2024 Archives - Page 3 of 8 - First Tee

KRTY Writers Cup Benefits FTSV in a BIG WAY!

The 1^st Annual KRTY Writers Cup benefits FTSV in a BIG WAY by raising $40K! 140 golfers, including 6 Nashville Songwriters, came out to Cinnabar Hills Golf Club on a toasty Monday 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, Ray Fulcher, Casey Brown, Tyler Reeve, and of course, Cole Taylor. 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 in the sun, players and sponsors were treated to dinner and a show. The songwriters told stories and played and sang some hit country songs. Smack dab in the middle, First Tee – Silicon Valley participant and junior coach, Evan Santoso, spoke about his experiences.

Evan said, “When I think about the First Tee – Silicon Valley, I immediately think of the welcoming community of people that I’ve often thought of as my second family. At First Tee we actually have a term for this: it’s our Go-To Team. My Go-To Team has helped me so much to come out of my shell and grow as a person.” Evan also said that “…the volunteer coaches teach me the fundamentals of golf in a positive way, how to build my character, and how to develop important skills for life. So now I’ve become a volunteer coach myself because I want to give back by growing the game and seeing a new generation foster their own love of golf while learning invaluable life skills.”

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!

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!

Published: 10-11-2024

Fall National Opportunities

First Tee National opportunities are fantastic experiences for our participants. Attendees get to meet new people, create lasting memories, and challenge themselves in unique and interesting ways. Here are the opportunities happening this fall.

First Tee Drive Your Future Academy presented by John Deere

Participants Natalie Kiatsupaibul and Sophia Tang will be representing FTSV at the Drive Your Future Academy this year. Held in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, the DYFA is a female empowerment event recognizing young women who are motivated to influence positive impact at their chapters, schools and communities. The five-day academy experience focuses on the importance of (1) building a strong network and how to approach mentorship opportunities, (2) navigating post-graduation and career planning, and (3) appreciating the value/impact of volunteerism. Over the years, this has been an awesome event where our female participants meet other great FT participants and leaders from across the country, and build connections and networks that they can rely on into the future. Have fun Natalie and Sophia!

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First Tee Innovators Forum

Participant Dakota Chang is going to be attending the upcoming Innovators Forum, this year held at the First Tee National Network Summit in Phoenix, Arizona. First Tee Innovators Forum equips and empowers First Tee teens to develop a meaningful service project in their communities focused on education, health, human rights, or environmental sustainability. Selected participants have the opportunity to learn from industry leaders through interactive workshops and small group breakout sessions. By bringing together passionate participants from across the chapter network, First Tee Innovators Forum provides a distinctive enrichment experience, engaging teens who share a similar desire for learning and generating changes in their communities. Dakota has been a stand out participant and volunteer for many years. We have no doubt that she will positively represent our chapter at this national First Tee event.

The Power of Opportunity

When FTSV participants attend National Opportunities, they meet participants, coaches and mentors from across the country. Through collaboration and teamwork, First Tee teens make lasting friendships, learn more about their strengths, and push themselves to be their best selves. These opportunities are available to those who have demonstrated their ability to go above and beyond in the program, and who continue to become involved in the many different sessions FTSV has to offer. Most of the opportunities occur during the summer, so applications are due in the spring. If you would like to learn more about applying for National Opportunities, please reach out to Coach Phoenix ([email protected]) or visit our website.

Published: 10-11-2024

Coach Spotlight: John Spadafore

Coach Spotlight: John Spadafore has been involved with First Tee – Silicon Valley since 2009 when he started as a participant. He took classes through 2014, began volunteering as a coach, and then quickly transitioned into paid instructor. Because of his experience as a child in the program, Coach John has a personal connection with the curriculum. It makes what he does as a coach just that much more special.

