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.
Experiences can be some of our greatest teachers, and there are a variety of learning opportunities ahead for parents and students alike. While some will be fun and exciting, others may be challenging or difficult to navigate. Without practice or understanding, some of these new experiences are likely to leave students feeling overwhelmed and stressed. However, if you can help your student choose to see every experience as one that can build character, they’ll always come out better equipped for whatever comes next.
We believe in developing experiences that are just as fun as they are meaningful. As a result, our students are empowered by new challenges which result in continuous personal growth and essential character development.
Going back to school is the perfect opportunity to practice growing through challenges. To help parents and students navigate their back-to-school transition, we’ve developed a few tips to help them get ready.
Use STAR
S stands for STOP and take a deep breath.
T stands for THINK of all your choices.
A stands for ANTICIPATE what could happen (good or bad) as a result of your choice.
R stands for RESPOND by selecting the best choice for what to do.
Identify Challenges and Support
Ask your child to identify challenges for specific subjects and social interaction
Work with them to create a list of people they can lean on for support
Each of these steps can plant seeds of mindfulness as students go through everyday life. Taken directly from our First Tee programs, where we prepare kids to face new experiences by helping them to identify their support team, reflect on their opportunities, and strengthen what they bring to everything they do. We define strength of character as the self-confidence to show up to the challenge, the resilience to keep going when you fail, and the inner strength to do the right thing even when it’s the hard thing to do. It’s what will allow your child to walk away from failure determined, not defeated.
With our over 20 years of experience, we’ll continue developing experiences that build character to empower kids and teens through a lifetime of new challenges and continuous personal growth. This way your kids will never face a challenge they can’t go through or grow through. To learn more about getting your child involved with First Tee, you can find a chapter near you today!
Having someone that you can look up to and go to for support is one the most important things a kid can have. Mentors give youth (and even adults) the confidence they need to confront challenges and come up with their own solutions. They provide a safe place for kids and teens to be themselves and have fun, while also learning valuable life skills.
A great mentor has many traits— they can be a role model, cheerleader, policy enforcer, advocate, and friend to the students they work with. First Tee mentors have a sincere desire to be involved with their students, and treat them with respect. They practice active listening skills and empathy, while also seeking solutions and opportunities for those they work with.
We celebrate each of our coaches, and recognize them for the unique role they play in young lives. In fact, research shows that First Tee participants think of their coaches as more than just teachers and counselors, but real mentors who have made a positive difference in their lives.
Here are four ways a mentor impacts their mentees that were inspired and created by what our junior golfers have to say about their coaches:
1. Mentors show that you can never stop learning
They are always growing and showcasing that to their mentees who can feel inspired by how they adapt to life’s challenges.
“I constantly heard that sport emulates life, and life emulates sports. I didn’t understand this concept until I started the First Tee program. Through this sport, I learned accountability and responsibility for my actions and how to respond to adversity. These lessons have affected my thinking about the impact I have on those around me and how important it is for me to strive to be my best self.” – Quincy Crawford, participant, 2021 Scholar
2. Mentors help inspire students to be game-changers
Not just for themselves, but in their everyday lives and especially with their peers.
“Having an amazing mentor through the First Tee who I have developed a strong relationship with has inspired me to help others find mentors that can help them through their education and career.” – Remi Shendell, participant, First Tee Scholar
3. Mentors teach the importance of active listening
Not only do they offer support, but they show how valuable it can be to listen to someone in both good and bad times.
“Coach Mary Beth McGirr has been a major influence in my life, helping me with golf and with learning critical life skills that will aid me throughout my life. She took me under her wing and has been a shining example for me to follow. Additionally, as a woman, she has been an amazing mentor and example of a strong, confident female for me to look up to and admire. Coach Mary Beth has been one of my biggest fans and encourages me to do my best. She takes time to talk about my golf, life, family and personal struggles. She has been an excellent example of a strong leader and businesswoman who consistently gives back to the game and the community.” – Alyssa Caraballo, The First Tee of Roanoke Valley
4. Mentors guide students to lead by example
It’s easy to tell someone what to do, but more impactful to give students the tools and examples they need to come to their own solutions.
“Coach Donnie Caldwell, PGA has given me great advice with my golf but more importantly, in my life. He has told me ‘make choices today that you’ll be proud of tomorrow.’ I used to just make choices that seemed the easiest or most convenient. But now I take time to think about those big decisions and how my choices may also affect others. Without him and his advice, I don’t know where I would be with my life, and that’s scary. He has made me a better person and he has shown me how to make the most of my life.” – Braxton Caldwell, First Tee of Pine Mountain
As you can see, the impact of a great mentor is one of our strongest tools in life. Our mentors work to guarantee students that there is someone who cares about them and who will assure them they are not alone in dealing with challenges. Offered at more than 1,200 locations, our program was developed by experts in the field of positive youth development and is delivered by trained coaches, or as our participants say— mentors!
