Category: Newsletter

Why do we tee up statements with “If I’m Being Honest…”? Does it mean that you are not always honest? Where did this “honesty” expression come from? It is “honestly” not part of golf course vocabulary. Golf is unique from other sports in that players regularly call penalties on themselves and report their own score. The honesty of players is captured when they follow the rules and etiquette of the game of golf. True golfers understand that the game has to be a game of honor. They are not playing for their livelihoods; it is a passion, pleasure, and golfers enter and leave the course with a clear conscience. The ultimate honesty box is the one we write our scores in. If a golfer can’t be honest with themselves, then improvement will be difficult. It’s a fact that the better a golfer becomes, the more acutely aware they are of their own failings. Our biggest job, in golf and life, is to find out who we really are. Your golf game will allow you to learn what kind of person you really are. Whatever your level of golf, seeing yourself clearly and honestly will is the first step in fulfilling your potential. As one of The First Tee Nine Core Values, we believe honesty has to do with being truthful in golf and in everything a young person engages in throughout life. Honesty is also an important trait to have in one’s academic and professional life as well as being core to the game of golf. The quality of honesty helps to develop character and solid self-esteem. Our goal is to teach participants honesty through hands-on activities. We use games that require them to implement honesty by tallying their own score, counting every shot (even misses), determining if their ball stayed within the boundaries of the course and learning what it means to be accessed a penalty stroke. Consider registering your child in a class, becoming a volunteer or supporting our non-profit youth development organization.

Time for Spring Cleaning! Bring your used clubs to the PGA TOUR Superstore in East Palo Alto on Saturday, May 11th from 11am to 3pm. Collecting used clubs enables The First Tee of Silicon Valley to pursue our mission to impact the lives of under-served youth by providing education programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.  These donations allow us to provide the necessary equipment for those on financial assistance to participate. Bring your used clubs in good condition and less than 10 years old to the PGA TOUR Superstore (1751 East Bayshore Road, East Palo Alto, CA  94303) on Saturday, May 11^th from 11AM to 3PM. We are collecting:

• Clubs: full sets, usable drivers/putters/fairway metals, and iron sets (Junior sets preferred)
• New bags, balls, towels, tees and ball markers

We are not able to collect clothing (hats, shoes, socks, jackets) or equipment (pull/push cards, training aids, travel bags, used bags).  

The First Tee of Silicon Valley recently added three new Directors to our Board. Board Directors vote, provide planning, performance, legal and financial oversight and raise sufficient funds to ensure TFTSV’s success.

Shane Oberg is a 10-year Partner with the DeWinter Group, the Bay Area’s premier provider of Accounting & Finance professionals on a full-time, consulting and contract basis. He manages the day-to-day operations of the Consulting Practice and is part of the Executive Management team. Shane is passionate about golf and how it has helped him build business relationships. He is a member at San Jose Country Club and a corporate member at CordeValle.

Sue Farwell owns and manages various properties in Los Gatos. She is on the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce Board and Revitalize Task Force in addition to the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Foundation Board. Sue believes that golf brings everyone together where people of all levels can play with handicaps being the equalizer. Sports have been a big part of her life providing a sense of belonging and family. Sue is a member at Almaden Country Club and CordeValle.

Tuan Tran spent 30 years working in the data storage industry in various positions throughout the world – retiring in 2015 as the Vice President of Head Business Group at Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. He has shifted his attention to charity work at his Buddhist temple and is the Tournament Director for the Northern California Vietnamese Golf Association Club. Golf is his hobby and passion so Tuan is pleased to find a youth development organization with a meaningful mission to contribute his time and talents.

In addition to three new Directors, The First Tee of Silicon Valley added two new Ambassadors. Board Ambassadors give advice, assist with projects, represent the organization in the community at events, help raise funds, and expand TFTSV’s network throughout Silicon Valley and beyond.

Matt Crismond is the Vice President of Leveraged Finance at Silicon Valley Bank. After graduating from Wake Forest University in 2014, he made his way to California in 2017. Matt is an avid golfer and has experience as a golf camp coach, so it is not surprising that his first introduction to The First Tee of Silicon Valley was volunteering as a coach. His first-hand experience of witnessing the impact of TFTSV’s youth development program on participants motivated him to pursue a Board Ambassador position.

David Oh is a Business Management Analyst at Northrop Grumman. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara in 2016, he worked in Audit at KPMG and played on their golf team which is where he met TFTSV Ambassador Brian Watson. David grew up in the Monterey area playing golf, volunteering at Th First Tee junior events and serving as a camp counselor at Stevenson School. He has seen the positive impact of youth development and was drawn to The First Tee’s Nine Core Values curriculum. David is motivated to put his leadership skills in motion to help grow our program.

