First Tee is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month, and over the years, it’s helped produce no shortage of game changers.
One example is Marcus Freeman from First Tee – Greater Charlotte. He says the organization has helped him grow as a golfer and person.
“Being a part of this community has helped me get through hard times. First Tee – Greater Charlotte was a safe place for me in 2020. During this time my grandfather was going through end stage pancreatic cancer and my family, like the world, was navigating COVID-19 and social distancing,” he says.
The support he received from First Tee inspired Freeman to pay it forward.
He completed more than 300 hours of volunteer work for First Tee in 2021. He collected more than 500 books for a First Tee book drive, and he’s a member of the chapter’s participant advisory council. Freeman has also volunteered for his swim team and tutored students in Japanese.
“An aspect of volunteer work that I enjoy is seeing the impact that giving to others can have,” he says.
Freeman is one of 28 First Tee participants from across the country who’ll attend Innovators Forum this November in Dallas. The workshop empowers First Tee teens to develop a meaningful service project in their community focused on education, health or sustainability. Eight participants will be awarded scholarships totaling $32,000 after the event.
A junior at Palisades High School, Freeman is an accomplished violinist, and he won a medal for performing Japanese poems in 2019. Freeman aspires to study sports science in college. “I enjoy learning more about physical fitness and how the body works,” he says. Freeman spends his free time researching training tips and injury recovery.
As he progresses as an athlete and student, Freeman says he’ll continue to use the lessons and qualities he’s learned at First Tee, including confidence.
“When I first joined the program, I was a little shy when meeting new coaches, parents and other players. I spent time observing the instructors and how they interacted with all the different people coming and going. I saw them shake hands, make eye contact, smile and speak confidently,” he says.
“I knew I wanted those skills as well. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, and I started to apply what I observed to my own social skills. I practiced a strong handshake. I introduced myself to people I didn’t know, and I have met many interesting people, like professional golfer Davis Love III, all because I have improved in sharing my personality.”
Lots of kids aspire to become astronauts but few go on to build careers in space exploration. That hasn’t stopped Hannah Rens from chasing her dreams into orbit.
The 24-year-old is a systems engineer for Boeing Space and Launch, working on Boeing’s Starliner, a commercial crew and cargo vehicle that will be transporting NASA astronauts to the international space station.
“My ultimate career goal is to be chief engineer of a permanent human habitat on the moon,” says Rens, a former participant at First Tee – Siouxland and First Tee volunteer. “To achieve that goal, I need to develop advanced business skills, gain industry experience and further my engineering technical education.”
That’s why she’s attending the First Tee Alumni Summit presented by Gallagher this November in Dallas. The event provides an opportunity for selected alumni to advance their career by building new skills while reconnecting with fellow alumni and chapter leaders.
“I’m looking to learn more about working in a rapidly evolving industry, startups and founding your own business, and how to develop an effective personal brand,” she says.
Rens says her nine years in First Tee helped shape her future. “It provided me with a structured path to improving my golf game, peer and trusted mentors, and interpersonal and professional skills that have been essential in achieving my goals,” she says.
While in First Tee, she was selected to attend the Leaders and Entrepreneurs Forum at Disney World. “Getting to meet other students from across the U.S. while listening and working with successful business owners and entrepreneurs was unlike any other experience I had in high school,” she says. “The business principles and goals I learned have stayed with me.”
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Rens began her career with internships focused on aircraft maintenance and repair. As Starliner prepares to expand its service to additional sites in Earth’s orbit, Rens works on vehicle life span and sustainment. Ultimately, Starliner will become one of the first spacecraft with turnaround times closer to traditional air traffic. Talk about a Game Changer.
Rens now serves as a mentor for high school and college students who want careers in the space industry, and she’s enrolled in an astronautical engineering master’s program at the University of Southern California focusing on human spaceflight.
Rens still golfs, and she’s a certified open water and dry suit SCUBA diver. Learn more about the accomplishments of First Tee alumni.
Have you ever thought about your achievements in life? What were the dreams and ambitions that you wanted to work towards? How did you get there? At First Tee, these are the type of questions we propose to kids and teens to help them understand the process of attaining goals; but to reach their goal, they must first understand how goals are formulated.
