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In June, First Tee – Silicon Valley coordinated a multi-day field trip with Las Lomitas Elementary School and Baylands Golf Links. Over the course of two days, approximately 275 students attended along with 30 parent volunteer chaperones. The students rotated between four different stations, each with their own golf skill and life skill focus. The games included students scoring points on the driving range while showing respect for their teammates and opponents, and hitting tennis balls at a coach in a snag suit with a focus on sportsmanship! This gave the students an opportunity to experience just what First Tee – Silicon Valley has to offer, as well as become familiar with their local course. During the field trip, about 200+ fliers were handed out detailing our program, and many parents expressed interest in signing their children up or volunteering themselves. The event went so well that the school has expressed interest in doing it again next year.

This field trip was the culmination of a school outreach partnership that took place over the month of May. Working with the amazing physical education teachers Trisha Nettles and Stacy Olson, First Tee – Silicon Valley Program Coordinators supported the delivery of life skill and golf game curriculum to the Las Lomitas students. Students played fun games while learning the important life skills such as respect, integrity, and perseverance. On behalf of First Tee – Silicon Valley, thank you for the support from the Las Lomitas Elementary School, Baylands Golf Links, and especially from Trisha and Stacy!

Registration for our fall season opens here on Wednesday, August 16^th at 11am and closes on Thursday, August 24^th at Noon. The 8-week fall season begins the week of September 5th and ends October 28^th. Register on August 16^th and take part in engaging and fun life skill and golf skill classes at either Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course in San Jose, Baylands Golf Links in Palo Alto, or Gavilan College Golf Course in Gilroy.

We have a new, expanded, long-term use agreement at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course so more classes are available at Rancho than ever before!

Classes are broken down by grade group so feel free to invite a friend and take part in our fall classes. The fall season tends to be our most popular so be sure to mark your calendar for the 16^th of August. We will announce our schedule and post it here by next week. Each week our participants will experience one of our 6 Life Skills and 6 Golf Cues. Our life skills cover everything from collaborating with others, to goal setting, to building a positive self-identity. Most importantly we strive to integrate the skills seamlessly through games and activities that make

Game Examples Include:

• Soccer Range Shootout
• Putt Bowling
• Hungry Hungry Hippos
• Mario Golf
• Battleship Chipping
• Top Golf
• Trouble Shot
• Musical Drivers
• Wheel of Fortune
• Capture the Flag

We encourage youth 2^nd grade and above to join our program and ask that you help spread the word. For more information click here. Click here to view our program video and learn more from our participants, parents, and coaches!

See you at the course!

Join Jacobs – South County Regional Wastewater Authority as they honor Jesus Luna with the 3^rd Annual Fund the Kids Golf Tournament, benefiting First Tee – Silicon Valley on Saturday, September 30^th at Gilroy Golf Course.

Jacobs has been the Contract Operator for the South County Regional Wastewater Authority (SCRWA) plant in Gilroy since 1984. Under a long-term service agreement, Jacobs maintains the integrity of the wastewater system. It is the goal of SCRWA to protect public health and the environment and ensure economic vitality of the Gilroy-Morgan Hill region. The plant operator’s objective is to provide the best quality recycled water at a superior value to the residents.

This plant has won numerous awards, including Plant of the Year Award for the past 5 years, while many of their employees have also won individual awards, including Jesus Luna, winning Laboratory Person of the Year numerous times, with the most recent in 2022.

Community involvement is an extension of the Jacobs’ and the SCRWA culture. They care about their surrounding communities. Which is why Jacobs’ felt compelled to sponsor the 3rd Annual Fund the Kids Golf Tournament.  First Tee – Silicon Valley, South County will be the beneficiary while also honoring Jesus Luna who will be retiring in the near future, after working 37 years for Jacobs at the South County Regional Wastewater Authority (SCRWA). Jesus is an avid golfer and would like to spend some of his retirement time teaching the youth in our community golf skills. So, Jacobs thought what better way to spend their time, money, and effort than to support First Tee – Silicon Valley.

Congratulations to our 9 seniors on their accomplishments in high school and on their admission to college! Here is where they are going to school next year.