 

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The First Tee of Silicon Valley (TFTSV) received a $2,500 Grant from Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) to underwrite our new STEM class initiative. SVB supports their employees’ passion for community giving by offering employees the opportunity to apply for SVB Foundation grants on behalf of nonprofit organizations for which they actively volunteer. SVB also matches an employee’s personal donations to nonprofit organizations of their choice. Reka Mishra, Director of EPMO Center of Excellence at SVB Financial Group, was drawn to TFTSV’s efforts to develop youth throughout Silicon Valley, transforming their lives and giving them a brighter future. She is proud to be a TFTSV Board Ambassador of a community benefit organization that’s mission impacts the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Reka said, “Being a golfer and advocate for STEM, I was very interested in supporting TFTSV’s innovative platform to offer under-served youth the opportunity to develop both personally and professionally while exposing them to STEM concepts for improved career choices.” TFTSV launched our STEM class in November 2018 at the Birdie Level (5th & 6th grades) and will continue to expand to all 4 levels offering year-round classes to participants 3^rd through 8^th grade. Golf has many built in Science and Math applications that make it a perfect and fun way to explore STEM concepts. The curriculum for the classes maps directly to The First Tee Nine Golf Fundamentals to teach developmentally-appropriate STEM concepts. Participants experience hands-on activities that foster learning of practical STEM concepts valuable for golf, life and work. Instructors are teaching participants STEM education in a structured approach for problem solving (or the engineering design process) that follows these basic “IDEA” steps: 1) Identify the problem, 2) Design the solution(s), 3) Execute the solutions(s), 4) Assess the solution(s). Silicon Valley is a global leader, in large part, through the genius and hard work of its scientists, engineers and innovators. However, comparatively few under-served students pursue expertise in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics because they have not had positive exposure. Due to a high demand for these jobs and shortage of a skilled workforce for these disciplines, TFTSV believes it is important to expand our curriculum to provide opportunities and encourage youth engagement in STEM.

On Saturday, February 9th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted a free golf introduction class for students interested in trying out golf and learning about TFTSV classes. Students experienced Integrity through two of our golf games and worked on their Golf Fundamentals. TFTSV will host three additional golf introduction classes, one before each 9-week season.  Our next golf introduction class will take place on Saturday, May 11^th at Rancho Del Pueblo from 10am to 12pm, followed by golf introduction classes on August 10^th and November 9^th. TFTSV also coordinates field trips at Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course for our current DRIVE schools where students experience their first on-golf course exposure and a typical TFTSV class. For more information on our golf introduction classes or our school field trips please contact us at 408-508-4884.

The First Tee of Silicon Valley brought 32 participants on a field trip to the final round of the 2019 AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Course. TFTSV partnered with the Redwood City Police Activities League and the San Mateo County’s Sheriff’s Activities League to recruit students from Taft Elementary and Fair Oaks Community School in Redwood City. While at Pebble Beach, the students watched the best professional golfers in the world and took part in the Chevron STEM Zone where they learned how science, technology, engineering, and math impacts golf. TFTSV sends a special thank you to the Monterey Peninsula Foundation for providing the grant which allowed us to cover transportation to and from Pebble Beach and participate in the Chevron STEM Zone. TFTSV also sends a big thank you to PAL and SAL for providing their officers and deputies as adult chaperones.

On February 23rd, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted the 2019 Go Green Tag Team Tournament at Gavilan College Golf Course.  The event commenced with a group discussion led by Coach Manny on the importance of aeration as well as why golf courses enforce frost delays during the winter season. During the tournament, the participants were encouraged to repair golf ball damage on the greens and to use sand and seed that were stationed on every par 3.  On specific holes, they were able to use a soil test kit to test the moisture, pH level, and sunlight of the turf. Twenty-two participants played in an alternate shot format.  Congratulations to all our participants for competing with honesty, integrity, and perseverance! Our seasonal tournaments are valuable events to help participants bond and create friendships in a pressure-free environment. We hope these tournaments help them feel more confident engaging in conversation with others! They are also a great stepping stone for participants to learn how to deal with adversity, set expectations, and experience teamwork. Our next seasonal tournament is the Chapter Championship on Saturday, May 18^th.

On February 23rd, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted the Girls Golf Emoji Play Day.  Our Girls Golf members played nine holes in the alternate shot format at Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course.  With the theme being Emoji golf, the girls were encouraged to use emoji stickers instead of scores to represent how they felt on each hole.  They learned that besides their score, there were other factors to determine what made a golf round enjoyable. “I was playing bad, but I remembered to breathe.  I used my calm emoji sticker for that hole,” shared a Girls Golf member. The event concluded with brunch and crafts where the girls created their own Emoji pillow! Girls Golf Play Days are beneficial events where our female participants enjoy an all-female environment.  Our participants experience a day of empowerment, healthy habits, and an outlet to build positive self-esteem. The next quarterly Girls Golf Play is scheduled for May 11^th.