We believe character is learned, cultivated, and shaped by our experiences. At First Tee, we focus on taking the valuable lessons learned on the course, and applying them to everyday lives at school, at home, and in our communities. We believe that part of being a good leader and becoming a game-changer involves showing up for others whenever possible. Here are six ways that you can encourage your child to show up and help others:
At Home
Encourage them to help with household chores. By taking on important tasks around the house, they can help maintain a clean space for themselves while alleviating stress on the whole family. Handling household chores develops a sense of personal responsibility, time management, and can build leadership skills.
Have them dedicate time to helping their younger siblings with homework. By spending time teaching their siblings, they can strengthen their relationships with each other, and exceed in their classes. Teaching others often builds intelligence and increases confidence.
In The Community
Encourage your child to help individuals in the community. By helping vulnerable members of the community, your child can make a real difference in their lives. Additionally, helping others will help teach your child compassion and empathy, two qualities of good leaders.
Sign them up to volunteer for a local nonprofit with ties to the community or neighborhood. Volunteering is typically a social activity, which will help build connections with other locals that are likely to share similar interests and values. Volunteering locally will also provide a sense of personal satisfaction, and will make your child feel more connected to their community.
At School
Suggest tutoring a struggling classmate. Teaching others is oftentimes the best way to understand a topic yourself. By tutoring others, your child will have the opportunity to show compassion and build relationships, while also helping them to better understand the material and become more self confident.
Encourage your child to befriend anyone who may be new to the community or struggling socially. By befriending classmates who are having trouble making friends, your child can empower them and help build their confidence. This simple act of kindness can play a major role in making other students feel included and more engaged at school.
These six suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the ways you can teach your child to show up for others. Our coaches and staff at First Tee encourage you to practice some of these suggestions, and come up with your own. 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!
It’s easy to get lost and overwhelmed, especially since we now live in an extremely fast-paced world where expectations for us are very high, so having a mentor to guide us through our development process is definitely reassuring.
2. What makes someone a good mentor?
Listening and being able to communicate effectively are qualities that make someone a good mentor. With such qualities, a mentor will be able to offer constructive feedback which will aid in a mentee’s future development.
3. Who has been an impactful mentor to you?
My mom has definitely been the most impactful mentor for me.
4. What have you learned from her/him?
From my mom, I learned that no matter what the circumstances are, hard work pays off. My mom immigrated to the U.S. in hopes to find better future prospects for the family and despite not knowing any English, she still continued to work hard in the U.S. to achieve her goals. In the end, all of her hard work and efforts paid off because she was able to provide the basic necessities for our family and grant my siblings and I access to a higher education.
5. How did/does your mentor help encourage you?
My mom always tells me, “Don’t be afraid of failure. Just go for it!” These are words that I will always remember because they encourage me to try new things, even if I don’t necessarily succeed. It’s a way of telling me that failure is a learning experience and if I fail, I can keep trying.
6. Have you grown as a result of your mentor?
Yes, I have grown as a result of my mom. Her guidance has helped me become more disciplined and more open to new experiences and opportunities. Without her, I don’t think I would be the person I am today.
7. What would it mean to you to become a mentor? Or Do you serve as a mentor at your chapter or any other capacity?
For me, being a mentor is very meaningful and fulfilling because not only am I able to help others, I am also able to develop myself further as a leader.
8. Do you have any advice on how to choose the best mentor in your life?
Find someone who cares about you and is willing to take the time out of their busy day to listen to your needs and help you.
9. What has First Tee taught you about mentorship?
First Tee has taught me that both the mentor and mentee are learners. Both rely on each other as a resource for new perspectives and knowledge. It’s not a one way relationship where only the mentor is helping the mentee.
Mentorship is important because it allows a chain of knowledge and wisdom from years of experience from mentors to be passed down to mentees, unlocking their potential. Mentorship gives underprivileged students guidance to take control of their own life.
2. What makes someone a good mentor?
A great mentor is someone who has as much common ground with the mentee as possible, such as similar circumstances, college, passions, and career trajectory. More importantly, a great mentor actively listens to the mentee, providing insightful feedback, advice, or opportunities in return.
3. Who has been an impactful mentor to you?
The mentor I have been paired with from the First Tee Scholarship, Jim Smith from Morgan Stanley, has been an amazing mentor, a key guide through all my academic, career, and spiritual difficulties.
4. What have you learned from her/him?
Through our monthly discussions together over the past year, Mr. Smith has given me an abundance of wisdom from his years of experience in becoming a Senior Wealth Portfolio Manager. Also, his advice has helped me get past my choice paralysis in deciding career pathways and majors in college.
5. How did/does your mentor help encourage you?
When I hear about Mr. Smith’s stories of his journey in finding, developing, and maintaining both a loyal client basis and talented team through ups and downs, I am inspired. Additionally, Mr. Smith provides so many life tools, advice, and books/video recommendations to help me stay on a healthy path and achieve career goals.
6. Have you grown as a result of your mentor?
Because of Mr. Smith, I have learned to prioritize my different goals and face my reality with a clear mind. Although remaining open to life, I truly want to serve the world, my community, and my family while also pursuing my passions in computer science, finance, and fitness.
