption into the PGA TOUR Champions’ PURE Insurance Championship Impacting the First Tee held at Pebble Beach Golf Links September 21-26, 2021. “We are proud to see Borina and Sophie from our area compete in this inaugural event, which will provide them with a college level experience on and off the course” said George Maxe, President & CEO of FTSV.  “Borina and Sophie has been part of our chapter for 9 years. They lead by example and we are delighted to see their growth over the years in character development as well as in level of play.” First Tee National Championship will be held annually at various college campuses around the nation providing First Tee participants the opportunity to network with others from across the country and take in the college experience. Clemson University’s The Walker Course is set to host the inaugural Championship. During the week, Borinia and Sophie will have the opportunity to hear from PGA Head Golf Professional Steve Scott on how his values intersected with his experience of finishing Runner-Up to Tiger Woods in the 1996 U.S. Amateur Championship. The field includes 24 boys and 24 girls, ages 14-19, who were selected based on their golf skill, competitive golf experience and handicap. Players will come from 32 First Tee chapters across the country. First Tee – Silicon Valley is a youth development organization dedicated to helping young people learn life skills and build character through the game of golf. First Tee National Championship is one of more than 10 national opportunities provided by First Tee headquarters to empower and motivate teens as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities. For more information on First Tee – Silicon Valley, visit www.firstteesiliconvalley.org.  For more information on the tournament and First Tee, visit http://www.firsttee.org/.

FTSV opened registration May 12^th for the Summer Season. Over 300 participants have already registered for the Summer which is already the highest number we have been able to have since COVID 19. The PLAYer level (first level) classes at Rancho Del Pueblo and Baylands Golf Courses are full, but there are still PLAYer level spaces available at Gavilan Golf Course in Gilroy and space for our Par, Birdie, Eagle, and Ace levels at all three golf courses. Register now before they fill up. The summer season will begin June 8^th and end August 7^th. Our team is looking forward to the summer. We are committed towards delivering a program that delivers core life lessons and golf fundamentals, but also creates a space for participants to develop social skills and build tools for social and emotional wellness. Even though golf is mostly an individual sport, it provides opportunities to build relationships, network, and socialize. When playing on the golf course, we get paired with other golfers and get to spend hours on the golf course together. What better way to develop interpersonal skills than on the golf course playing a game with other people? In our class participants practice sportsmanship, compete, and bond over our games and activities on the practice areas and on the golf course. Even though we cannot shake hands like we used to, we still encourage asking open-ended questions to one another. In a time where social interaction has been hindered, we all could use a friendly group setting where we can have fun together and make new friends. To learn more about our group classes and register please visit our youth classes page or call 408-508-4880.

First Tee – Silicon Valley is excited to announce the return of the Open Scramble Golf Tournament on Friday, June 11^th at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club with a 12pm Shotgun. Registration for foursomes, twosomes and sponsors is available now. The Open is our largest fundraiser tournament so we are pleased to resume it after having to take a year off due to the pandemic. Gather your clients, co-works and friends for a great day of golf and camaraderie for a great cause. Proceeds will help us impact the lives of youth by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. We believe that all kids deserve the change to grow in a supportive environment with mentors guiding them. We are dedicated to building programs that are accessible, welcoming and as impactful as they are fun. There are various ways to support the Open: $20,000 Presenting Sponsor (Registration & Raffle) – co-branded logo on website, socials, newsletters, flyers, signage; full page ad in program plus three foursomes $10,000 Hosting Sponsor (choice of Lunch, Snacks, Beverage) signage on 3 holes, logo on website, newsletter and program plus two foursomes $5,000 Contributing Sponsor – signage on 2 premium contest holes, program logo plus one foursome $2000 Foursome or $1000 Twosome Sponsor – 18-holes golf, individual cart, boxed lunch, tee prizes, on-course beverages and snacks, contests, 10 raffle tickets per player $1000 Hole Sponsor – signage on one hole and program listing Please contact our Development Director, Judy Dixon Deaton 408-508-4881 – [email protected] for additional customized sponsorship or underwriting opportunities. All CA and golf course health and safety protocols will be followed. There will be no large dinner awards gathering post tournament. All donations will be collected in advance to create a low contact event.