The First Tee of Silicon Valley(TFTSV) has created a new partnership with Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County CORAL afterschool program to offer our DRIVE curriculum to Empire Gardens Elementary, Franklin Elementary, and Washington Elementary of San Jose. Other new DRIVE partners for 2019 are Solorsano Middle School and Cesar Chavez Elementary as well as relaunching partner, Downtown College Prep (DCP) Alum Rock Middle School. Our DRIVE program teaches our Nine Core Values and four golf fundamentals through golf activities delivered at the school by their school leaders. Catholic Charities is a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve and advocate for families and individuals in need. Their afterschool program, CORAL will deliver TFTSV golf and life skills to their participants at the aforementioned schools. Participants will take a series of DRIVE classes located at their school concluding with an end-of-session field trip at Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course. Program Manager, Chris Moreno-Hunt said, “We appreciate and value the work Catholic Charities and the CORAL afterschool program does with their community in San Jose. We are thrilled to have our golf and life skills curriculum adopted into their enrichment activities to further our outreach goal of Developing Rewarding, Inspiring Values for Everyone (DRIVE)” Solorsano Middle School is a public school located in Gilroy. Cesar Chavez is a Title 1 public elementary located 2 minutes from our affiliated golf course, Rancho Del Pueblo in San Jose. Downtown College Prep (DCP) Alum Rock Middle School is a tuition free public charter school and is the second DCP school to partner with us. “We are grateful for the partnerships built with the City Year team at Cesar Chavez, and with the school staff at Solorsano and DCP Alum Rock. Together we are able to introduce golf to groups over 250 students, many of whom, had not had the opportunity to play golf and learn the life skills intrinsic in the game,” said Program Manager, Chris Moreno-Hunt. The DRIVE program includes 18 activity plans designed in a way that allows for indoor and outdoor set up to fit a variety of locations such as gymnasiums, basketball courts, baseball, football, and soccer fields.  Training, staff support and equipment is provided so anyone can deliver DRIVE regardless of their golf knowledge. To find out if DRIVE will be a good fit for your organization or school, contact our Program Manager, Chris Moreno-Hunt.

The amount of self-confidence a child possesses affects every aspect of his or her educational and personal goals. If a child loses confidence in school, his or her grades will ultimately be affected. When self-confidence suffers, a child may give up on learning new skills and hobbies. They may feel they are unworthy of obtaining their goals or think it is impossible to achieve them. Building confidence in youth can help prevent student dropout rates, ensure kids maintain their love for learning new things, and help them achieve their dreams and goals. There is no question that the relationship between confidence and success is tightly intertwined. The First Tee of Silicon Valley fosters confidence in youth grades 2-12 through our Nine Core Values curriculum. We surround our participants with positive and affirming mentoring that directly impacts their confidence. Confidence plays a key role in the level of play that one achieves. Players can increase confidence in their abilities by being positive and focusing on something they are doing well regardless of the outcome. TFTSV Program Manager, Coach Matt shares a story about a participant developing confidence over the course of two seasons. “The tee shot certification requirement for the Par level is hit 3 out of 6 golf balls at least 75 yards or further. Tyler was not quite ready to complete this requirement so he decided to take extra steps to gain the confidence to demonstrate his readiness. After conversations with him after class and extra practice throughout the season, he was able to confidentially pass this requirement. Tyler let out a joyous reaction after demonstrating his absolute readiness to complete the tee shot. I believe his reaction was amplified because of all the hard work he put in. I’m very proud of Tyler for using perseverance and growth mindset to increase his confidence to succeed. This is a lesson that will stay with him forever.” Consider registering your child in a class, becoming a volunteer or supporting our non-profit youth development organization.

The First Tee of Silicon Valley received a $5,000 grant from Wells Fargo to underwrite the cost of providing our DRIVE educational programs to 2 new Title I schools: Washington Elementary and Cesar Chavez Elementary Schools in San Jose. Denise Miles, Sr. VP of Community Relations said, “Wells Fargo’s long-term success is directly linked to the success of our customers and the communities we serve. We want to contribute to the revitalization of low to moderate communities and recognize the impact The First Tee of Silicon Valley youth development program has on under-served students.” The DRIVE (Develops Rewarding Inspiring Values for Everyone) program builds character and instills life-enhancing values through the game of golf. The First Tee works with experts in a variety of fields to help instructors deliver programs that seamlessly weave golf and character-building activities into each lesson. We train PE teachers and after-school instructors to follow a philosophy centered on positively reinforcing students’ actions to ensure a great experience. Our youth program provides basic information on learning the game of golf as a lifelong health and fitness activity while each lesson emphasizes skills, concepts, healthy habits, and one or more of The First Tee Nine Core Values: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy, and judgment. The First Tee of Silicon Valley, a non-profit public benefit organization, is committed to reaching youth who have the greatest opportunity to benefit from our program. Thank you to Wells Fargo for under-writing the cost of DRIVE training, curriculum and developmentally appropriate SNAG® golf equipment which includes oversized clubs, tennis-style balls, and a variety of targets.