7. What would it mean to you to become a mentor? Or Do you serve as a mentor at your chapter or any other capacity?
Being a mentor to someone is a true honor to me because I can impact someone’s life so personally. I am in Harvard’s Chinese Student Association, and as a sophomore, I am a mentor to freshmen paired with me. Although it can be worrying wondering if you are providing value to your mentees, remember that simply listening and sharing your experience can help them out.
8. Do you have any advice on how to choose the best mentor in your life?
Be open to all mentors, even if they may not align with you in certain aspects such as passions, hobbies, career path, or academic major. Hearing a different perspective may change your mind and open new pathways that you may have not considered. Listen to what your mentor truly has to say and keep asking questions.
9. What has First Tee taught you about mentorship?
First Tee has taught me that mentorship comes from a genuine care to better the world and your community, and that most often, mentees become mentors to future generations. Mentorship keeps the spirit of the First Tee alive as older students come back to volunteer their time to help their chapters.
This August, we held our first ever First Tee Leadership Summit in the unforgettable backdrop of West Creek Ranch in Montana. This event took place for two weeks, bringing together 20 teens each week from across the country to develop leadership skills through dynamic outdoor and team-building activities.
Through collaborative workshops, First Tee’s core competencies of building character, self-confidence and resilience played a huge part of the experience, to explore the concepts of relationship building, positive risk taking, and character evaluation.
We recently caught up with participant Benjamin Parris from First Tee – Denver to hear how this year’s event impacted him.
Benjamin Parris, First Tee – Denver
In Denver, I often hear the amazing experiences fellow participants have when they return from First Tee national events. Until the first week of August 2021, I had never experienced one for myself and I was not quite sure what to expect when I was selected for The First Tee Leadership Summit in Partnership with the PGA TOUR Superstore at Mr. Arthur M. Blank’s West Creek Ranch in Montana.
As soon as I arrived at the airport, I knew it would be a special week as I was immediately greeted by fellow participants and alumni chaperones. When we arrived at West Creek, even more participants were eager to greet us and introduce themselves. I knew I had formed relationships almost immediately, and those only got better as the week went on.
At the summit, we got to participate in activities such as horseback riding, archery, white water rafting, and other spectacular outdoor experiences. Also, during our days, we had the opportunities to listen to guest speakers like Dick Sullivan (CEO of the PGA TOUR Superstore), Ralph Stokes (the PGA TOUR Superstore’s Director of Partnership Marketing and former University of Alabama running back), Joe Shepard (a PGA TOUR Superstore Regional Manager), Stacie Monks (a PGA TOUR Superstore District Manager), and our keynote speaker Michael Vick (former NFL quarterback). We learned lessons in values, teamwork, skill sets, representation, and more.
Each day at the summit had a different theme. Our themes were: “relationships are the foundation for leadership,” “positive risk taking,” and “my character is me.” While our speakers were able to give us insightful words and stories on these themes, we learned just as much from our outdoor experiences as we did from our speakers.
On Tuesday, we focused on relationships and how trust is the foundation of every successful relationship. After hearing from Dick Sullivan and Michael Vick, six participants, including myself, departed for the ropes course while everyone else elected to horseback ride. When we arrived, we immediately had to build a relationship as we picked partners to ascend on a partner climb up a 30-foot wooden ladder. My partner Sam Gibbs from the First Tee of Fort Worth deserves a quick shoutout for putting her trust in me all week from the second we became partners at the ropes course.
On Wednesday, we worked on taking positive risks. My first risk of the day was waking up at 6:30 after a late night to go on a sunrise hike. Let me tell you, the views in Montana were spectacular, it was very much worth the risk of not sleeping in. Later that day I took another risk by going on a 3-hour horseback excursion, by far the longest I had ever been near another animal, besides my dog at home. My biggest takeaway from learning about positive risks were to approach people who think differently than you so you can challenge your own thinking and to seek out your own mentorships.
On Thursday, our final full day at the summit, we did a lot of self-reflection while thinking about how to own our characters. Stacie Monks began the day after another gorgeous sunrise hike. She posed the following question to all the participants. “What type of leader do you want to be?” She went onto discuss how to create a culture when you are leading others and how to empower them. Later that morning we had perhaps the hardest task of the entire summit, but also to me the most impactful. We were asked to complete this phrase. “This is what I believe about myself as a leader…” This wasn’t a simple sentence to complete, and to really answer the question, it required more than just a few sentences. To complete the thought, I had to reflect upon all the things I had been through that week at West Creek. I had to think about climbing with a partner, taking leaps of faith, the inspiration I had received from our speakers and workshops, and what I had learned from all the people around me. Later that evening, we sat around the fire pit as we listened and shared all 18 of us has discovered about ourselves as leaders.
My favorite part of the leadership summit was the comradery all of the participants formed. I got the opportunity to make 17 new friends, who over the course of the week felt like family. I know that I’ll be keeping in touch with them for years and years to come and can’t wait until I can see them again. For me, the week made me feel like a true member of the greater First Tee family. I had never met a fellow participant from outside of Colorado, but now I feel like I’m connected to the First Tee everywhere I go. I can’t wait to stay involved with the program as I go to college and beyond.
