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First Tee’s commitment to fostering life-long learning and providing continued support for its alumni expanded this year as two First Tee alumni were named to the national Board of Governors. Sydney Burlison, an alumna of First Tee – Monterey County, and Rayshon J. Payton, an alumnus of First Tee – Metropolitan Oklahoma City, were announced as the newest members of the Board of Governors in October.

Sydney Burlison grew up in Salinas, California and participated at First Tee – Monterey County before beginning her collegiate golf career at Stanford University. While at Stanford, Sydney completed a double major in Communication and Film Studies and was a four-time NCAA Academic All-American. When asked her greatest athletic moment, Sydney named winning the First Tee Open with Fuzzy Zoeller (now PURE Insurance Championship) and qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open as her shining moments.

Upon graduation from Stanford University, Sydney spent a year at the University of Cambridge where she received her Master of Philosophy in Management. After bouncing around the world for a few more years working for companies like Nike and Sky Sports, Sydney ultimately made her way back to her home of Monterey County and quickly became involved with the community once again. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors at First Tee – Monterey County and on the Grant Committee of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. On a national level, Sydney mentors a First Tee Scholar and will now serve on the Board of Governors for a two-year term.

Rayshon J. Payton grew up in Oklahoma City and joined First Tee – Metropolitan Oklahoma City when the chapter opened in 2004. Throughout his time as a First Tee participant, he attended many of the national opportunities including the First Tee Open (now PURE Insurance Championship) where he played with fellow Oklahoma native Gil Morgan.

Rayshon went on to play collegiate golf at Oklahoma City University where he studied political science. He then received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2013. Shortly after his graduation from law school, Rayshon relocated to the Washington D.C. area, where he now serves as Special Counsel in the Office of Legislative Affairs. Rayshon continues to be active within First Tee through his relationship with First Tee – Greater Washington D.C. and most recently by attending a First Tee Alumni Network meet-up where he had the opportunity to hear from other First Tee alumni. Rayshon describes the experience of joining the Board of Governors as a “full circle moment.”

“Not only has being a part of the Board been a high honor, but it’s always been a goal of mine,” said Rayshon. “I hope to contribute my passion for mentorship and leadership [to First Tee]. I am here today because so many people took the time to mentor me and answer questions when I needed it.”

To learn more about First Tee’s commitment to their alumni, or to join the Alumni Network, visit here.

With nearly half of First Tee chapters celebrating more than 20 years of service in their communities, First Tee continues to pride itself on the stability of the network.

 “Our network is strong because of the incredible leaders who serve on our chapter boards and the staff and coaches who are the face of First Tee in their communities. We are grateful for each of them,” said Jennifer Weiler, senior vice president of network relations at First Tee.

As 2024 comes to a close, we take the time to recognize the chapters that celebrated their 25^th anniversaries this year.

First Tee – Connecticut serves the state of Connecticut. First Tee – Connecticut continues to expand its reach in the underserved and underrepresented communities through its school programs, specifically in Bridgeport schools where it’s delivered golf-based life lessons for almost 15 years. In 2024 it gave out 33 continuing education scholarships to participants including to Selam Olson, who was also a recipient of the national First Tee College Scholarship.

First Tee – Greater Akron serves Summit County in Ohio. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the chapter hosted The Game Changers Dinner with keynote speaker Coach Jim Tressel. At the dinner, the chapter presented awards including 25th Anniversary Game Balls to First Tee – Greater Akron co-founders Tom Knoll and Kevin Harris and the Moment of the Year Award to participant Jackson Young for his unforgettable hole-in-one.

First Tee – Greater Dallas serves Dallas, Collin, portions of Denton, Ellis, Rockwall and Kaufman counties. In addition to running programming, First Tee – Greater Dallas also hosts multiple special events including a golf marathon, the Forvis Mazars Golf Invitational and a Festival of Golf.

First Tee – Greater Sacramento serves portions of Sacramento, Yolo, Placer and El Dorado counties. In addition to the core First Tee curriculum, the chapter offers Girls Golf, a junior tour and various adaptive golf programs. 

First Tee – Greater Washington, DC serves the District of Columbia and Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Virginia, and Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland. The chapter currently provides green grass programming at 23 locations and has over 1,000 volunteers. In 2024, First Tee – Greater Washington, DC surpassed two million area youth served through its golf and life skills programming over the last 25 years.

First Tee – Hampton Roads serves the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach, as well as Accomack, Northampton, Southampton counties in Virginia and Currituck, Camden and Dare counties in North Carolina. The chapter reaches 1,800 area youth through green-grass programming and an additional 350 families through their Military Voucher Program.  

