Month: May 2023

Coach Kyle Believes in First Tee’s Positive Impact

Kyle Harris has been the Director at First Tee – Massachusetts for the past five years, but his involvement with First Tee started in Utah in 2012. 

Originally from Cape Cod, Kyle attended The University of Massachusetts Amherst before working in college athletics as a Sports Information Director for 10 years.  

Although Kyle began playing golf while in college, he did not find himself a part of the golf industry until being introduced to First Tee while living in Utah. 

One of Kyle’s friends was working to establish the First Tee – Utah chapter and invited Kyle to join him at a participant recruitment event. The weather was miserable, rainy and cold, and Kyle didn’t understand why they were standing out in it. That was until he met KJ, a young boy who was more than happy to stand out in the rain to try golfing.  

After missing the ball four or five times, he finally hit it and a big smile spread across his face. That was the moment that Kyle realized how impactful First Tee was and he has been involved ever since.  

After that day, Kyle spent much of his time volunteering with First Tee – Utah’s chapter. He helped to get programs off the ground, was a volunteer coach, and oversaw the certification program to help advance participants.  

“Always with this mindset, ‘Man if I ever had a chance to work with First Tee full-time I totally would,’” said Kyle.  

Kyle’s wishes were answered when a position opened at First Tee – Massachusetts. . Although he said he would have taken a job with First Tee anywhere, he appreciates the opportunity to work with members of the community he grew up in.  

“As an adult I’ve learned as much to apply to my own life as I’ve taught to the kids,” he said. 

 “I’m a better dad, I’m a better husband, I’m a better golfer, I’m a better person, I’m a better employee because of First Tee and holding myself to the standards that I want to hold the kids to.”  

Kyle believes that if he had been a part of First Tee growing up, it would have given him a better outlook on the world earlier on. He continues to mentor and encourage participants so that they can foster that positive mindset from the beginning.  

Jewish American Heritage Month: Ethan Selvers shares his faith, love of golf 

Ethan Selvers believes people should be proud of who they are. It’s what inspired him and a group of classmates to speak with their school’s administration and other classmates after anti-Semitic graffiti was found on campus at his high school last year. 

“We spoke about intolerance with everyone in the class. I shared my family’s unique background, and everyone shared theirs as well. It created a very open dialogue that I think definitely helped prevent future issues from developing,” he explained. 

Ethan volunteers with sixth and seventh graders every Wednesday at his synagogue as they prepare for their bar and bat mitzvahs. “I help teach them prayers and also help them learn about Jewish traditions in a way that makes learning fun,” he said. 

In addition to his commitment to his faith, Ethan is a dedicated golfer. He fell in love with the sport after his dad started taking him to the driving range. Now 15, he’s been golfing for over half his life, and he’s been involved with First Tee – Metropolitan New York for all of that time. 

With his positive attitude and passion for the sport, and with the assistance of his First Tee coaches Peter Aloisio and Bill Castner, Ethan secured a caddy position at historic Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, which will host the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship next month. He also volunteers to coach younger players through the First Tee. “I just love golf and hope to help those kids love it as much as I do,” he said. 

Last summer Ethan was selected to attend two First Tee national participant opportunities: the Game Changers Academy honoring Joe Louis Barrow Jr. and the First Tee Leadership Summit in partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore. 

The Game Changers Academy brought together 72 First Tee participants in Philadelphia. “We sat down and discussed really important topics like equality versus equity, diversity and inclusion. Meeting so many different kids from all over the country was eye opening,” Ethan said. He made the most of the opportunity and was named one of the event’s Most Outstanding Participants. 

The Leadership Summit took place in Montana, where his surroundings were picturesque, Ethan said. “At one of the first meetings we learned: ‘Don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable because being uncomfortable leads to change,’” he said, which are words he has tried to live by.  Besides learning leadership skills, Ethan also said that: “The whole trip was phenomenal. We were able to listen to Michael Vick discuss his life experiences, we participated in many incredible activities, and the whole experience really exemplified how working in a group is a great way to foster change.” 