I want to thank the First Tee, PGA TOUR Superstore and West Creek Ranch staff one final time for giving me what was truly a life changing experience. The programming was phenomenal, and the experiences were irreplicable. I came back home truly knowing what type of leader I am and how I can continue to grow as a leader. I can’t wait to apply what I learned in Montana to our local programs in Denver as well as other extracurriculars I participate in. I feel honored that I was a part of the inaugural summit.
Introducing the new Holland Area Director Jeff Keyser. Jeff has been in the job since April and has already made a big impact this summer! Jeff brings with him a lot of experience in managing large projects while also showing his love for giving back to the community. It’s time we get to know Jeff a little more!
Where did you grow up, go to school, sports that you played,
From a small town in Northern Michigan. East Jordan is the town, it’s up by the Traverse City Petoskey area. There’s a big iron factory in the town East Jordan Iron Works. All the manhole covers and fire hydrants are made in my hometown so it’s a fun fact I tell people. So a small town up north. Pretty blue-collar town with the ironworks being there and that really kind of formed and shaped me and my outlook on life. My parents were both school teachers so I saw firsthand the impact that they were able to have on their students and their kids. The value of them being a solid role model for their students. I played soccer, basketball, and baseball throughout my school career. That really helped me stay focused and on track. I played golf on the side, didn’t play for the school but it was always a hobby of mine and something I did with my dad and grandma and grandpa. Golf was part of my life from the very beginning. I approached it with a fun attitude and it was just more about getting outside and playing and not super competitive.
Talk about your family and just talk about yourself. Favorite hobbies, favorite food, favorite movies. That sort of thing.
Family is everything to me. As of now my wife and I have 2 sons. Jacob and Ben. Ben was born this past June. My philosophy is what matters most is in between these four walls and my family. My wife Megan works in the hospital here in Holland. So she is heavily involved in the Holland community and sees a lot of the community through her daily work. My mom and dad have already become involved in First Tee as lead coaches in the Holland area. I already have spots reserved for my two sons when they get old enough to be participants. Really it’s about family and building relationships with the family and investing in the community. I think I sound like a broken record but we all have that service mindset and willingness to give back our time and energy. So that’s the family breakdown.
When I’m not working, I really enjoy cooking. My wife was in grad school for two and a half years and it forced me to become the chef or the cook of our house. Ever since then it’s something I really fell in love with and found a passion for cooking and grilling, smoking. Anything food-related and just even eating. Life is too short to eat crappy food and not enjoy the food you are eating. I also enjoy bike riding, being outside, and golfing of course. Going up north up to the cottage. Favorite food is pepperoni pizza. My favorite movie is Toy Story. I’m a big Pixar Toy Story fan.
Give us some background on your work experience and how you got to where you are today.
Starting out of Hope I got a job at Herman Miller in their product management department. Product management means you own the product line, you’re responsible for the profit and loss, the sales strategy. So really it’s kind of like your baby, those product lines. I worked in product management for my entire time there.
What stood out about First Tee – West Michigan that drove you here?
I think for me it was as simple as kids and golf. And specifically in that order. We talked about the people we worked with and how much they love golf. For me what drew me here was the impact that I would be able to have on the kids in our community and the Holland community more specifically. I love the fact that we have a ton of kids in our programs. But really my heart and strategy and goals are centered around the at-risk kids. Going back to the way I was brought up with my parents being teachers, most of the kids I grew up with would be considered at risk. And I saw just the value that my parents provided and I want to do that for the Holland community. Hearing about this job and knowing what First Tee did and I can directly impact and mentor, and build relationships with at-risk kids through golf. It was a perfect alignment for me and just thinking about how I used to golf in the past. Building relationships and building quality time with family members and friends. It’s a natural way to reach out to mentors and kids. It was like gosh, what a great way to reach out to our community. And I think at a high-level view, the Holland community has so much opportunity to reach out to those kids that we haven’t tapped into yet.
What is your favorite thing about being at First Tee – West Michigan so far?
My favorite thing has been introducing the game of golf to kids who have never played the game before. Seeing their faces as they pull up to the course, jump out of the car, and run over to the putting green to warm up before class starts. There’s like a joy and excitement and also kind of like a nervousness that’s something that’s brand new to them. But you get them on the putting green with 14 other kids and they’re right at home. They’re playing games, they’re putting, they’re interacting with each other. The beauty of golf is there are no distractions. It’s you, the course, and nature. No phone, TVs, video games. Nothing distracting you from the relationships and conversations. The ability to have that impact on those kids and see them interacting with each other with the coaches and the mentors. That’s been my favorite thing. And knowing what golf can do for them. Where First Tee can take them, the opportunities we can provide them through our organization.
What is your favorite of the 9 core values and why?
All of the core values haha. I think though my favorite is probably to me is respect. I think respect has such a broad or widespread application, respect on the golf course, respect for the space, the green, the equipment. You respect everything when you’re on the course but then it carries over to home and into school. How do you respect and treat others. The idea of instilling respect into these kids at an early age I think can avoid or remove some biases and some long-term effects. If you don’t respect others it will build up over time. Teaching them and talking about respect for their neighbor and the kids next to them in class. It just sets them up for so much more success and positive relationships moving forwards. And I also think about respecting yourself. Respect who you are, what you bring to the table. Respect for your body and mind. It’s okay to be you and be different. Respect is such a widespread core value and It’s such a natural part of the golf conversation. It’s an easy conversation to have.
