Annual Review 2019

The First Tee of Silicon Valley (TFTSV) had its highest performing year in 2019 as it reached 14,453 youth – 1,011 Class Participants and 13,442 Outreach Participants. Our youth development program has positively transformed the lives of 81,234 youth through proven on course and at-school programs since 2005. TFTSV also had its highest financial performing year raising $1.235M (20% increase over previous year) allowing $100K for expansion and reserves. Learn More

TFTSV Receives Olympic Club Foundation Grant

The First Tee of Silicon Valley received a generous $11,500 grant to purchase 75 sets of golf clubs for our under-served participants in our financial aid program. OCF supports and encourages Bay Area youth to participate in amateur athletics. Their mission is to financially support programs, which share their belief that participation in organized athletics enriches young lives and develops future community leaders. 34% of our participants receive significant financial assistance, meaning they paid $20-$40 for 8 weeks of life-skills and golf classes. The First Tee of Silicon Valley wants to make sure that the low-income youth we serve feel welcome to the game of golf and never feel like outsiders, ill-equipped to participate in our programs or play at any golf course. Participants are encouraged to get a Youth on Course membership, which we subsidize, making access to courses affordable. The missing link for low-income participants is having high quality equipment that they are proud to use on course and that gives them a sense of belonging to the game. The OCF grant will allow us to provide necessary clubs and bags to motivated and deserving participants over the next year. Thank you OCF for helping us provide affordable access to all youth!

Cisco’s Team Orion Supports TFTSV

On November 21st, The First Tee of Silicon Valley through the efforts of Board Director, John Ritchie, was invited to be the philanthropy partner for Cisco’s Supply Chain Team Orion off-site event at the Santa Clara Marriott. Through their wonderful giving-matching program, Cisco approved The First Tee of Silicon Valley as a beneficiary and their employees generously donated to help further our mission of transforming the lives of under-served youth in our community. During the event, 100 employees heard from two of the young adults who have participated in and benefitted from the First Tee Program here in Silicon Valley.  Andres Herrera has been a participant since 2013. He is currently a Junior Volunteer Coach and a Senior at Santa Teresa HS. Gabby Ruiz has been a participant since 2009. She is currently a Mentor/Instructor and a Junior at Mission College.  The employees were able to witness through their speeches the extraordinary impact the program has had on the character, education and career trajectories. Then the fun began when employees divided into teams to compete in the horse race putting challenge. First Tee staff transformed the room into a putting range of 10 stalls where employees tested their ability to roll a golf ball into one of the point zones to advance their “horse” to the finish line. The winning teams were Illegal Advantage and Silver Streak. In addition to matching donations, TFTSV held a raffle at the event. Lynette Dawson was the winner of a foursome of golf at the amazing Rosewood CordeValle in San Martin, CA. It was a great afternoon with Team Orion who embraced our non-profit and generously contributed to under-writing our financial aid program. A special thanks John Ritchie, Lori Osterback, Kristin Weber, and Christina Garcia.

Meet TFTSV New Board Members

The First Tee of Silicon Valley recently added two new Directors to our Board. Board Directors vote, provide planning, performance, legal and financial oversight and raise sufficient funds to ensure TFTSV’s success. Merry Ayres is a Director, HR Business Partner at Vevo where she has worked since 2017. Merry has recruiting experience in the Tech and Media sectors since 2006. View Merry’s LinkedIn Profile for more background info https://www.linkedin.com/in/merry-ayres-289a562/  She lives in Almaden and is a member at San Jose Country Club. Merry loves the fact the TFTSV is giving the opportunity of golf to those that can’t afford it. She believes we need to break down the old school stereotypes and barriers that still exist. She shared that she played tennis growing up because it was free and she wants kids to have the opportunity to play golf that she didn’t have. Doug Moffat has been the Executive VP, Regional President at Pinnacle Bank since 2018 charged with leading their expansion.  He was the Sr VP with Pinnacle in Morgan Hill since 2008. View Doug’s LinkedIn Profile for more background info https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-moffat-757718/  Doug lives in Willow Glen and is a member at Boulder Ridge Golf Club. Doug believes in community involvement. He really relates from his personal experience how the rules of golf teach life skills. 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. Dick Budelli has extensive experience in the Electrical Industry. He recently retired from Buckles-Smith Electric where he was an Account Manager since 2014 and previously from 1992-2006. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dick-budelli-89345832/  View Dick’s LinkedIn Profile for more background info. He lives in Los Altos and is a member at La Rinconada Country Club.  Dick has participated in TFTSV’s Open Golf Tournament and was impressed by the participants who shared the impact the program had on them to become better students, golfers and citizens. Nick Desatnick has been a Google Associate in Global Strategy and Operations since 2018. He earned a BA degree from Dartmouth College in 2015. View Nick’s LinkedIn Profile for more background info https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickdesatnick/  Nick has been a TFTSV Volunteer Coach for a year and he likes how we teach participants to be good people. He believes in integrating into the community and giving back. Nick grew up playing golf with family and is a member of the Google Golf Club. Click here to meet all our Board Members. Contact Judy Dixon if you have interest in learning more about a volunteer Board Director or Ambassador opportunities.