A goal is something that you want to do, be or have, but it’s not something that you can do, be or have right at this moment. It’s something you must work to get in the future, and you can apply that to any challenge in life. For example, if your child wants to achieve Honor Roll and receive all As and Bs in school this year, what would that require them to do? They would need to do well on tests and assignments. How would they accomplish that? Encourage them to take good notes, turn in their work on time, and study for their tests.
For kids, having guidelines or tools can effectively help them identify their goals and make them feel comfortable about reaching them. At First Tee, we utilize four guidelines to do this. Talk to your child about the dreams they currently have and try these out for yourself.
Four Guidelines for Setting a Reachable Goal:
The goal is Positive:
I want to achieve a passing score of 80% or higher vs. I don’t want to fail this test
The goal is Important to You:
The goal needs to be important to you, not to someone else. You should be able to explain why you want to achieve it and why it will make a difference for you.
The goal is Specific:
You want to know exactly what you’re working toward.
The goal is Under your Control:
Your efforts will allow you to achieve this goal vs. Something that is out of your control like becoming famous or winning the lottery.
Goal setting is a strategy kids and teens will apply for the rest of their life. When we set our goals, we want to be very clear about them so that we have the best chance to achieve them. The key to remember is that goals come in all shapes and sizes. Just because it doesn’t work for someone else doesn’t mean that you can’t achieve it. Your kids will learn from both their achievements and setbacks, but as they begin to set personal goals, they will learn and grow in ways that you did not think possible.
Want to get involved with what we are building at First Tee? Click here to find out more.
Did you know more than 80 percent of First Tee chapters offer programming specifically for girls?
“Growing up playing golf, I never imagined being in the golf industry,” said Rebecca Caimano, assistant executive director at First Tee — Greater Philadelphia, who joined the chapter in 2011 to help grow its girls programming. “It was tough being the only female who played golf.”
Now, Rebecca is among thousands of leaders/coaches who are involved in First Tee.
First Tee views golf as a metaphor for life. It’s not the score that counts, but what you learn along the way. The game is a perfect practice ground for learning skills that extend far beyond the course. Let’s face it, digging deep when things get tough is a natural part of our sport – and life – experiences.
As we celebrate our 25th anniversary (& Women’s Golf Day), First Tee is proud of the role we’re playing in helping more young girls embrace the sport and what they can learn through it. Thanks to many female coaches and leaders throughout our network – like Rebecca – we are a safe place where girls can come, be themselves and learn from coaches and role models on the course and in the business world.
Also, thanks to organizations like USGA (a Founding Partner), LPGA-USGA Girls Golf and John Deere, sponsor of the Drive Your Future Academy, a national leadership development opportunity for female First Tee teens, we continue to intentionally offer opportunities for girls’ personal growth and development in many ways.
Empowering girls for a brighter future
While many First Tee alumnae have gone on to work in golf, others have excelled in different areas, including medicine, journalism and public affairs. And we think that’s great for them, and for the world around us.
Studies have shown that women leaders are engaging and collaborative, yet it hasn’t always been easy for women to break into many top leadership roles. Golf can help.
Ninety percent of Fortune 500 CEOs play golf, according to the PGA of America, and more than half of all businesspeople believe golf is a valuable networking tool. Women executives believe that a background in sport was helpful to career advancement because it prepared them to work better in teams, and behaviors and techniques can be applied to the corporate setting (Women’s Sports Foundation).
First Tee teaches valuable life skills that can help girls as they become leaders. Through our personal growth and junior golf programs, we encourage girls to build self-confidence that they’ll carry with them into their future.
“I originally stuck with it [golf] because I wanted to beat my brother,” Rebecca continued. “And now, here I am, using a sport that changed my life to change others.”
Now, that’s girl power.
Approximately 25% of First Tee’s coaches are women, and we’d love to increase that number! If you are interested or know of a passionate female leader in your life, please point her here to get involved: https://firsttee.org/get-involved/coach-volunteer/
Sixteen-year-old First Tee – Lake County (Hammond, Ind.) participant, Steven Outlaw, was notified during the 2001 First Tee Network Summit, the annual gathering of those within the First Tee network, that he was going to have to make his speech earlier than originally scheduled. The events to follow happened in a way that only fate decides.