What makes you excited for the future with First Tee?
Just the opportunity for growth. First Tee has built a great foundation in Holland. I’m excited to jump in and leverage the work that they have done, but also put my own spin on the Holland Community. I think there’s an opportunity to grow in underserved neighborhoods. I think there’s an opportunity to diversify the game. I’m just really excited to have the opportunity to do so many things within the organization and help First Tee – West Michigan grow.
First Tee – West Michigan is excited to have a new program director on staff! Taylour Boer will be taking on the role and will be leading our chapter’s programming. Taylour will be in charge of developing our programs, working with parents, answering their questions, and registering their participants while making sure they progress through First Tee – West Michigan’s curriculum. Now that Taylour is getting settled into her new role, here is a chance to learn who Taylour the person is!
Where did you grow up, go to school, sports that you played,
I grew up in Marshall, huge tomboy, into all sports. Anything you could think of. My two favorites as a kid were basketball and soccer. Soccer through middle school and then I was playing both sports year-round. My mom had enough and said, “Hey you gotta pick one, we’re doing too much running around every night.” So I ended up sticking with basketball. And I played that through high school, as well as golf. Grew up in that area, a small town. I think that’s why I liked Aquinas. This, you know wooded campus in the middle of the big city but it felt like a small little community.
Talk about your family and just talk about yourself. Favorite hobbies, favorite food, favorite movies. That sort of thing.
Outside of golf, I’m much more of a summer person. Winter is hit or miss. I got a puppy so he kept me pretty active this winter. In the summer, love kayaking, tubing down the river, that type of stuff. Last year we started camping which is a lot of fun. Really any of those outdoor activities. Grilling and playing yard games, bonfires, all that stuff. Your typical Michigan summer. Favorite food, I really like pizza, it’s a good go to, and tacos. There’s been some good new taco spots in Grand Rapids.I’m always a sucker for the classic sports movies, like Remember the Titans or Coach Carter, the Blindside. Love those.My husband is Jason, we got married in August 2019 so coming up on two years. Been together for almost nine years. Met just after college, we were both working at MC Sports. My immediate family, I have two sisters in high school, my mom lives in Montana. So when I visit I love checking out the national parks, white water rafting. For the most part, the rest of my family is in Michigan. My dad is one of seven so I have a huge extended family that lives in Marshall, I’ve got like 23 first cousins, super close family. It was a lot of fun growing up. Always had cousins running around. I still stay in touch with them a lot.
Give us some background on your work experience and how you got to where you are today.
I started working in golf at the end of high school, I worked three years at a course in my hometown just doing every job at the golf course, pro shop, getting the range balls, working in the restaurant, and I did events for weddings. So I did that through part of college. When I moved up to Grand Rapids permanently, I worked at Cascade Country Club for a year. Then in college, I played golf for Aquinas. Straight out of college, I became the assistant coach and then moved to the head coach position for about a year and a half. At the same time, I was working as a shop manager at the pro shop of our home course Scott Lake. So that’s my background in golf, and then outside of that, I left golf in 2016 and went to Gordon Food Service full-time. I started in an entry-level data entry position. After about a year and a half maybe two years I stepped into a credit analyst role where I was assessing the risk of our new and existing business. That’s my last couple of years there. And then Obviously an assistant or a lead coach for First Tee for about four and a half years as well.
What stood out about First Tee – West Michigan that drove you here?
Yeah, I think having worked with the program for quite a while, it’s just being able to give kids that might not have the opportunity to play golf, the chance to do that. Golf is something I love, one of my huge passions. And being able to give low-income families that chance. Frankly, golf is not a cheap sport so the fact that we have the opportunity to do this is pretty amazing to me so continuing to give back to the community in that way is great.
What is your favorite thing about being at First Tee – West Michigan so far?
Outside of coaching, I would say just the different tasks that every day brings. Whether it was like last week, randomly having to pick up gazebos, just not being stuck in front of a computer screen at the office. There’s an opportunity to do other things. Like getting in front of donors at one of the marathons. Being able to talk about the programs with them and what we do. There’s a lot of different opportunities for us.
What is your favorite of the 9 core values and why?
I think my favorite one especially to teach is probably sportsmanship. I would say with that one, I feel like once you teach that to the class it’s so, it’s a lot easier to see that the kids are picking up on that. It’s between that and confidence. Like building each other up and not making fun of a kid when they hit a bad shot. Or, they’re helping you out at the end of the class picking up materials. I feel like they are more engaged with each other in a positive manner. It’s something they can grasp and display instantly in class. Confidence is a good one too. I feel like kids can, I don’t know, be let down easily. You get those middle school-aged kids that are not confident in what they do a lot of the time. So being able to build that up in them.
What makes you excited for the future with First Tee?