“As a former participant, it feels like I get to give back what I was taught, just like coaches did for me years ago. Specifically, a lesson that really stuck with me was about dealing with conflicts. Instead of a “I am always right” mentality, First Tee coaches taught me how to work with others to resolve an issue and find win – win solutions using the CARE* model.”

*CARE = Communicate, Actively Listen, Review Options, End with a Win-Win

One of the most special parts of First Tee is the collaboration that happens on all levels of the program. From kids supporting one another to coaches working together to come up with new and fun ways to deliver class, this entire program is built on collaboration and teamwork. For Coach John, the community of First Tee coaches is one of the main reasons that he wants to come back season after season.

“FTSV has developed a really good community of people, including the coaches, volunteers and full-time staff. The people are what makes you want to keep coming back. I get to work alongside people who really care about what we do and mentoring kids, and it makes even the challenging days fun and rewarding.”

Thank you so much to Coach John for everything he has done for First Tee – Silicon Valley! We truly are lucky to have him.

If you are interested in joining our coaching staff, working as a mentor and making a difference in your community, please visit our website to learn more, or fill out this form to get started. No golf experience necessary, everyone has life experience! Hope to see you out on the course.

Published: 10-11-2024

FTSV Winter Season – Register on November 6th

Registration for our winter season opens here on Wednesday, November 6^th at 11am and closes on Thursday, November 14th at 11:59pm. The 8-week winter season begins the week of December 3^rd and ends February 8^th with no classes December 24^th through January 4th. Register on November 6^th and take part in engaging and fun life skill and golf skill classes at either Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course in San Jose, Baylands Golf Links in Palo Alto, or Gavilan College Golf Course in Gilroy.

The winter schedule is now posted here. See you at the course!

Classes are grouped by grade group, so invite a friend for a winter class together!

Financial aid is available. We make our programs accessible to youth of different backgrounds and perspectives and affordable to families experiencing financial hardship.

Collaborating with Others

Each week our participants experience one of our 6 Life Skills and 6 Golf Cues. Our life skills cover showing respect, pursuing goals, making good choices, building a positive self-identity, overcoming challenges, and collaborating with others. Our classes consist of group classes (and range from 5 participants to 16 participants) because we believe in the power of working together, and in the positive benefits that come from building a supportive group and peer environment.

Within our Collaborating with Others life skill our participants learn to be aware of how others are feeling, to ask questions and actively listen in order understand others, to see differences as a value, and to seek win-win solutions during conflicts. All of these are important for navigating social situations, and for building effective people skills eventually needed in life and the work.

Over 97% of our surveyed class participants said they felt part of the group. We believe that is in part because of the environment our coaches help provide, but also because of the participants and how they treat each other.

We look forward to having returning and new participants team up and join us for the upcoming winter season. We encourage youth 2^nd grade up to 12^th grade to join our program and ask that you help spread the word. For more information click here. Click here to view our program video and learn more from our participants, parents, and coaches!

Published: 10-11-2024

FTSV Trainings for Instructors and Volunteer Coaches

FTSV recently completed our quarterly, off-season coach trainings for First Tee – Silicon Valley Instructors and Volunteer Coaches. The trainings are tailored to facilitate growth in our coaches and expand on their coaching techniques. Thank you to the 23 paid coaches who attended the instructor training and the 55 volunteer coaches who attended the mentor training.

First Tee has 4 coaching building blocks

Empowering Youth, Mastery Driven, Activity Based, and Continuous Learning – that coaches around the country are exposed to through national trainings. At our local Instructor training we dive into the details of those building blocks and build upon our coaching techniques that are based on research and partnerships with established organizations like Positive Coaching Alliance and The Search Institute.

Our mentor training, held later in the day, provided our volunteers with specific coach framework that is rooted in the Activity-Based coach building block and provides coaching tips for each section of our classes. At the conclusion of this particular mentor training, we celebrated one of our volunteer coaches, Norah Yang, for her win at the First Tee National Championship this past summer.