First Tee – Manhattan serves Clay, Geary, Pottawatomie and Riley counties in Kansas. The chapter serves more than 750 kids and teens annually at their programming location Colbert Hills and an additional 9,000 through partnerships with 25 schools and youth centers.

First Tee – Metro Atlanta serves Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett and Henry counties. The HOPE Tee Shot at the TOUR Championship is one of First Tee – Metro Atlanta’s most cherished traditions, and in 2024, participants Alana Sims and Nigel Youmans were honored during the ceremony.

First Tee – North Florida serves Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties. In 2024 it opened the new Jacksonville Beach Game Changers Clubhouse which will allow the chapter to reach an additional 500 kids each year.

First Tee – Southeast Wisconsin serves Fond du Lac, Washington, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine, Walworth, Jefferson, Kenosha, Waukesha and Sheboygan counties. The chapter continues to grow and evolve through various community partnerships including Golf 101 clinics with Big Brother Big Sisters. In 2024, the chapter increased the number of participants reached by 25%.

First Tee – Tennessee serves the entire state with the five service regions being Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Chattanooga, Greater Knoxville and Tri Cities. This year they held three fundraising events with PGA TOUR players Peter Malnati (Knoxville), Stephen Jaeger (Chattanooga) and Loren Roberts (Memphis) to help spread awareness and raise funds to support programs in those regions. 

In 2023, First Tee – Oakland identified a need in their local area to provide additional programming for underserved students. Through a partnership with the Oakland Unified School District, they took off running to make a difference in their community.

The Oakland Unified School District is 90% diverse and 77% economically disadvantaged. For many of its students, First Tee – Oakland is their first introduction to golf. Last year the chapter was able to reach 1,100 students at school and an additional 200 students at Metropolitan Golf Links. Thanks in part to a grant from The Toro Company, First Tee – Oakland provided transportation to and from the golf course and introduced green grass golf programming to local students at no cost.

Shelley Hara, the general manager of Metropolitan Golf Links, grew up through OUSD. She understands first-hand the impact that golf and mentorship can have on students.

“The team at Metro and I take great pride in hosting First Tee along with other junior golf programs, creating opportunities for many kids in Oakland and the greater Bay Area to benefit from quality golf programing,” said Shelley. “It was gratifying to see how these programs could positively impact the youth in our community, introducing them to the game of golf in an engaging and supportive environment.”

According to a recent study by First Tee and The Harris Poll, among parents whose kids play sports, 95% said they’re effective for improving children’s mental health, and 94% said youth sports help connect kids with supportive adults to strengthen character development. Through this programming, participants are given the opportunity to benefit from sports and learn golf from trained and background checked coaches without adding additional financial burdens to families.

“It’s particularly meaningful to me, as a former OUSD student, to see this new iteration of First Tee focusing on Oakland Unified School District kids who may not have had an introduction to golf before adulthood,” said Shelley. “I’ve had the privilege of seeing past First Tee – Oakland participants head off to college, which shows how these programs can positively shape lives and open doors for future success.”

Due to “The Toro Company Grow the Game Through Impact and Inclusion” grants, First Tee – Oakland has continued to be able to provide their programming at no cost to participants and expand their reach in 2024. Over the last 25 years, Toro has donated more than $1.7 million to First Tee, making programming like that at First Tee – Oakland possible at First Tee chapters across the country.

“The growth and development we witness through these programs not only enrich the lives of individual participants, but also strengthens our community,” said Shelley.

Golf Digest will provide $175,000 in grants to support the winning chapters.

PHOENIX, AZ (Nov. 25, 2024) – Recipients of the annual First Tee Awards presented in partnership with Golf Digest were celebrated last week at First Tee’s 2024 Network Summit, a biennial gathering of more than 800 chapter leaders and partners from across the globe. The following individuals were recognized at the event in Phoenix for their dedication to the nonprofit youth development organization, which uses golf to teach life skills and build character.

Tim Finchem Leadership Award Winner: Gary Koch of First Tee – Tampa Bay
In 2021, the former professional golfer and NBC Sports broadcaster spearheaded the construction of a short course at First Tee – Tampa Bay’s home site of Rogers Park, providing the community with a new youth-accessible playing facility. The award recognizes an individual’s service and commitment to the mission of First Tee.

Coach of the Year: Manny Gallardo of First Tee – Silicon Valley
Over the last decade, Gallardo has become a beloved coach at the chapter, personally developing more than 200 games and activities to further engage First Tee participants. He is responsible for the development of the girls’ program at the chapter and is named as a mentor to participants, coaches and staff alike. Gallardo received First Tee’s inaugural Coach of the Year award.