I think to see where the First Tee goes in general. It’s grown so much since I started leading. To go from, I think when I started coaching there might’ve been three full-time people. To now have a much larger staff. That’s huge. So that’s one of the things I’m most excited about. I think another thing I hadn’t thought about when I applied to this position was the big opportunities that our long-time students have. Being able to get college scholarships, national trips, playing in tournaments. I heard a little bit about that. But being able to be close to that I think is going to be super exciting too. Just working with students like Jorge Garcia I had in class when he was younger. So seeing he’s now an Evan’s scholar at the University of Michigan. That’s an opportunity back then he never thought he’d have. So it’s pretty amazing to see some of the kids grow through the program and where they end up.
In 2021, twelve high school graduates have been selected to the First Tee College Scholarship Program based on academic performance, length and involvement in First Tee programs, financial need and commitment to volunteerism. This class of scholars includes aspiring engineers, accountants, teachers and environmental activists, all of whom will be attending stand out colleges and universities, including Dartmouth University, University of Pennsylvania, Boston College, University of Indiana and other top institutions across the country. The Scholars also represent diverse backgrounds from communities across the First Tee network. The class is comprised of eight females and four males. The Scholars’ average GPA is 4.19 on a 4.0 scale and hold an average of 1,422 out of 1,600 on SAT and 31 out of 36 on ACT. Five of the Scholars will play on their college’s golf team.
First Tee College Scholarship Program supports selected alumni throughout their college career in an effort to further their life skill development and mentorship. The need and merit-based program provides scholarships up to $5,000 per year, renewable for up to four years of college admission. The program also provides professional development workshops, access to internships and full-time employment placement post-graduation. One of the key factors of the program is pairing Scholars with a dedicated adult mentor who will help encourage and guide them throughout the four years.
Meet the Scholars
Claire Alford, First Tee — Central Coast
Santa Clara University
American Mathematics Champion, AP Scholar with Distinction and American Indian/Hispanic National Merit Scholar are just a few of the amazing individual achievements Claire has attained in her life. What is more impressive, though, is Claire’s drive to help her community and create outlets that impact others. Of the many clubs and funds Claire has created, one was Birdies for Baskets. This was an initiative by Claire, in which she played 65 holes of golf in a single day raising more than $1,000 providing food baskets for under privileged families. Graduating with a 4.56 GPA, Claire plans to major in Public Health and Biology with a goal of becoming an anesthesiologist.
Marion Caldwell, First Tee — Four Corners
Dartmouth University
Pursuing a future in teaching, Marion is passionate about passing down the knowledge she has obtained throughout her life to the children within her community. Marion will attend Dartmouth University where she will major in both English and History. Throughout high school, Marion achieved numerous academic honors such as national honor society and earning a cumulative 4.39 GPA. When asked who her dream golf foursome is, Caldwell said a close friend, someone to teach and someone to learn from. Marion’s enthusiasm for both teaching and learning aligns perfectly with the goals and values of First Tee. She is a 10-year participant at First Tee — Four Corners and is the first participant to achieve ACE certification, the highest designation in the First Tee program.
Natalie Cao, First Tee — Greater Houston
University of Pennsylvania
Earning a cumulative 4.37 GPA, Natalie strives for greatness in both the classroom and on the course. While at the University of Pennsylvania, Natalie will play on the women’s golf team and will major in economics. She has used her passion for economics to become a financial advisor to help her community, working as the sole junior cashier and assistant treasurer for a bi-monthly book sale, raising more than $12,000 each year for her library. An eight-year participant at First Tee — Greater Houston, Natalie has also been a First Tee Junior Mentor since 2015 making a monumental impact on many through both the game of golf, and her desire to help others. On her goal of becoming a financial advisory, Natalie thinks it’s very similar to mentoring kids at First Tee as she’ll give counsel to those who seek her assistance and knowledge, focusing on financial goals instead of golf goals.
Molly Castle, First Tee — Tennessee
University of Tennessee Knoxville
As a First Tee — Tennessee participant for seven years, Molly has achieved ACE certification, the highest designation in the First Tee program, and used that experience and her love of golf for helping others within her community. She is an active volunteer for Second Harvest Food Bank and the Tennessee School for the Blind, where she assists those who are visually impaired learn the game of golf. Molly is a triplet and while her siblings have decided to continue their golf careers in college, Molly has chosen to focus on her passion to study agriculture and her drive for continued academic success.
Malisone Chanthapanya, First Tee — Forth Worth
Texas Wesleyan University
A 12-year participant at First Tee — Fort Worth, Malisone is the youngest participant to ever achieve ACE Certification in the chapter’s history. She serves on the Chapter Junior Advisory Committee and will play in the 2021 First Tee National Championship. With a cumulative 4.0 GPA combined with her success on the course, Malison plans to continue her golf career at Texas Wesleyan University while double majoring in computer science and accounting.
Quincy Crawford, First Tee — Greater Washington D.C.
University of Cincinnati
Being a part of the First Tee — Greater Washington D.C. for a decade, Quincy has been able to make an impact in his community using both his love for golf, and his passion to help others. Quincy has plans to study Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati, but the impressive academic achievements do not stop there. Fluent in four languages – English, French, Italian, Russian – Quincy earned a cumulative 3.98 GPA while being on the honor roll all four years throughout high school. He was named captain of his high school golf team and plays bass in his school’s advanced orchestra. The First Tee Scholarship Program will empower him as he pursues his goal of using his Aerospace Engineering degree to create fuel-efficient aircrafts, lessoning the overall carbon footprint and possibly slow the rate of climate change.