Steven describes it as “being in the right place at the right time.” Using one of the first skills instilled into First Tee participants, as well as taught within his own household, on how to properly introduce yourself to others, Steven walked right up to one of the other speakers of the evening, former president of Georgetown College, Dr. William Crouch, and shook his hand. Steven’s demeanor stood out to Dr. Crouch and gave him quite the idea.
Following Steven’s speech, Dr. Crouch scrapped his own prepared comments and surprised Steven with a full scholarship to Georgetown College and news that he planned to provide a full scholarship to First Tee participants every year following. This full-ride scholarship would alleviate the financial burden of furthering Steven’s education.
Bob Krause, former vice president of institutional advancement at Kansas State University, followed suit with Dr. Crouch’s pledge. The First Tee Scholars Program was born and set to begin by 2003 with the inaugural class of Scholars, many of whom Steven is still in touch with today.
L to R: Christopher Hawkins, First Tee – Metro Atlanta alumnus and First Tee Scholar Class of 2003; Adam Ruegg, Troon Golf; Steven Outlaw, First Tee – Lake County alumnus and inaugural First Tee Scholar; Rod Jackson, First Tee – Metro Atlanta alumnus; Brandon White, current Program Director First Tee – Lake County.
As the inaugural First Tee Scholar, Steven graduated from Georgetown College with a degree in political science. After college, he enrolled in the PGA, PGM Accelerated Program. After completing two levels of the program, he secured an internship with Troon Golf, a leading golf management company. He has since worked with Troon Golf for nearly 15 years, starting in Arizona and traveling overseas to work in the Middle East, and in Malaysia managing The Els Club Teluk Datai (rated #83 in the world by Golf Digest in 2016).
More recently, Steven serves as the PGA Director of Golf at Wickenburg Ranch Golf & Social Club, managed by Troon Golf. Steven has been a PGA Class A Professional for more than 10 years and currently serves on the Southwest Section PGA Board of Directors and is very active with Troon’s D&I Council. Going forward, Steven aspires to ascend the ranks in the PGA of America, with a passion specifically around diversity, equity and inclusion and positive change within the game of golf.
Though Steven had numerous amazing opportunities during his time as a First Tee participant, he now prides himself in exploring what he can do for First Tee as an adult. He works closely with First Tee – Lake County, often supplying the chapter with donations.
“These opportunities would not have been possible without First Tee and the core values instilled in me such as perseverance and confidence. Much of what I learned during my time with First Tee I use now to strengthen and empower my team. I am forever grateful and honored to be part of such a great organization. I look forward to the future of First Tee and the path they will pave for the next generation.”
Eleven years after Steven’s speech, the First Tee Scholars Program continues to thrive. It has since received a face-lift following Greg McLaughlin being named First Tee CEO in 2019.
Relaunching officially in 2020, President George W. Bush, honorary First Tee chair, congratulated the first class of the revamped program. First Tee College Scholarship Program now extends its impact to alumni beyond financial support, providing personal and professional development throughout their post-graduate careers.
Each of the Scholars is paired with a dedicated, trained adult mentor who helps encourage and guide them throughout the college experience, including virtual and in-person meetups. The program also provides professional development workshops held in-person throughout the year, and up to $5,000 per year toward tuition.
“First Tee aims to inspire and empower every young person in the program to set goals and begin pursuing them,” said McLaughlin. “The First Tee College Scholarship Program is intended to motivate young people to stay in the program and support alumni as they matriculate through the college.”
In recognition of First Tee’s 25th anniversary, the Class of 2022 includes 25 First Tee Scholars. This time, Steven Outlaw has turned the tables, joining as a mentor to one of the Scholars.
“I was extremely fortunate to be surrounded by great professionals as I progressed through my time with the First Tee. These individuals helped me grow not only in golf, but personally and professionally. I consider myself lucky to be able to return the favor to the next generation!”
We believe in helping youth succeed – on the golf course and in life. Learn more about our programs and how you can get involved.