First	Last	College
Dylan	Wu	University of Illinois
Francesca	Sumcad	University of Boulder Colorado
Gaby	Mata	University of Chicago
Hailey	Hoang	Menlo College
Itzel	Espino	San Jose State
Jonathan	Tessmann	UC Berkeley
Katelyn	Chan	Cal Poly SLO
Ryan	Chang	UCLA’s School of Engineering
Steven	Pan	UCLA

We have been fortunate to have many of them in our program between 4 and 12 years. While they are leaving our program as participants, we are excited for them to continue their journey in college and be game changers within their communities.

Thank you seniors!

Interested in starting our program and taking part in what our seniors experienced?

• Visit our youth classes page to learn more.
• Registration for the Summer is now closed, but you can join us in the fall with registration opening August 16^th at 11am.
• The fall season begins 9/5 and ends 10/28.
• Questions? Email [email protected] or call 408-508-4880

Be a Volunteer Coach! First Tee — Silicon Valley is looking for high quality, caring people that are interested in showing up and guiding others, so they become even better people and leaders of tomorrow. Our volunteer coaches work together to teach our Life Skills and Golf Skills curriculum by finding and using coachable moments and by making the sessions fun and engaging.

Having Fun While Learning

Long-term learning involves application as opposed to memorization. What better way to apply a skill than through an engaging game. Games help create a fun environment where participants feel free to take chances, are motivated, and learn to make adjustments.

One of our main roles as coaches is to help participants find enjoyment in what they are learning and want to return the following week. If coaches are having fun while teaching, more often than not the participants are having fun as well.

Come be part of the fun

• Visit our volunteer page and click on the volunteer form.
• Or contact Julie Donnellan at 408-508-4882 or [email protected]
• Click here for our volunteer tri-fold for more information.
• Click here to view our video and hear from our coaches and participants.

What if I am not an expert coach or golfer?

Our coaches come from all walks of life with different life and golf experiences. We provide life and golf skill training as well as training on coach strategies, on techniques, and on our coach philosophy. Our goal is to make sure every coach feels supported. Additionally, we have created lesson plans to help everyone work together and encourage one another in the content and delivery. There will always be a paid, lead coach for each class coordinating the group of coaches. We simply ask that all coaches have a passion for helping others, are excited about the challenge, and are willing to have fun while coaching!

What is the time requirement?

• Volunteer coaches can choose from several class options by location, day of the week, and time.
• Time commitment is 2.5 hours a day, once a week for an 8-week season. The 2.5 hours include a 30-minute pre-class meeting, 1.5-hour class, and a 30-minute post-class debrief.

Please help us spread the word. The more positive and dedicated coaches, the better the program, and the more impactful it is for our youth.  

The 4th Annual Classic fundraising tournament returns to Baylands Golf Links on Monday, October 9th, 12:30pm Shotgun.  Special thank you to our Top Sponsors who have committed their support for this year!  Presenting Sponsor: SAGA Foundation & Hosting Sponsors: PGA TOUR Superstore and Gallagher. Read more about how your company can still get involved.

Players will compete in a Scramble Tournament with a variety of contests and raffle prizes. Invite your friends and colleagues for a great day of golf and camaraderie including lunch, post round awards dinner, tee prizes & auction!

Explore all the Sponsor Levels:

$20,000 Presenting Sponsors (2) – co-branded logo on website, socials, newsletters, flyers, signage, full page ad in program plus three foursomes

$10,000 Hosting Sponsors (2) – signage on 3 holes, logo on website, newsletter and program plus two foursomes

$5,000 Contributing Sponsors (4) – signage on 2 premium contest holes, program logo plus one foursome

$1,600 Foursome or $800 Twosome Sponsors – 18-holes golf, cart, lunch, awards dinner, tee prizes, on-course beverages and snacks, contests, 10 raffle tickets per player

$1,000 Hole Sponsor – signage on one hole and program listing

Classic Timeline:

10:30am Check in, Contest Raffle Bundle and Tee Prize

11:30am Box Lunch Available

12:30pm Scramble Shotgun Start

5:30pm BBQ Dinner, Hosted Cocktails, Live Auction and Awards Program

6:30pm Tournament Concludes

Please contact our Development Director, Judy Dixon Deaton 408-508-4881 – [email protected]  to discuss custom sponsorships or underwriting opportunities.