Rebecca Jones, First Tee — Indiana
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
With goals of one day working on environmentally friendly engineering projects, Rebecca will be studying environmental engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Holding a cumulative GPA of 3.39, the classroom is not the only place Rebecca exceled, as she was a three-sport athlete (Basketball, Golf, Track) in high school earning all-conference accolades in each. Being a member of the First Tee — Indiana for six years and achieving multiple medals as a competitor, Rebecca has been able to use golf as both an outlet to give back and succeed individually. Not only thriving in the classroom and athletic fields, she is a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo and a five-year president of the Orchestra Council. Rebecca is most excited about using her degree to earn a career focusing on land remediation and implementing new systems to reduce pollution, ultimately striving to make the area she grew up in a cleaner and greener place that will benefit the entire community.
Josh Lendach, First Tee — Triangle
University of Cincinnati
Through both his hard work in the classroom and on the golf course, Josh has earned the privilege to play golf at the University of Cincinnati. Josh has been a part of the First Tee — Triangle for 13 years and continues to use golf as an outlet to help others. He’s been a junior coach and mentor for the younger First Tee participants, raises money at an annual charity golf event benefiting the Nicklaus Children’s Foundation, and when schools closed in 2020 due to the pandemic, he founded Golf Gives Back with his fellow high school golf teammates to collect food for those in need. Hoping his passions for golf and environmental/atmospheric sciences collide, Josh wants to study how different environmental and atmospheric conditions could threaten the sustainability of golf course maintenance for future generations.
Meghna Mazumdar, First Tee — Connecticut
Boston College
Scoring a 1430 on her SATs while achieving a 4.12 cumulative GPA, Meghna will study Business Economics at Boston College in the fall. Her passion for investing in the stock market started at a young age which was featured on the Today Show when she was 13. Since 2011, her investment portfolio performance has consistently beat the S&P 500 index and she donates part of her investment gains to various charities and a First Tee — Connecticut Scholarship. Her love for investing and golf collided in 2016 when she was selected as winner of the Wells Fargo Succeeding Together contest, earning her the opportunity to play with PGA TOUR player Rory McIlroy in Wells Fargo Championship Pro-Am. Meghna is a 13-year participant at First Tee — Connecticut and her love of the game led her to be the founder of her high school’s first girl’s golf team. She was also recently elected as one of eight people from across the nation to serve on the First Tee’s Participant Advisory Council.
Benjamin Nganga, First Tee — Tennessee
University of Indiana
Benjamin’s excellent drive to succeed in the classroom has achieved him a 4.46 cumulative GPA earning him the prestigious Fry Scholarship to attend the University of Indiana Kelly Business School. Benjamin’s family immigrated to the U.S. from Kenya and could not be prouder of Benjamin becoming the first person in their family to attend college, with sights on a double major in Finance and Computer Science. Benjamin’s hard work was not limited to the classroom, as the seven-year First Tee — Tennessee participant was his high school golf team’s captain and in 2019 was named first team All-Metro. One of his future passions is to develop a non-profit that helps with the expenses of youth sports.
Kaleb Palm, First Tee — Central Florida
Florida Atlantic University
Kaleb is a six-year participant at First Tee — Central Florida whose passion and drive has helped him earn selection into many of First Tee’s national mentoring and empowerment events. Kaleb has earned a cumulative 4.69 GPA and PGA TOUR Champions player, Skip Kendall, says that “Kaleb has always been very positive and never lets adversity get in his way.” The son of a pastor, Kaleb uses what any adverse experience has taught him to help in many community outreach programs, such as helping the local food pantry in feeding less fortunate families.
Borina Sutikto, First Tee — Silicon Valley
Santa Clara University
With plans already in place to study Accounting & Information Systems while playing golf at Santa Clara University, Borina is passionate about the game both on and off the course. Earning both Junior Golf Association of Northern California Player of the Year honors along with the Girls Low Scoring Average Champion, Borina’s golf skill and love for the game is second to none. The trait that separates her from the pack is her passion to grow the game by helping others. She is a member of the Women’s Nine Hole Golf Association, an organization that helps promote the game of golf and inspire more women to play it. Having earned a 4.25 GPA, the nine-year participant at First Tee — Silicon Valley gives back to the younger participants as a junior coach and mentor.
First Tee College Scholarship Program is made possible by donors and corporate partners who stand behind the program and First Tee’s mission, including Astros Golf Foundation, Peter A. Bonanni Scholarship Fund, Chevron Corporation, A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, Timothy W. Finchem Scholarship Fund, Paul and Ruth Flowers, Morrell Studios, Charles Schwab, TruGreen, Edward and Lisa Vaughan and Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund.