Coaching is an ongoing journey of self-exploration and personal development, which is why we ask our coaches to attend all 4 coach trainings each year. It is also why we consistently identify and incorporate fresh and proven coaching tips that reinforce our coach approach and curriculum into each training.

FTSV coaches are the backbone of our program. They are the mentors that guide our participants and help them feel welcomed. We want them to always be learning and feel empowered to help others. Hopefully our trainings are accomplishing that goal. From everyone in the FTSV office, thank you very much to all our amazing coaches!

To find out more about how to be a FTSV Coach, please click here.

Instructor Training

Mentor Training

Published: 09-12-2024

FTSV Awarded PGA TOUR Superstore $31K Grant

As part of First Tee National’s partnership with PGA TOUR Superstores, First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV) was awarded a $31K Grant – $16,000 in support of our upcoming teen retention initiatives and $15,000 in support of our DE&I initiatives.

FTSV Teen Retention Initiatives

Our greatest teen recruitment challenge is teens’ lack awareness that golf is an option. Teens stop exploring new sports at this age and if they do explore, sadly golf is not always seen as “cool.”

FTSV believes strongly in and is committed to longitudinal mentoring and character development. The longer that we have to walk alongside kids, the broader and deeper their personal growth. Forming high quality developmental relationships with our experienced coaches is the most important element in the transfer of life skills to teen participants. We strive to maximize mentoring time (e.g., purposeful Q&A with participants about a class’s lessons and life skills) and minimize the “noise” of so many moving parts required to conduct quality programming. We draw from Positive Coaching Alliance and The Search Institute to deliver coach training that equips our staff with proven and effective relationship-building strategies.

The PGATSS $16K grant will support the coaching required for our existing and expanding teen initiatives. More specifically, this grant ensures experienced program coordination, which includes coaching delivery that is essential to maintain and improve our teen support.

FTSV DE&I Retention Initiatives

Our programs are accessible to youth of different backgrounds and perspectives and affordable to families experiencing financial hardship. Appreciating diversity, respect, integrity, active listening, and empathy are at the core of what we teach the youth we serve.

FTSV’s greatest challenge in reaching underserved/underrepresented youth is convincing parents that golf, in general, and our program, in particular, are a good opportunity and an affordable option for their kids and teens. A disproportionate percentage of the low-income youth in our service area are Latino. Many parents speak only Spanish and most believe that golf is too expensive and unwelcoming.

To overcome this challenge, FTSV intentionally partners with Title 1 schools near our on-course golf locations, which are located in lower income areas. Our School Program equips educators to successfully deliver FTSV’s curriculum of life skills through golf. It includes equipment on loan, training, support, coordination and a field trip to FTSV course locations. In addition, FTSV staff collaborates with the schools to attend on-site parent information and community events, where we can promote transition opportunities to our on-course golf program and connect with parents. Our staff uses this opportunity to break down stereotypes of golf, connect with parents, and provide information on the life skills curriculum, scholarships and future opportunities afforded to FTSV participants.

The PGATSS $15K grant will underwrite annual school partner fees for a total of 8 Title 1 Schools to ensure we are reaching underserved youth with the goal of transitioning them to our on-course program utilizing our financial aid program.

FTSV is very grateful that PGA TOUR Superstores chose our chapter to be a recipient of their generous grants to further these important initiatives.

Published: 09-12-2024

FTSV Annual Chapter Championship

On August 24^th 2024, First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV) hosted its highly anticipated annual Chapter Championship at the scenic Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course. The 9-hole tournament brought together 36 enthusiastic participants in an individual stroke format, each competing according to their respective skill levels.

This annual event holds significant value for our students, offering a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the competitive world of golf. For our younger players, it’s a chance to experience the nuances of tournament play, including understanding golf rules and managing their pace of play. These experiences are crucial as they lay the groundwork for future competition.