Every summer, First Tee — Silicon Valley (FTSV) expands our coaching team and hires FTSV alumni as paid coaches. FTSV participants gain knowledgeable and caring coaches, while FTSV alumni coaches gain transferable skills that will help with future jobs and careers.

This summer we have hired the following FTSV alumni as FTSV Coaches:

1. Christopher Fox – Dickinson College
2. Andres Herrera – UC Irvine
3. Linette Jun – UC Davis
4. Advaiith Pathi – Hamilton College
5. Ryan Oglevee – Mission College

During our onboarding process, our coaches practice applying their interviewing skills, updating their resumes, and are trained on effective communication, active listening, and management/leadership techniques.

As paid instructors, they work in collaboration with the lead instructors to not just deliver the curriculum, but to manage the class. Class management includes empowering and guiding volunteers, engaging with parent/guardians, coordinating class logistics, and inspiring participants.

“We love having our alumni return as coaches while they’re still in college,” said George Maxe, FTSV President & CEO. “As their mentors, we get to continue walking alongside them in their personal growth. As their fellow coaches, we get to encourage them to take what they learned in FTSV to another level that helps the kids that have followed them in FTSV. What’s more, our alumni coaches learn important work disciplines such as showing up on time, working hard, adjusting to unforeseen changes to plan, and communicating well in all directions – to kids, to parents, to peer coaches, to older coaches, and to FTSV management.”

Growing Program Requires a Growing Team

Beginning this summer season, our Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course has expanded course access. Our goal is to grow our reach, but not at the expense of our coach-to-student ratio. We are grateful that our alumni want to return to the program and keep that ratio low, but more importantly want to give back and create a positive experience for younger FTSV participants.

Interested in getting started and developing adaptive, transferable skills?

• Visit our volunteer page and click on the volunteer form.
• Or contact Julie Donnellan at 408-508-4882 or [email protected]
• Click here for our volunteer tri-fold for more information.
• Click here to view our video and hear from our coaches and participants.
• Click here to view a video on what it means to be a coach from other First Tee coaches and alumni from around the country.

We are thrilled to announce the acceptance of 8 of our participants (and hopefully more in the coming months!):  Dylan Chang, Raashika Biswari, Elise NJ, Li An Panfil, Franky Sumcad, Camille Thai, Alexandra Varo, and Norah Yang to various First Tee National opportunities.

Every year, First Tee – Silicon Valley participants who have been long standing and highly engaged participants are selected to apply for First Tee National opportunities (announcing in the summer with these opportunities). Competition for the opportunities is high and spaces are very limited. To be able to apply, our chapter looks for FTSV participants who have a minimum of 3 years with First Tee, have completed the challenges in the Grades 9-12 Practice and Course class, and have been highly engaged in the chapter over the years (i.e., volunteer coach, participant at least 2 seasons per year each year, active in tournaments/Girls Golf, etc.).

Once selected to apply, applicants must meet the requirements set forth by First Tee National, and must write several short essays, add in their accomplishments in and out of the classroom, and include letters of recommendation. Applicants from across the country apply for the limited spaces. Selected recipients get to experience opportunities of a lifetime.

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Franky Sumcad, Norah Yang, and Camille Thai

Accepted to the First Tee National Championship to be held at Stanford Golf Course in Palo Alto, California July 4^th – July 6^st. Click here for the full story.

Alexandra Varo and Raashika Biswari

Accepted to the Game Changers Academy to be held July 18^th-22^th in Philadelphia, PA. Click here for the full story.

Elise NJ and Li An Panfil

Accepted to the First Tee Leadership Summit in partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore in Emigrant, Montana, July 31^st – August 4^th and August 7^th – August 11^th. Click here for the full story.

Dylan Chang

Accepted to the First Tee Leadership Academy in Atlanta, Georgia June 19^th– 22^nd. Click here for the full story.

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“We are proud and excited to have Dylan, Raashika, Elise, Li An, Franky, Camille, Alexandra, and Norah represent our chapter at these national opportunities,” says First Tee – Silicon Valley Program Director, Chris Moreno-Hunt. “We are grateful to have had them in our program. They are great people and have made our program a better place.”

A special thank you to Coach Phoenix for working with each participant on their application.

