In August, two awesome FTSV participants traveled to Emigrant, Montana to take part in this year’s First Tee Leadership Summit in partnership with PGA Tour Superstore. Kids from across the country were selected to attend this fun event, participating in team building activities, growing through challenges via positive risk taking, and developing positive self-identity. Over the course of the week, these participants learned important things about themselves and others all while creating long lasting relationships and memories. Thank you, PGA TOUR Superstore, for this event!
Participants Natalie Chen and Alexandra Varo represented FTSV at the Leadership Summit, attending different weeks.
Throughout each week, both participates took part in activities such as a ropes course, horseback riding and white-water rafting as well as different self-reflective activities and hearing from different inspirational speakers. Both had really positive experiences during their trip, and both participants feel that they grew as people while there.
When asked which activity stood out the most, Natalie reflected on her time white-water rafting. “One moment that was special was the white-water rafting. Everyone was jumping in the water and I hesitated because I didn’t want to get my clothes wet. Everyone reassured me that it would be okay, and I had so many people committed to making sure I was safe. I ended up jumping in! It really helped me to connect and bond with these other people and it gave me confidence.”
“Before Montana, I was more reserved, especially for physical activities. After this trip, I am willing to take bigger risks, and I believe that will help with my leadership skills. Being a good leader and being able to direct a team to success depend on taking those risks. Just going for it and having the mindset that you can succeed is really important.”
Participant Alexandra Varo also had a transformational experience in Montana. From horseback riding to golfing with new friends to attending a fun dance night with a live band, Alexandra made memories while exploring about her own natural leadership abilities. For her, the experience that was most impactful was the partner rope ladder. She and another participant had to navigate a tall rope ladder all while being tied together, forcing them to focus on their trust and communication in a situation where anxiety can build quickly. By pushing through the scary heights, they were both able to succeed and make it to the top.
At the end of the trip, Alexandra and the rest of the participants spent time reflecting on how the week was and what they learned. She spoke in front of the group about how she had changed over the course of the week. Alexandra said, “I’m usually not confident in my own decisions. This week, however, I made a lot of my own choices. It taught me more about being independent, to think about my opinion first instead of asking someone else… I want to take on more leadership roles when I get to college next year. I was talking with someone about how my new school doesn’t have a track club, and how I could start my own. I have a new perspective about how important it is to be a leader sometimes, and how not to let anything, especially yourself, hold you back.”
National Opportunities
These sorts of national opportunities provide FTSV participants to expand on the lessons they are learning in the program, and to push themselves to grow in ways they never would have expected. Not only are trips such as this Leadership Summit super fun, they are transformational, personal growth experiences that have lasting impressions. If you would like to learn more about the available National Opportunities, please visit our website, or reach out to Coach Phoenix ([email protected]).
Published: 09-13-2024