For our more seasoned participants, the tournament provides a platform to test their skills against other highly skilled players. The format of the event, which is intentionally designed to be low-pressure, helps players of all ages practice good judgment, set realistic expectations, and manage their emotions under competitive conditions.

The highlight of the day happened right from the start! On the very first swing, James Carlo Vergara from grades 5-6 stepped up to Hole #1 for our closest-to-the-pin contest and delivered an unbelievable hole-in-one!

The Chapter Championship is not just about honing technical skills; it’s also about fostering personal growth and confidence. Participants are encouraged to build relationships with fellow players they might not have met before, thereby creating new bonds and learning from one another. This aspect of the tournament is integral to our mission of using golf as a vehicle for personal development and community building.

Overall, the Chapter Championship was a resounding success, offering valuable lessons and experiences to all who participated. We look forward to seeing our students continue to grow and apply the skills they’ve learned as they advance in their golfing journeys.

While score is absolutely not the most important thing, it is good to celebrate the winners of this event to recognize all of the effort they have been putting in working to develop their golf skills.

Grades 5-6

1^st Place – James Carlo Vergara
2^nd Place – Damien Gutierrez
3^rd Place – Wyatt Doiguchi

Grades 7-8

1^st Place – Suri Lau
2^nd Place – Jesse Jang
3^rd Place – Ben Hughes

Grades 9-12

1^st Place – Joey Jang
2^nd Place – Tristan Hipolito/Evan Santoso
3^rd Place – Ian Choe

Longest Drive Winners:

Grades 5-6 – James Carlo Vergara
Grades 7-8 – Suri Lau
Grades 9-12 – Joey Jang

Closest-to-Pin Winners:

Grades 5-6 – James Carlo Vergara
Grades 7-8 – Suri Lau
Grades 9-12 – Evan Santoso

For information about these tournaments and more, visit Our Opportunities page or contact Tanner Riley – [email protected].

Published: 09-11-2024

FTSV Summer Games Tournament

Rancho del Pueblo was filled with energy and excitement this summer as it hosted its first ever FTSV Summer Games Tournament, featuring a creative spin on Olympic-themed events across the scenic course’s Holes #3 to #7. Competitors of all ages came together for a day filled with unique challenges and friendly competition.

Here’s a recap of the unforgettable day:

The tournament kicked off with a twist on a classic sport. Hole #3 was transformed into soccer Golf, where participants traded their clubs for soccer balls. (Rancho’s design includes FootGolf with its own greens and larger holes adjacent to the traditional greens.) The goal was to kick the ball into the hole with as few attempts as possible. The strategy involved careful control and precision, with competitors learning quickly that a well-placed kick could make all the difference.

At Hole #4, it was all about raw power and technique. This traditional golf hole was the setting for the Longest Drive competition. Players took their best swings, aiming to send the ball soaring as far as possible. The event showcased some incredible drives, with participants using every ounce of skill to gain those extra few yards. We had a winner from each level. Congratulations to Yoodahm Ko from grades 2-4, and Victor Kotlyar from grades 5-6.

Hole #5 brought a new level of creativity with the Javelin Throw event. Instead of traditional javelins, participants used a specially designed launcher to hurl a tennis ball onto the green. The objective was to land the ball as close to the hole as possible. Contestants displayed a range of techniques and strategies, from aiming high to maximizing distance.

Hole #6 was a test of versatility and skill in the One Club Challenge. Competitors were required to complete the hole using only one golf club of their choice. The challenge forced players to think strategically about club selection and shot execution. Some opted for irons, while others chose drivers for a more aggressive approach.

The final event at Hole #7 was perhaps the most unique: the Archery Shot. Here, participants took their tee shots with a foam-tipped bow & arrow. The unusual setup added an extra layer of challenge, requiring steady hands and keen focus. Players had to balance the intricacies of archery with the precision of golf, aiming to hit the fairway or green with a well-placed shot.