Rebecca Caimano, Assistant Executive Director, has been coaching with First Tee — Greater Philadelphia since 2011. Coach Rebecca started golfing at a young age and has a passion for introducing girls to the game.“Growing up playing golf I never imagined being in the golf industry. It was tough being the only female who played golf.”Having positive mentors and role models is important for all kids and teens. At First Tee, we provide a safe place for all youth to grow, learn and have fun through golf. Coach Rebecca knows maintaining a healthy mindset helps her be the best version of herself, and she’s passing that information on to the youth in her classes.“I spend time filling my mind and body with things that make me feel good and add to my happiness. Everyday I make sure I eat food that gives me energy and adds value to my journey along with drinking plenty of water! I also love to read good books and spend time doing things that add joy to my life. A Hallmark movie here or there doesn’t hurt either!”When she’s not coaching or playing, Coach Rebecca enjoys shopping for shoes and trying her hand at new cooking recipes. Learn more about her strategies for maintaining a healthy mindset.
1. Why do you think having a healthy mindset is important?
Having a healthy mindset is the first step to being a generally healthy person. If you have self-belief, confidence and a good work ethic you can accomplish so much.
2. How do you keep a healthy mindset?
It’s different for everyone, and the first important step is knowing yourself and what makes you tick. For me personally, staying physically active, maintaining a nutritious diet, and spending time with my wife and dog.
3. How do you prepare for school/work?
I always start my day with a big glass of water, some stretching and protein shake, but recently I’ve been doing breathwork right before leaving the house, which is quickly becoming a new habit.
4. How do you prepare for social activities (First Tee, other clubs, hanging out with friends)?
I like making my home comfortable and clean so I can have a calm environment to come home to. It also helps to get everything on your to-do list finished so you can fully enjoy having fun and being with friends without stressing about things on the back of your mind.
5. If you’re stressed, what do you do to relax?
Breathwork techniques have been incredibly helpful for relieving anxiety, and it’s actually something I’ve taken on the golf course as well. It’s also important to identify and name the thing giving you stress – you can’t solve a problem until you look it in the eye.
6. Who can you turn to if you need help?
I’m lucky to have so many people in my life who love me and are there for me. My wife McKenna helps me with things large and small every day, and my dad is always there to answer questions about my car or to just talk about life.
7. If you make a mistake, how do you learn from it and move forward?
Everyone makes mistakes, but that’s never much of a comfort when you make them. Always do your best in life, even the smallest things, because then your mistakes are at least made with your best effort. Mistakes sting worse when they’re born from laziness or a lack of care. When you do inevitably make a mistake, ask what the mistake has to teach you. There are always lessons in doing things the wrong way, but they’re only valuable if they sink in.
8. If you see a friend or family member in need, what can you do to encourage them?
Approach them in a way that’s compassionate to them and considerate of their feelings. People in need of help often don’t want to ask for it, and helping out doesn’t always mean directly solving their problem for them. The best way to be an ally to a loved one during their time of need is offering a patient and empathetic ear.
9. What has First Tee taught you about a healthy mindset?
A lot! It’s easy to cultivate a healthy mindset by being outdoors, playing golf and being with friends. I love seeing young participants’ small moments of kindness toward one another during class and I think it’s made me a more empathetic person.
We believe character is learned, cultivated, and shaped by our experiences. At First Tee, we focus on taking the valuable lessons learned on the course, and applying them to everyday lives at school, at home, and in our communities. We believe that part of being a good leader and becoming a game-changer involves showing up for others whenever possible. Here are six ways that you can encourage your child to show up and help others: 
1. Why is mentorship important?
Benjamin Parris, First Tee – Denver
When I’m not working, I really enjoy cooking. My wife was in grad school for two and a half years and it forced me to become the chef or the cook of our house. Ever since then it’s something I really fell in love with and found a passion for cooking and grilling, smoking. Anything food-related and just even eating. Life is too short to eat crappy food and not enjoy the food you are eating. I also enjoy bike riding, being outside, and golfing of course. Going up north up to the cottage. Favorite food is pepperoni pizza. My favorite movie is Toy Story. I’m a big Pixar Toy Story fan.
In 2021, twelve high school graduates have been selected to the First Tee College Scholarship Program based on academic performance, length and involvement in First Tee programs, financial need and commitment to volunteerism. This class of scholars includes aspiring engineers, accountants, teachers and environmental activists, all of whom will be attending stand out colleges and universities, including Dartmouth University, University of Pennsylvania, Boston College, University of Indiana and other top institutions across the country. The Scholars also represent diverse backgrounds from communities across the First Tee network. The class is comprised of eight females and four males. The Scholars’ average GPA is 4.19 on a 4.0 scale and hold an average of 1,422 out of 1,600 on SAT and 31 out of 36 on ACT. Five of the Scholars will play on their college’s golf team.
First Tee College Scholarship Program supports selected alumni throughout their college career in an effort to further their life skill development and mentorship. The need and merit-based program provides scholarships up to $5,000 per year, renewable for up to four years of college admission. The program also provides professional development workshops, access to internships and full-time employment placement post-graduation. One of the key factors of the program is pairing Scholars with a dedicated adult mentor who will help encourage and guide them throughout the four years.
Coach Nic Thacker, First Tee – South Puget Sound
6. Who can you turn to if you need help?