How do you approach helping others? How do you know when others want or need help? What does it mean to be a leader? These are all questions that the participants get asked through their time in First Tee – Silicon Valley. As participants progress through the program, they learn lessons which reinforce courtesy, build a process for making informed decisions, develop collaborative communication skills, and encourage the practice of learning through listening and asking questions. One of the sincerest forms of respect is actually listening to what another person has to say. Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, empathy over ego, and others over self. ALR (Ask, Listen, Respond) is a core lesson taught in the Par level which teaches the importance of listening. It is a communication tool that encourages asking open-ended questions with the intent of fully understanding. To be successful with a conversation one must let the “A” and “L” drive the responses, and from a coach’s perspective, drive the advice that is given. Being a leader and showing up for others does not necessarily mean telling people what to do, but instead it is knowing when to listen and how to ask questions. We are fortunate to have around 45% of our volunteer coaches come from our program and want to give back as a coach/mentor. Our junior coaches and alumni are able to use the tools they learned to make an impact, but as activist and author Marge Piercy says, “if you want to be listened to, you should put in time listening.” Showing up for others includes more than coaching and giving back, it can be demonstrated by anyone with the willingness to build a connection, be a teammate, and make a friend. Over 74% of participants in our most recent survey said they made friends and 89% felt part of the group. We can show up for others and help them show up for others by continuing to work towards an environment where everyone feels encouraged to support one another and be part of the group. Join our team to “show up for others” by visiting our volunteer page, or sign up for our program to build the skill set necessary to be there for others.

Caddy Club Members are essential to creating a sense of community support to further the mission of FTSV. Here’s a big shout out to the 230 individuals supporting us as monthly or one-time donors in our 2021 Caddy Club Donor Appreciation Program. One of the benefits of membership is the Caddy Club Majors competition which kicked off today with the Masters – the first of the 4 Major tournaments in addition to the PGA Championship (May 17-23), US Open (June 14-20) and Open Championship (July 12-18). Members can join at any time. Caddy Club Appreciation Program also includes these benefits:

• Welcome token to proudly display at home or work showing your support
• Invitation to participate in our fun Caddy Club Majors competition
• Invitation to attend our quarterly Open Houses
• Invitation to play with participants in our quarterly participant Tournaments
• Invitation to our Caddy Club Champions gathering

Supporter help our participants navigate on and off the golf course. Each individual who commits to a $20+ monthly gift for at least 12 months (or $250+ one-time annual gift) will immediately become part of our Caddy Club and receive special thank yous and invitations to our donor appreciation events. Every $250 cumulative donation you make allows us to offer financial aid to a new under-served, at-risk participant to attend an 8-week class. We need your support to sustain our financial assistance, programs and staff during these challenging times to continue helping all participants regardless of background be the best versions of themselves and have the best shot at success.    

Meet Coach Matt. He has been a staple at First Tee – Silicon Valley for 9 years and played an integral role in making the program what it is today. He thrived in his roles within the organization starting as a volunteer coach and excelling as a Program Instructor, Program Coordinator, and Program Manager. “First Tee means family, growth, and happiness to me,” says Coach Matt. “FTSV has introduced me to wonderful people and helped me form indispensable relationships. The endless fulfilling path of coaching tools, philosophies, and conversations have helped better the lives of my students and myself! It is rewarding see these principles applied to help others experience success and joy. FTSV has helped me become a better person and spread blessings to other people.” “Matt’s shining quality is he cares about others,” says Program Director, Chris Moreno-Hunt. “Anyone who has taken his class, chatted with him, or worked with him feels his passion for teaching and empowering everyone to be better versions of themselves. He sees the good in everyone and his infectious positivity and drive to make a difference is, to quote him, truly ‘inspirational.’” Matt is a talented coach who has dedicated much of his time to teaching and building ideal learning environments. In his time with FTSV he played an instrumental role in helping our participants get accepted to national opportunities and scholarships. Additionally, he helped shape our program, and positively impacted thousands of individuals, from participants to parents, volunteers to lead instructors, and office staff to our Board. The world is a better place with Matt in it. We are grateful he is with us and continuing to positively impact the youth in our community. To join our team of coaches like Matt please contact us by filling out this form or contact us at 408-508-4880, [email protected].