Winter STEM Mentor/Junior Tournament

On November 16th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted its annual Mentor/Junior Seasonal Tournament at Rancho Del Pueblo.  In this special event, our young players received a chance to play with one of our very own mentors or board members or a member of the Stanford Men’s Golf Team.  Each group had a chance to speak with the Stanford team and pick their brain about golf techniques. There were three STEM stations throughout the tournament where the students were able to learn more about how science, technology, engineering, and math are used to develop and improve golf techniques.  Hosted by Coach Chris Moreno-Hunt, Pranav Vadali, and Jeffy Chang, the participants and mentors were given an introduction to the topics of Newton’s second law, conservation of energy, and topography. Twenty participants were paired with a mentor in a 9-hole alternate shot format.  Congratulations to all of our participants for competing with honesty, integrity, and sportsmanship. The Mentor/Junior Tournament is a valuable event for our students to have a chance to bond with our mentors as well as interact with the Stanford Men’s Golf Team.  It’s a special moment where our participants are allowed to share a meal, engage in conversation, and golf with mentors outside of our normal class setting. Special thanks to our STEM crew, mentors, and the Stanford Men’s Golf Team.  Thank you for taking time out of your holiday schedule to create special memories with our participants! These seasonal tournaments are held in week 2 of the pre-season. The dates for 2020 are:February 29th, May 30th, August 22nd, and November 14th.  Registration opens up 3 weeks prior.

Winter Training Focuses on the “Why”

On Saturday November 23rd, 10 TFTSV Instructors and 19 Mentors attended the Winter Season Training at Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course. TFTSV instructors & mentors meet once before every season to engage in our coaching philosophy, policies, and best practices. For our most recent training our Instructors and mentors explored the “why” of our organization – why The First Tee of Silicon Valley exists and why we coach what we do. From there, our instructors and mentors explored the “how” which included building relationships, creating a community of inclusion and teamwork, and setting an engaging learning environment for our participants. The First Tee of Silicon Valley believes positive youth development happens through a meaningful, quality relationship between the coach and participant. Mentor coaches are critical to ensuring our participants have an optimum and enjoyable learning environment. Therefore, we are always looking for high quality volunteers to serve as mentor coaches. Consider volunteering for the Spring Season from March 10th  to May 9th, 2020. Click here to learn more.

Pre-Winter Golf Introduction Class

On Saturday, November 9th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted a free golf introduction class at Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course 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. According to our Program Director, Chris Moreno-Hunt, “The golf introduction classes are usually the participant’s first exposure to the game of golf so it is important to provide a fun, safe, and engaging experience. We hope these classes spark an interest in the game and encourage them to enroll in our 8-week program and progress through our 5 class levels which consist of 27 life skill lessons.” TFTSV hosts four golf introduction classes, one before each 8-week season.  Our next golf introduction class will take place on Saturday, February 22nd at Rancho Del Pueblo from 10am to 12pm. For more information on our golf introduction classes call 408-508-4884.

