In this month’s spotlight, we are highlighting participant Nico Hernandez, a rising sophomore at Gunn High School in Palo Alto. He was first introduced to First Tee – Silicon Valley by a family friend as early as a kindergartener. Nico is now inspiring a whole new generation of young golfers as a volunteer coach.
Grateful for all that FTSV has done for him, Nico takes pleasure in giving back to the First Tee community, arriving early to help set up for the day’s activities, and staying late for tear down. Nico says, “I’m super passionate about doing whatever I can for our participants because I’ve been there myself. My goal is to become a future generation leader and understand anything they’re going through because I’ve experienced the same thing from my own time as a participant.”
Going beyond the golf course
Nico’s enthusiasm and dedication extends beyond the golf course. He excels in a variety of pursuits, putting the skills of setting and achieving goals that he’s learned from First Tee to work. 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, 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.”
No matter if it’s academics, social interactions, or golf, Nico feels confident to tackle any challenge. His positive attitude and mindful approach to his activities has helped him and the people he’s around to flourish. FTSV looks forward to hearing about your future achievements, Nico!
Nico is a shining example of the kinds of participants and junior coaches that FTSV has in the program.
Be a participant, coach, or mentor like Nico!
Registration for our Summer session opens on Wednesday, May 15th. Please visit the website to learn more about how to register and how to apply as a volunteer coach.
This story was written by a member of the FTSV Junior Council. Please email [email protected] if you are interested in learning more about our FTSV Junior Council.
Published: 05-03-2024