George H.W. Bush Volunteer of the Year: Leslie Kleinman of First Tee – Cleveland
In 2008, Kleinman launched a culinary program that brings the life skills and values taught at First Tee into the kitchen, educating kids about diverse cuisines, healthy eating and the value of service through cooking for the Cleveland Food Bank.

Teacher of the Year: Layne Frazier of First Tee – Four Corners (NW New Mexico)
Frazier has been teaching at Eva B. Stokely Elementary School in Shiprock, New Mexico, for the last 16 years, 10 of which included First Tee School Program curriculum. He has introduced the game of golf to students from the Navajo Reservation both at the school where he teaches and by introducing other local schools to First Tee.

First Tee chapters in Tampa Bay, Silicon Valley and Cleveland will each receive $25,000 from Golf Digest, while First Tee – Four Corners and Frazier’s elementary school will split $25,000.

First Tee also honored three chapters with the Barbara A. Douglas & Dr. William J. Powell Diversity Award, which began in 2013 to recognize chapters that demonstrate outstanding leadership and commitment to expanding access and inclusivity in their community. Golf Digest will make donations totaling $75,000 to these chapters:

• First Tee – Central Coast ($35,000 recipient): Through a collaboration with People’s Self-Help Housing, the longest-serving nonprofit housing organization on California’s Central Coast, the chapter has engaged nearly 100 new participants from these families. Building off this success, First Tee – Central Coast connected with other organizations in the area to impact an additional 1000+ underserved youth through First Tee programming.
• First Tee – Florida Gold Coast ($25,000 recipient): In 2023, the chapter’s participants were 63% ethnically diverse and 41% female, and the chapter was able to serve nearly 1,000 kids with special needs through partnerships with Boys & Girls Club, Police Athletics League, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the YMCA as well as other local organizations like Martin County Parks & Rec.
• First Tee – Central Carolina ($15,000 recipient): Unique to the chapter is an HBCU Summer Golf Internship, where 10 HBCU golfers are given access to practice facilities while also gaining practical nonprofit experience. The chapter offers programming at Gillespie Golf Course and recently commissioned a mural that celebrates the sacrifices and impact of the “Greensboro Six.”

As a network, 47% of First Tee participants are ethnically diverse and 38% are female. More than 90% of chapters are serving young people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and nearly a quarter of participants (24%) come from at-risk or distressed communities, based on the Economic Innovation Group’s Distressed Communities Index.

“The award winners represent the true heroes of First Tee,” said First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “They wake up each day with the intention of making a difference in young people’s lives. Congratulations to all the winners. Also, we are incredibly grateful to Golf Digest, for their longtime support of First Tee.”

“We are proud to honor all the First Tee individuals and chapters who are so dedicated to sharing golf with kids from all backgrounds, helping them learn life skills that go beyond the course,” said Golf Digest general manager Chris Reynolds. “Their inspiring stories remind us of what makes this game so special.”

PHOENIX (Nov. 21, 2024) – First Tee honored several of its most dedicated supporters Wednesday evening during a celebration dinner at the youth organization’s biennial Network Summit, where more than 800 chapter representatives and partners were gathered. Paul Fireman joined Tim Finchem as a recipient of First Tee’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Charles Schwab and PURE Insurance received the Founders Award, recognizing their longtime support of First Tee’s mission.

Former chairman of Reebok, chairman of Fireman Capital Partners and co-founder of Liberty National Golf Club, Fireman became a First Tee Trustee in 2012. He and his family have invested $8 million in First Tee nationally and in the four chapters in New Jersey – Essex County, Jersey Shore, Raritan Valley and Trenton – supporting their efforts to reach more than 500,000 youth in the last several years.

First Tee also announced the winners of its Founders Award, which it has presented since 2002, as a measure of sincere gratitude to the individuals and organizations whose generosity enables First Tee to impact millions of kids. This year, First Tee honored Charles Schwab and PURE Insurance for their ongoing commitment to First Tee.

“First Tee would not be where it is today without the vision and ongoing commitment of supporters like Paul Fireman, Charles Schwab and the PURE Insurance company,” said First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “When you look back on the organization’s success, it is the individuals, foundations and companies who believe in the mission that fuel the work. We are deeply grateful for their longstanding commitment to First Tee at both the national and local levels of the organization.”

Paul Fireman is just the third person to be recognized with the First Tee Lifetime Achievement Award, following former PGA TOUR commissioner and founder of First Tee, Tim Finchem, who was honored this past October, and retired First Tee CEO Joe Louis Barrow Jr., who was honored in 2022.