Experiences are our greatest teachers. They shape how we treat others, how we see the world around us, and how we view ourselves. How we view ourselves is also known as our self identity and is defined as the qualities and potential you possess. It can influence the choices you make, the attitude you have day-to-day, and ultimately, it becomes your inner voice. For youth especially, a positive self identity can have a massive impact on who they become as adults. There are many ways parents can help their kids develop a positive self identity, and at First Tee we pride ourselves in nurturing a positive self identity for youth. Here are three ways you can help your kids develop a positive self identity inspired by our core values.
Live Your Values
Kids watch and learn from the adults in their lives every day. Studying their actions and responses, they develop their identity based on their guardians and the other mentors in their life. If you live according to the values you want your kids to have, then they are more likely to absorb that into their own independent lives. That being said, having a mentor is a great way to ensure this happens. At First Tee,youth learn from their coaches by:
Treating others with respect and honesty
Experiencing the value of teamwork, not just by being told to act as a team but by witnessing their coach lead with teamwork.
Watching their coaches exercise positive self talk and kindness to others around them brings out the best in themselves and their self identity.
Create a Culture of Acceptance
When there is no room for failure there is no room for growth. Fostering an environment that is not only safe for kids to fail but encourages them to try again, helps kids develop a strong sense of self. Acceptance also transcends just failure; it also means that every person, regardless of their background, is welcome. We work together to actively create a space of belonging for every kid— no matter what walk of life. Through example we encourage youth to accept their team members for who they are, treat each other with kindness, and create that culture of acceptance everywhere, so that when they reflect on themselves and their own identity they treat themselves with the same level of respect and positivity that they give others.
Empowerment Through Experiences
For kids, experiences shape their inner voice that gives them confidence and character. Not all experiences in life are easy, and when we empower youth to persevere and stay true to themselves, we bring out the best that’s inside of them. First Tee exists to enable kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. As time goes on, that empowerment creates a strong sense of self, and encourages a positive self identity even in difficult situations.
Though a positive self identity may seem like something only some people are born with, it is really something that can be cultivated through leading by example, an open culture of acceptance, and consistent empowerment through all experiences. What do you want your child’s inner voice to sound like when they grow up? Nurturing their self identity can make all the difference in that. We guide kids and teens to strengthen what’s inside and put it into action. If you are interested in getting your child involved with First Tee, you can learn more and sign up today!
I‘m now less than 48 hours from teeing off for this year’s marathon fundraiser, where I’ll attempt to play 150 holes at Kent Country Club to raise money for First Tee students on scholarship. This is my last note before I play. Will you pledge to me to help our kids at First Tee? I’m 60% of the way to my goal of $20,000 raised!
I love how First Tee can help kids from across the gamut through the game of golf. This winter, I led Homework & Hitting with kids from Grand Rapids Public Schools, all of whom participated for free because of their family’s income. I was able to build a strong relationship with a dozen kids over the span of 5 months. When we wrapped up, each of them had earned enough First Tee bucks to buy what they wanted – full golf sets, hats, gloves, and shirts. Here we were on the last day of class (I circled all the fun stuff they earned and purchased with their First Tee Bucks that last day)!
Tyler with five students from Stocking Elementary with their new clubs and First Tee gear!
While those journeys with First Tee have just begun, I also am blessed to work with students who have been with us for a decade. This past Thursday, I had the privilege to caddie for Angelo Luciani, a 17-year-old Ace participant, who started in First Tee when he was just 8 years old. Angelo played in a prestigious invite-only Amateur Tournament at Detroit Golf Club called the Michigan Medal Play (formerly Horton Smith). On his second round on Thursday, Angelo shot a sizzling 1-under 67 and came within a few strokes of making the cut.
Tyler and Angelo Luciani on Thursday, May 5, 2022 at Detroit Golf Club
No matter where a student is on their journey, First Tee walks alongside them, using the game as a teaching tool to teach about life. I firmly believe there is no better place to build a relationship than on the golf course. Will you support me with a per hole, per birdie, or flat pledge before I play tomorrow, so we can continue to impact even more kids in 2022?
I hope to hear from you before I tee off tomorrow morning! Tyler
Every conversation can be an opportunity to learn something new, build trust with someone, and deepen connections. This happens when we build the skill of active listening and learn to treat listening as an active process – not a passive one.