Please join us in congratulating Dylan, Raashika, Elise, Li An, Franky, Camille, Alexandra, and Norah for their outstanding achievement! Acceptance to these opportunities is a product of their character, the work they put in, and the commitment they demonstrated to our program.

To find out more regarding our local, regional, and national opportunities please visit our youth opportunity page.

May 20^th, 2023 Alum Rock School District (ARUSD) and First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV) partnered to deliver a community resource event, Parent University (a record-setting success), hosted at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course. Over 700 students and families from across the ARUSD community came out to join the festivities – an all-time high attendance by over 200 in the 5-year history of the event! We set up games in golf areas and each venue was packed with families learning how to play golf and experiencing our games and activities.

The day began with speeches by ARUSD Board of Trustees, Superintendent, Dr. Hilaria Bauer, and California State Senator, Dave Cortese, who said:

“Eighteen years ago, the First Tee program in San Jose was launched and it is a real big deal! Alum Rock Union School District is really smart to partner with First Tee to do this work. The way we keep assets like Ranch Del Pueblo is to enroll our kids. This will send a strong message to City Hall that this is important. Congratulations to all of you who stepped forward and want to give your kids an opportunity, and send a message to the City and to the State of California, that these kind of programs are important. To embrace equity, you do not remove a program or a golf course like this from a place where it’s needed — from the place where we have diversity and an integrated, beautiful, multi-cultural community.”

Everyone then made their way out to the various stations around the golf course and rotated stations. Each station had a life lesson and golf skill for the families to engage in.  Participants who enjoyed the games, were able to register for our 8-week summer season. Afterwards, families ate lunch, listened to music, and enjoyed the beautiful day.

What we’re saying about the record setting Parent University event

“We are honored to partner with ARUSD and we look forward to this event each and every year,” says FTSV Program Director, Chris Moreno-Hunt. “Parent University is an exceptional example of a community coming together to serve and benefit its residents. Our hope is that families see our program and Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course as a safe and welcoming option.”

“Thank you to Norma Flores, Student Services Director for ARUSD,  and Dr. Bauer for their continued support and belief in what our First Tee – Silicon Valley Life Skill program can bring to their schools and students.”

“ARUSD salutes First Tee – Silicon Valley and the Rancho del Pueblo team,” said Norma Flores. “Alum Rock kids have now embraced the game of golf and see both organizations as true community partners. The most important shot in golf is the next one, so we are truly looking forward to that next shot with First Tee – Silicon Valley!”

Want to be a partner?

Interested in having your school or youth development program partner with First Tee – Silicon Valley? Please contact our Program Coordinator, Joe Stuban at 408-508-4885, [email protected], or visit our outreach page.

Interested in joining our program as a participant, give us a call at 408-408-4884, email [email protected], or check out our youth classes page.

On May 13^th, First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted our annual Adult-Junior tournament at Gavilan College Golf Course.  Thirty-three (33) of our participants teamed up with their parents, a First Tee coach, or a First Tee board member.   Each team was challenged to play in an alternate shot format where players were able to experience golf shots from a different perspective.  The Adult-Junior format is a great opportunity for parents to see their child’s progress, not only from a golf point of view, but as individuals who are dealing with challenges, communicating with others, and displaying a growth mindset. 

“I was so fortunate to be paired with Nicolas from the high school group.  He was super respectful, a good sport when I left him in a tricky spot, and smiled the entire round.” – Coach Teri.

The tournament concluded with a pizza party, awards, and a raffle.  It was great seeing families meeting one another and FTSV participants making new friends.  Congratulations to all of our participants for competing with respect, integrity, and sportsmanship.  Special thanks to our coaches who filled in for a participant in need as well as Coach Alex for taking photos!

2023 Annual Adult-Junior Tournament Results

Grades 3-4:

1. Graham & adult: 41
2. Brixton & adult: 43
3. Jocelyn & adult: 46

 Grades 5-6:

1. Jesse & adult: 35
2. John & adult: 40
3. Thomas & adult: 42

Grades 7-8

1. Shreyash & adult: 46
2. Brady & adult: 47
3. Jared & adult: 48

Grades 9-12

1. Nicolas & adult:44
2. Erik & adult: 46
3. Leo & adult: 49

Long Drive winners:

• Graham (Grades 3-4)
• Jesse (Grades 5-6)
• Shreyash (Grades 7-8)
• Nico (Grades 9-10)

Closest to the pin:

• Brent 1’5” (Adult)
• Diego 20’1” (Junior)

On May 13^th, First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted the Girls Golf Spring Games 2023.  Eighteen (18) participants played a round of golf with a multi-sport twist.  The girls were challenged to play the golf variation of soccer, archery, frisbee, SNAG, and slingshot while using the traditional rules of golf.  “I see, the bow teaches us how to aim like a golf club!” said Isabelle as she made the connection between golf and archery.