2019 Girls Golf “Mixed-Up” Sports Competition

On November 16th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted The Girls Golf “Mixed Up” Sports Competition.  With 12 Girls Golf members registered, the participants played nine holes of golf with a twist.  Each hole was designed to use equipment from other sports to play out the hole within the rules of golf.  The girls were introduced to foot golf, archery golf, frisbee golf, tennis golf, and lacrosse golf.  Within the group, archery golf was by far the most popular. “Archery golf gave me my first birdie!!!” – Jennifer, a Girls Golf member. Each group member was tasked with keeping track of another player’s score.  It was great to see the girls helping each other out with aim and alignment despite being in a competition with each other. The day concluded with prizes, trivia, and brunch provided by Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course. Girls Golf Play Days are beneficial events where our female participants enjoy an all-female day with friends and a supportive group of coaches and volunteers.  For many, the Mixed-Up Sports Competition was their first exposure to a tournament setting in golf.  With the help of sports equipment from other sports, the girls were able to learn tournament play in a pressure free setting. Congratulations to our girls for playing with integrity and perseverance! Girl’s Golf dates are set for 2020: February 29th, May 30th, August 22nd, and November 14th.  Registration opens up 3 weeks prior.

Outreach at Taft Elementary “Snags” New Participants

On November 19th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley made its way up the Peninsula to Taft Elementary and exposed new kids to its wonderful program. Over the course of the day 200 students ranging from 2nd to 5th grade participated in various games and activities, focusing on respect and the fundamentals of holding a golf club. Equipped with plastic SNAG clubs and tennis balls, the students had a blast as they were encouraged to explore the game and what it has to offer. With some Taft Elementary students having participated in the past, the excitement and energy these students brought to the game created an incredibly supportive and cheerful atmosphere. By the end of the day 71 new students had expressed interest in joining the golf course class program, and had waited excitedly in line to ensure their names were taken down on Coach Chris’s list of hopeful new participants. Thanks to the wonderful staff at Taft Elementary and Redwood City  PAL for helping to make this possible!

Outreach Participants Head Out to the Course

Shepherded out by their First Tee coaches, outreach participants from San Antonio Elementary, Cesar Chavez Elementary, and Clyde Arbuckle Elementary made their way out on to the driving range at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course. Being the first time many of the students had set foot on an actual course, they were thrilled to finally be able to hit real balls with real clubs. This was evident in the ecstatic way the participants carried themselves. While still remaining courteous and respectful to their surroundings, the students cheered on their classmates and exchanged high fives after successful shots. They giddily took as many turns as possible in their allotted time frame, attempting to outperform each other at every opportunity. Needless to say, they’re hooked on golf! Thank you to Rancho del Pueblo for allowing the students this opportunity!

TFTSV Congratulates Alexia Gutiérrez & Latinx Golf

Congratulations are in order for Alexia Gutiérrez, Founder and Executive Director, and Latinx Golf for their Commendation from the San Jose City Council on Monday, November 19th. Alexia has combined her passions for STEM, tutoring and golf to help the Latinx community including encouraging her students to also register for TFTSV classes. Alexia received the Commendation from Mayor Liccardo and Councilmembers Magdalena Carrasco and Johnny Khamis.

Thank You for Naming TFTSV as your Beneficiary!

The First Tee of Silicon Valley is 100% locally supported and relies on community funding to provide our youth development programs, which are making a big difference! We are very fortunate that various golf organizations and golf tournaments name us as their charitable beneficiary. They believe in funding the future of our organization and the next generation of golfers and good citizens. The Villages Golf & Country Club 9-Hole Ladies Group hosted their Invitational on June 11th.  They conducted a raffle to raise funds and donated $900 to TFTSV. This was our second year being named as their beneficiary. The Almaden Golf & Country Club 9-Hole Ladies Group hosted their Invitational on September 5th. They conducted a raffle that raised $2,332 of which half was donated to TFTSV and half to Corina Green. This was our first year being named as their beneficiary. The Silicon Valley Business Travel Association (SVBTA) hosted their industry Golf Classic at Silver Creek Valley Golf & Country Club on September 23rd.  They conducted a silent auction and donated $2,000 to TFTSV. This was the fifth year being named as their beneficiary for a cumulative total of $6,465.  They also invited us to provide a video, participant speaker and branded centerpieces at their dinner for added exposure. A sincere thank you to these organizations for thinking of TFTSV and for giving back to the community. Keep us in mind if you are affiliated with a golf tournament or event that’s gives to non-profits. Contact Judy Dixon Deaton [email protected] for additional information.