What is Active Listening?
Active listening is a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding. It’s about being present, listening to understand (not respond), and showing active interest and engagement in the dialogue.
Why does it matter?
Active listening is an important skill for all of us to cultivate. Not only is it an important leadership skill, it has been shown to promote mindful thinking, can reduce anxiety and depression, helps build relationships and can promote empathy.
How do we practice it?
At First Tee, we use a process called A-L-R to help build connection through active listening. This helps us to deepen conversations, keep them going, and get the most out of them. Here’s how A-L-R works:
Asking questions: Asking thoughtful questions is not only a way you can keep the conversation going, but it gives you a deeper understanding of the person or topic you are engaging with.
Helpful Tip:Be curious. Try asking questions that dig a bit deeper: How did they feel in that moment? What was going on in their minds during that experience? What would they do differently the next time? These make the conversation richer, rather than closed-ended questions that are typically answered with a simple Yes or No.
Listening to understand: When you ask a question, it is important to listen carefully to what the person is saying. We can sometimes be fixated on what we are going to say next, or when it’s our turn to jump back into the conversation, but try not to think about what you are going to say next.. Your focus is on them and their perspective rather than your own.
Helpful Tip:Make an effort to try to clear your mind first of any distracting thoughts. It can help to jot down a mental or physical note of things on your mind in order to give your full attention.
Reflect & respond to the reply: Keep the conversation going by responding in a way that connects with what they just said. You can try to restate in your own words what the person said, share what you think or feel about it, or ask another open-ended question that connects with what the person just said.
Helpful Tip: Show engagement and interest in what they are saying: look them in the eye when they are talking, use body language like nodding your head.
Active listening requires work, but you’ll be surprised at how much reward there is when you approach conversations and communication with this skill. Active listening is just one of the skills we are supporting kids and teens to build at First Tee. Click here to find out more about our programs.
As we mentioned in the first of our FORE! Reasons to Give stories, we talked about First Tee – West Michigan’s mission. Impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. We strive to reach kids and teens of all backgrounds, no matter race, gender, or income level. While we have had many successes reaching thousands of kids and teens over the past ten years, there’s always more that we can do. Especially for those that are most at-risk. To help us reach those families most at-risk that truly can benefit from our programs and values, we are looking to hire a Parent & Participant Communications Intern for each of our four communities.
Total Participants: 771 Percentage of students on scholarship: 39%
Holland
Total Participants: 226 Percentage of students on scholarship: 21%
Kalamazoo
Total Participants: 347 Percentage of students on scholarship: 34%
Muskegon
Total Participants: 273 Percentage of students on scholarship: 48%
We had a record number of students in 2021, and are so excited to have many new faces around our programs! While the percentage of our students on scholarship is significant, we truly believe that we can do so much more for these at-risk students. The life skills and lessons our programs provide these students can make a big impact on their lives.
Where the Parent & Participant Communications Intern Comes In
Over the last year, we have found that retaining our most at-risk students is an area in which we can vastly improve. This season, we had a total of 30 partnerships across all four of our communities. These partnerships are where we help so many of our at-risk students, introducing them to our values and the game of golf. While we reach a lot of students in these programs, a big problem we have been facing is retaining these students and transitioning them into our programs at other golf courses. Here is where we believe the Parent & Participant Communications Intern can make a huge difference.
The primary role of this internship will be to contact our at-risk families and enroll their kids and teens into our classes. We have found over this past season that part of the issue with retaining our scholarship families is communication. Historically, communication with all of our families when registration is available is through email and social media. While this is an effective tactic that reaches most of our participants’ families, it lacks that personal touch. The Parent & Participant Communications Interns will help break this barrier by personally reaching out to all of our scholarship families, ensuring that they are aware of the programs we offer while helping them register their kid or teen!
Here is how you can help. To offer this internship for each of our communities, we need to raise the funds to find the right candidates to fill these roles. This internship will play a large role in increasing the number of scholarship students in our programs so we can make a difference with those that need it most! Will you help us reach our year-end goal so we can continue to serve those that need it most?