Charles Schwab not only provides financial support to First Tee chapters, having established a $25-million dollar matching grant, but the business executive also founded First Tee – San Francisco alongside Sandy Tatum in 2004 and was integral to the redevelopment of Harding Park, one of the chapter’s signature program locations.

Since 2016, PURE Insurance has been the title sponsor of an annual PGA TOUR Champions event that pairs First Tee juniors with golf legends at Pebble Beach. In 2021, the firm expanded its impact on First Tee, becoming a Trustee and committing $1 million to the First Tee College Scholarship Program, which has helped nearly 100 First Tee alumni advance their education by providing financial support, mentorship and professional development opportunities. First Tee is a nonprofit youth development organization that empowers young people through the game of golf, helping them develop their inner strength, confidence and life skills that they use on and off the course.

With nearly half of First Tee chapters celebrating 20+ years of service, the youth development organization is looking to the future at its biennial Network Summit.

PHOENIX (Nov. 18, 2024) – First Tee is prioritizing teen and alumni engagement, innovative gamification strategies and ongoing education for adults in the network, the youth development organization will announce to more than 800 stakeholders in attendance at its biennial Network Summit. It will also share plans for the inaugural First Tee Week, an awareness campaign slated for May 19-25, 2025, that will coincide with the PGA TOUR’s Charles Schwab Challenge and celebrate the contributions of First Tee sports coaches.

“For more than 27 years First Tee has continued to strengthen and evolve while remaining committed to the kids, families and communities we serve,” said First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “We look forward to coming together to learn, grow and align around our priorities at this Network Summit. I am deeply proud of the work of our chapters and thank the sponsors who have made the gathering possible.”

Highlights discussed at this week’s Network Summit will include:

• Placing a greater emphasis on serving participants through their teenage years, which is a critical time of development. To reinforce this, First Tee added technology and gamification to the experience and continues to offer impactful national teen opportunities, which serve nearly 350 participants a year.
• Launch of the First Tee Alumni Network, where former participants can stay connected to each other and the organization for continued professional development and opportunities to serve as volunteers and coaches at its chapters.
• Roll out of First Tee University, an enrichment program for the 10,000 adults involved in the network, providing access to year-round professional development and continuing education.
• Continued investment in academic research and coach training. According to recent research from First Tee and Harris Poll, 93% of parents believe their kids can learn important life skills through sports, however, four out of five see a shortage of high caliber coaches in youth sports today.

These will be among the key topics more than 800 First Tee Chapter leaders from across the U.S. and select international locations will discuss this week in Phoenix during the youth development organization’s 2024 Network Summit. The continuing education event for the First Tee network takes place Nov. 18-21 and features networking opportunities, professional development classes and inspiring general sessions.

Mayo Clinic, Next Round and the Rockefeller Global Family Office are supporting sponsors of the 2024 First Tee Network Summit.

This week in Phoenix, First Tee is also hosting the First Tee Alumni Summit presented by Gallagher, the First Tee Partner Summit supported by CapTech and the Innovators Forum, a leadership event that brings together 32 teens from across the country to develop service projects they will implement in their communities. Past projects have been featured in People and Forbes.

First Tee is a nonprofit youth development organization that uses golf to help young people build character and life skills. With 150 Chapters around the globe, First Tee serves more than 3.3 million kids with the help of more than 10,000 adults, including volunteers, staff members, coaches and board members.

Learn more about getting involved with First Tee.

Each year, a group of exceptional First Tee teens gather at the First Tee Innovators Forum, where they develop a meaningful service project to bring home to their community focused on education, health, human rights or environmental sustainability. By bringing together passionate participants from across the chapter network, the Innovators Forum provides a distinctive enrichment experience, engaging teens who share a similar desire for learning and generating changes in their communities.  

Sophia Waddell from First Tee – Central Coast attended the 2023 Innovators Forum in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, home of the PGA TOUR. At her chapter she works as a junior coach and noticed that there were very few participants with special needs. Sophia’s sister, Ava, was born with a chromosome abnormality that impacts her daily life, so Sophia was aware that golf is a good sport for someone with special needs to pursue as it is quiet and relies less on balance or mobility than other sports.  

When Sophia was tasked with creating a meaningful service project, she knew immediately that she wanted to create a special needs golf program that would operate free of charge at First Tee – Central Coast. As soon as she returned home from Innovators Forum she began working with her coach, Darren Avrit, to get the program off the ground. 