No Score Cards… Just sportsmanship and perseverance!

Rather than keeping score, the golfers were encouraged to use a life skills scorecard. They wrote down how they utilized respect, sportsmanship and perseverance.  Together, they discussed the life skills and how it applied to each hole.  It was impressive to see them work together in a variety of sports. The day concluded with activities such as archery, ring toss, chipping, corn hole, and a raffle.

Our play days are beneficial events where our golfers enjoy a fun day of golf led by a team of our female coaches.  For many of our younger members, the multi-sport format helped them understand pace of play while experiencing their first time playing 9 holes of golf in its entirety.  Congratulations to our members for playing with sportsmanship and perseverance!

Want more info on Girls Golf?

For more information on how your golfer can participate or how you can volunteer, contact Manny Gallardo 408-508-4887

First Tee – Silicon Valley Ace participants Franky Sumcad, Norah Yang, and Camille Thai will compete in the third annual First Tee National Championship in Palo Alto, California on July 4^TH to July 6^th. First Tee National Championship brings together First Tee’s elite players for an opportunity to showcase how the program has helped build the strength of character needed to play at the collegiate or next level. The winners of each male/female division will be awarded with the Tattersall Cup, named after First Tee Trustee, Fred Tattersall. Each winner will earn an exemption into the PGA TOUR Champions’ PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

First Tee National Championship is a 54-hole stroke-play event at the Stanford Golf Course featuring a Girls and Boys division for high school participants ages 14-18. The field includes 24 boys and 24 girls, ages 14-18, who are selected based on their golf skill, competitive golf experience and handicap.

Follow the LIVE Scoring all week long HERE

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Meet Franky

Franky is a terrific FTSV participant. She has been an active participant since 2012 and a dedicated FTSV volunteer since 2020. She has volunteered as a coach in classes and at our Girls Golf events, and assisted at our fundraisers. She is also a high-performing competitive golfer. Franky is number 1 on her high school team and received a scholarship to play golf for the University of Colorado – Boulder. Last year she participated in the National Championship in South Bend, Indiana where she placed third with a total score of 1 under for 3 rounds.

Meet Norah

Norah is a leader and role model in her classes as a FTSV participant and as a volunteer coach. She has been active as a participant since 2015 and began volunteering as a FTSV coach in 2022. As it relates to her golfing acumen, she led her high school golf team to a league championship as a freshman and was awarded MVP of the league in 2021. She has qualified for the USKids World Championship twice and the IMG Junior World at Torrey Pines. Additionally, Norah has placed high in several AGJA tournaments. “I am so excited to play in this year’s First Tee National Championship,” says Norah. “Especially because it is so close to home. There are so many applicants for these wonderful events, and to be selected makes me feel so honored and proud. First Tee had supported me every step of my golf journey, from not even knowing how to hold a golf club to being able to compete nationally with amazing golfers. It has taught me so much, and I look forward to representing First Tee – Silicon Valley in the upcoming championship.”

Meet Camille

Camille has been an outstanding participant in our program for a decade and has assisted us in our fundraising events. She is a highly ranked golfer who won the IMG Junior Worlds and placed 2^nd at the Pinehurst US Kids World Team Championship, shooting 65. “I’m so excited and honored to be selected for the First Tee National Championship,” says Camille. “I’ve been with the First Tee for more than 10 years now and it has been instrumental in helping me develop both as a person and a player. I wouldn’t be who I am today without it.”

“We were proud to see Franky, Norah, and Camille compete in this event, which provides them with a college level experience on and off the course.” said George Maxe, President & CEO of FTSV. “All three participants have been part of our chapter for several years. We have been delighted to see them grow in character and play at such a highly competitive level.”

Best of luck to all three!