In the April of 2021, First Tee – West Michigan launched programs in Kalamazoo at Red Arrow GC, Eastern Hills GC, and Milham Park GC thanks to the generosity of Dean Marks, PGA and the Kalamazoo Municipal Golf Association. Soon, Kalamazoo County Club joined as a program location as well. Thanks to an instrumental partnership with the Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association and a dynamic Kalamazoo Advisory Board, Kalamazoo participation was more than double than First Tee’s goal in year 1!
Kalamazoo’s 1st First Tee Class – April 17, 2021 at Milham Park GC
Historical Benchmark: Communities in their First Full Year of First Tee Programs:
Grand Rapids: 152 kids and teens (in 2012)
Muskegon: 78 kids and teens (in 2013)
Holland: 127 kids and teens (in 2018)
In Kalamazoo: 357 kids and teens (in 2021)
Meeting Kalamazoo Demand
The demand from parents and partnerships in our first year was everything our staff and Kalamazoo Area Director Matthew Gifford could handle. “Coaching 5 nights a week was a positive because it meant I built relationships with nearly every Kalamazoo kid and parent in First Tee,” said Gifford. “We know, though, to make a deeper impact on more kids and teens, we need more help!”
First Tee – West Michigan hopes to hire a full-time seasonal Program Coordinator to help ensure that every experience is a fantastic one, and kids and teens are growing through the program. This individual would be responsible for coaching 4-5 sessions per week, April – October, in addition to fostering and developing relationships with new partnerships with groups like the Boys & Girls Club and Kalamazoo Public Schools.
First Tee has already developed partnerships in Kalamazoo with the Kalamazoo Black Male Alliance, Kalamazoo Parks and Recreation, Peace House, and Youth for Christ to ensure their kids and teens get an opportunity to explore First Tee.
The new Program Coordinator would join a group of amazing first-year Kalamazoo Coaches!
With this expansion, Kalamazoo’s expenses will increase from $85,000 to an anticipated $145,000 in 2022. Your help is critical to ensure that every kids and teen in Kalamazoo who wants to learn through First Tee has the opportunity! By reaching $70,000 raised by year-end, First Tee would maximize a matching grant from Charles Schwab, and ensure that a Program Coordinator role can be hired this upcoming March for our kids in Kalamazoo!
PS. Can’t give at year-end, but love to play golf? Another way to support in 2022 is join our Golf Marathon Fundraiser. Join the 18 marathoners and see how many holes you can play this upcoming spring at Eastern Hills or Kalamazoo Country Club! Opportunities to play in the marathon are also available in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and Holland.
Last year, First Tee launched a new initiative to provide individual instruction to ALL kids, particularly those on scholarship because of their families’ income. To learn why this initiative began, click here. PGA Professional Randy White took on a new title in 2021 as First Tee’s first-ever Director of Instruction after serving as First Tee’s Holland Area Director from 2017-2020.
PGA Professional and First Tee Director of Instruction Randy White
This was a new program in 2021. How did it go?
Starting in May of 2021, Randy began providing individual instruction to First Tee students in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and Holland, spending a day in each community. Thanks to a generous donor, First Tee was able to offer Randy’s hour-long lessons to kids on scholarship for just $15. This affordable rate meant students on scholarship could get individual instruction for the very first time.
2021 results
Totals:
45 kids and teens took lessons in 2021
140 lessons were given
65% of lessons were given to students on scholarship
Birdie Level Participant Diane with Director of Instruction Randy White at Kaufman GC this summer
The demand showed First Tee that individual golf instruction was a game-changer for our scholarship kids. The lessons are giving First Tee kids and teens confidence to play their next high school season, or for many of them, their very first chance to play high school golf. Read below on some of the thoughts shared by parents through an anonymous survey.
“He works so well with my daughter and gives her confidence.”
“He helped work on the little things to improve my child’s golf game, which increased their enjoyment of the game.”
“We love his great jokes.”
“He is a phenomenal coach.”
How Can You Help?
Randy’s one day a week in Grand Rapids this past year was not enough. Most Wednesdays, you could find Coach Randy giving 8 straight lessons on the tee at Kaufman Golf Course, with more kids and teens clamoring for spots. We need more individual lesson opportunities for our kids in Grand Rapids! Just 2% of our Grand Rapids participants received a lesson with Randy this summer, and we know that more kids could benefit from the life skills and technical instruction of a PGA or LPGA Professional. We need your financial support to provide that opportunity.