Together, coach Darren and Sophia found multiple community partners to put the project in motion. They worked with the North County Adaptive Sports and Recreation Program to identify participants, and after having the program approved by their board, invited a group to participate.  

Additionally, they worked with coach Darren’s kinesiology class at California Polytechnic University to help provide additional volunteer support so that there was at least one support person for each class participant. Dairy Creek Golf Course, the host site of First Tee – Central Coast, was happy to host the program. With this central and consistent programming location, Sophia was able to utilize a local rideshare program for adults with disabilities to provide the participants with transportation to and from the golf course at no cost due to a NCASARP grant.  

The class ran the second Saturday of every month from February to June 2024. They were able to use an adapted version of the First Tee curriculum to provide fun but appropriately challenging activities for the participants. Sophia and the team at First Tee – Central Coast hope to continue this program into the spring of 2025 and beyond.  

“As an Innovators Forum member, I was able to use the skills I learned of networking and building the relationships that were needed so that we could get this project going quickly,” said Sophia. “Being able to bring groups together as partners in a goal allowed each group to increase their own effort in helping people with disabilities in the community.” 

The 2024 First Tee Innovators Forum will take place next week in Phoenix.

Learn more about First Tee’s national participant opportunities.

Pursuing a career in golf doesn’t always mean playing professionally. The golf industry is rich with opportunity, and many First Tee alumni have gone on to find roles in golf. We asked First Tee alumni and partners about the traits that have contributed most to their success: 

Brittany Gill 
First Tee – Greater Richmond alumna 
Corporate Partnerships Representative, PGA TOUR – Dominion Energy Charity Classic 

One quality that has contributed to my success in the industry is my ability to network within the community through the game of golf. Golf has been a platform for me to meet others, connect with prospective clients by playing a round of golf, and building relationships with many others. Being confident in my own golf game and walking into a crowd of strangers on a golf course has contributed to much of my success in my role this year. Another quality that I believe has contributed to my success is my ability to empathize with others. Being able to understand different viewpoints and empathize has led to many resolutions, agreements, and working together towards a common goal with the various constituents in the golf industry. 

Callie O’Neill 
First Tee – Northern Michigan 
Assistant Golf Professional, Pebble Beach Golf Links 

I have no doubt that through my experience at the First Tee – Northern Michigan, I gained the confidence to make the move across the country to start a job in the PGA of America at Pebble Beach Golf Links. One of my strongest traits of perseverance has played a large role in my success at Pebble Beach and I look forward to a long career here. 

Dave Pangraze 
VP, Business Development 
Next Round Golf 

Finding a career in golf is no different from other careers; it helps to have a passion for what you do!  I made the leap into the golf business from traditional sales and marketing, applying the skills I had in one industry to that in golf.  If you are having trouble figuring out how to break into the golf business, apply yourself in school and early jobs to make yourself more marketable for a career in the great game of golf! 

Janine Fellows, PGA 
Director of Golf 
Topgolf 

My curiosity has fueled a constant pursuit of learning, sharpening my problem-solving abilities, and inspiring innovative approaches that expand my impact on both my team and the game of golf. This mindset has also opened me to new perspectives and solutions, enabling more creative and effective strategies.  

Sara Scarlett 
First Tee – Greater Sacramento alumna 
Brand Manager, Dick’s Sporting Goods (Walter Hagen & Maxfli) 

I’ve always been an excellent communicator and that has allowed me to thrive in my roles to-date, but my underlying passion for golf is what sets me apart in my current role. The passion propels me to think creatively and work hard, while also having so much fun throughout the process.     

Gavin Parker 
First Tee – Greater Richmond alumnus 
PGA Professional and golf influencer 

For First Tee, the number one quality that comes to mind is respect. I have respected what it takes to be successful. All that is, is not missing a day. Staying consistent day by day to get better than who I was yesterday. The ultimate form of self-respect is to stay disciplined. 

Grace Zimmerman 
First Tee – Greater Detroit alumna 
Coordinator of Programs, First Tee HQ 

I believe the quality that has contributed the most to my success in the golf industry is having courage. As a young adult, it can be very intimidating to be in any working environment, but in my opinion believing in yourself is the best way to be successful. People grow by being uncomfortable and that happens when you put yourself out there and have courage. Being a college golfer, LPGA member and working for First Tee has given so many positive experiences, but I have always had to have courage to try out new possibilities. 

With the support of its partners in the golf industry and beyond, First Tee helps participants build the confidence and inner strength they need to pursue their goals, wherever they take them.  

The First Tee Alumni Network is a great way for past participants to stay engaged with First Tee and learn about career opportunities and professional and personal development opportunities. Learn more.