The Summer Games Tournament at Rancho del Pueblo was a resounding success, blending traditional golf with imaginative Olympic-themed events. Each hole offered a distinctive challenge, pushing competitors to adapt and showcase a wide range of skills. The camaraderie among participants made the event an even more memorable occasion.

Congratulations to all our participants for making this such a wonderful tournament! And congratulations to all of our winners!

1^st Place (Gold Medal) – Yoli Lin and Alanna Grigsby

2^nd Place (Silver Medal) – Odin Lopez and Yoodahm Ko

3^rd Place (Bronze Medal) – Yao Yan, Kai Brunner / Yuan Lin, Landon Fang

Next Tournament will be November 9, 2025. For information about these tournaments and more, visit Our Opportunities page or contact Tanner Riley – [email protected].

Published: 09-11-2024

Girls Golf Summer Play Day

Girls Golf Summer Play Day – a day of fun and friendship on the green! What a fantastic day we had at our Summer 2024 Girls Golf event! We kicked off the morning with some essential range practice, where everyone had the chance to sharpen their skills before diving into the day’s activities. To break the ice and set a positive tone, we engaged in some fun icebreakers, helping everyone get comfortable and excited for the day ahead.

Our first highlight was capturing a fantastic group picture—an essential keepsake to remember this special day. With smiles all around, the girls were then divided into groups and set off to tackle the uniquely themed golf holes.

Each hole on the 4-hole course (i.e., Holes #1, #2, #8 & #9) presented a new and quirky challenge. One-hole featured beach balls where the participants had to chip over them, adding a playful twist to the game. Another hole was creatively designed with noodles as seaweed obstacles, making the experience both entertaining and memorable. Our goal was to make each hole engaging and different, ensuring that the day was full of surprises and laughter.

After making their way through all four holes, the girls returned to the patio area where arts and crafts awaited them. This creative segment provided a perfect opportunity for the girls to relax and bond with each other while expressing their artistic talents.

Overall, Girls Golf Summer Play Day was a tremendous success

Coach Gracie said, “It was heartwarming to see the girls interacting, laughing, and getting to know each other better.” The energy and enthusiasm were infectious, and the smiles on everyone’s faces said it all. We couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable day and can’t wait for our next Girls Golf event. Until then, keep swinging and smiling!

Thank you to Coach Gracie and all of our volunteer coaches for making this Girls Golf Event so memorable!

Next Girls Golf will be November 9, 2024. For information about these tournaments and more, visit Our Opportunities page or contact Manny Gallardo – [email protected].

Published: 09-11-2024

Growing FTSV with Community Day

( FTSV Community Day – August 10, 2024) – One of the major components that helps our organization grow is the community that we all share and enjoy. First Tee – Silicon Valley has been developing relationships all over the Alum Rock District, greater San Jose, and Silicon Valley to not only help our organization reach new heights, but also to have the impact with those we work with and for – our kids and teens.

As a way to celebrate those relationships and in an effort to build new ones, we hosted a Community Day this past Saturday, August 10^th, at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course. This event was meant to both introduce new families to our program, and help build a sense of welcome at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course.

FTSV Classes on display at Community Day

We were able to host families and show them what our classes are like, having them go through a format of what our Practice Class does. We started on the practice range where Coaches Phoenix and Michael led a fun target game where pairs of participants faced off against each other. This was followed by Coach Manny’s Hungry Hippo’s Chipping Game where the kids beat their parents. The day ended with a 9-hole game of Mission ImPuttable led by Coach Tanner, who showed participants how to properly keep track of their score as a duo on a score card. In all three games families learned and experienced different ways to show respect to others, themselves, and their surroundings. Respect is a core Life Skill that all grade groups in our program learn and practice.

We would like to thank the families who showed up to this event and made it such a fun event. Once again, we would not be where we are today without the help and support from the wonderful people in the San Jose community.

Interested in joining a class, Registration for the Fall 2024 is now open! Fall too busy for you? FTSV runs year-round. LEARN MORE