First Tee – West Michigan already has strong relationships with dozens of PGA Professional Instructors in Grand Rapids, and has asked several of them to join Randy and offer discounted lessons to scholarship participants. So far, Head Golf Professional Matt Swan and Director of Instruction Jimmy Wisinski of Kent Country Club have joined on, offering 1-2 hour slots each week for First Tee students. Several other PGA Professionals are considering as well.
Give today:
In order for more PGA Professionals to support our kids on scholarship, we need your help. Here’s how one lesson works:
First Tee family on scholarship pays $15 for a lesson
First Tee, through your generous gift, pays $55 additional to a local trusted PGA Professional
PGA Professional discounts their normal hourly rate $10-$50. This system means that the Professionals and families both have skin in the game, but First Tee, through your help, can bridge the gap to affordable and impactful instruction.
This system means that the professioinals and families both have skin in the game, but First Tee, through your help, can bridge the gap to affordable and impactful instruction. To do this in 2022 at a bigger scale, we’ll need to raise an additional $7,500. Will you help us raise funds to support this and our other 2022 initiatives?
Ten years ago, First Tee – West Michigan began as a small nonprofit with one employee. The mission was simple: impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. From humble beginnings ten years ago, First Tee – West Michigan has grown to serve 1,600 kids and teens in 2021 with eight full-time employees, 40 lead coaches, and 27 junior coaches across all four of our communities (Grand Rapids, Holland, Kalamazoo, and Muskegon). While this growth has led to more impact each year, we have struggled to meet the demand for First Tee in each community. To aid us, we need your help. We need to raise the funds to hire someone full-time with professional experience to recruit future lead coaches, as well as manage the current staff’s human resource needs.
To kick off our year-end-giving, the first of our FORE! New Ways why you should give to First Tee – West Michigan is hiring an HR & Recruiting Specialist.
This position will help us in the following areas:
Recruitment
In 2021, First Tee – West Michigan served more than 1,600 participants!
For each class, we need 1 coach/mentor for every 4 participants
When you combine the demand and need across all four communities First Tee – West Michigan serves, we have 65 paid coaches and more than 200 volunteer mentors. And in 2021, that wasn’t enough! We want to ensure every child, regardless of income or geography, has the opportunity to learn through First Tee’s programs. When First Tee is unable to offer a session or is understaffed at a class, the experience is not as impactful. We can’t recruit the coaches and mentors we need as is, and a Recruitment Specialist would increase the number of coaches in each community.
By attending different recruiting events, browsing job boards, and other tools, this role will help us fill those gaps where we need coaches and mentors!
The impact of adding this position will greatly improve our participants’ experience! Well-trained and equipped coaches make the most impact on our participants and see higher ratings from parent surveys. As we continue to grow, it is becoming harder to adequately recruit enough new coaches. The Recruiting Specialist role will equip us to continue to make a deeper and more meaningful impact in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, and Holland.
With the considerable number of First Tee employees that need human resource support (eight full-time, 40 lead coaches, 27 teenage coaches), we need a knowledgeable and supportive staff person dedicated to ensuring the success of each staffer, so they can positively impact kids to the highest possible degree. Tasks like onboarding/training, handling legal paperwork, child/coach training, and implementing employee benefit programs are all needed, so our focus can remain on our kids and teens. Having someone with grace and enthusiasm to walk our new teenage junior coaches through their first interview processes and work permit requirements is also critical to their leadership development and work-life readiness. In 2021 alone, we hired 12 new own teenage participants (junior coaches), joining 15 who had coached previous years.
The Need
We want to impact even more kids and teens in 2022 and beyond, but we need your help. A recruitment specialist will put our organization in position to make an even greater impact in 2022 and beyond. Can you help? By donating to First Tee – West Michigan this year-end and helping us raise $70,000 before year-end, you will ensure we have the resources to hire the right person for this role, meaning more young people from age 7-17 will be positively impacted by First Tee – West Michigan.
Will you help us continue our mission by donating to us this year-end?