In addition to Ethan’s involvement at First Tee and his synagogue, he’s also a captain of the junior varsity Ultimate Frisbee team at his high school. He is also a dedicated student and loves math and science, which he plans to study at college.  

Learn more about First Tee’s participant opportunities. 

Coach Ben goes above and beyond to teach his students 

Perhaps you know him from First Tee – Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky as Coach Ben, or maybe you recognize him from his online coaching series, Birdies with Ben.   

Birdies with Ben is a video series hosted by Ben Walker, a staff member and alumnus at First Tee – Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky. In the educational videos the chapter posts to its social media pages, Ben gives advice on life and the game of golf.   

By integrating the First Tee curriculum, Ben found an outlet to grow the game with increasing social media engagement from kids, teens, and young adults.   

“As kids and teens are joining social media, I wanted to meet the kids where they are,” said Ben. “I felt it was space where we could add First Tee content.”  

Coach Ben joined his local chapter as a participant in 2008 and worked his way through the program until he graduated from First Tee as an Ace student (the highest certification a participant can achieve within the First Tee network).  

“You come into the program thinking you are going to learn about golf, but you learn so much more about life skills,” said Ben. “I was once very shy, and First Tee helped get me out of my bubble. I felt safe and empowered to be myself and meet other people.”  

He attended Northern Kentucky University, where he was granted an internship to work with the chapter while earning his degree in sports business and event management.  

This opened the door for him as a full-time staff member upon college graduation in 2020.   

Now that Ben is a proud staff member of First Tee – Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky, he cites how rewarding it is for him to reciprocate First Tee’s positive impact on the next generation.  

“First Tee is home. The relationships I’ve built in this program and skills I’ve taken with me have evolved into more than I could’ve ever imagined. I have a genuine love for First Tee and for the game of golf.”  

To see Coach Ben’s Birdies with Ben videos, check them out here!

First Tee Scholar Malisone Chanthapanya becomes first graduate of program 

First Tee has always been a big part of her life, said Malisone Chanthapanya, who has been involved with the program since she was just 5. Now she’s graduating from Texas Wesleyan University, but the First Tee – Fort Worth alumna said she still has deep roots in the organization. 

“First Tee is why I started golf,” she said. “I have a lot of friendships from First Tee, and the relationships I built there keep me connected to the organization.” Mali still volunteers as a coach at First Tee – Fort Worth and occasionally plays golf at chapter events. 

Mali received her bachelor’s degree in finance on May 13. Of course, it was an exciting day for her family and friends, who celebrated with a big party. But it was also a milestone for First Tee as Mali became the initial First Tee Scholar to complete her undergraduate education. 

The First Tee Scholars program provides mentorship, professional development opportunities and up to $20,000 in financial support for exceptional First Tee alumni during their college journeys. 

“All of the Scholars are pretty close. I really like my mentor and the speakers they’ve brought in to talk to us. It’s been interesting to hear from people from all different backgrounds and jobs and experiences,” Mali said. 

As First Tee is preparing to announce its 2023 scholar class, her advice to the group: “I think it’s important to be flexible and to manage your time well.  The workload is really different than high school, especially being away from home for the first time.” 

Mali completed her degree in just two years. She’s always been ahead of the curve: She was the youngest participant from First Tee – Fort Worth ever to earn her ACE certification, the highest achievement First Tee offers. 

Mali won’t be leaving Fort Worth after graduation. She’s a member of the Texas Wesleyan golf team and still has two years of eligibility remaining. She’ll continue to play for the team as a grad student. 

“Honestly sometimes I complain about missing school or balancing golf and schoolwork, but playing with the team has been my favorite part of my college experience. I’m able to travel and do what I love, meet new people and play new golf courses,” she said. 

Mali was named to the All-Conference team as a sophomore. Playing at nationals during freshman year is her favorite collegiate golf memory so far. Her team finished eighth. “I really enjoyed spending time with them throughout the year, so that was just a fun end to the season,” she said. 

In graduate school, Mali plans to focus on data analytics and supply chain management. 

Learn more about the First Tee Scholars program

Coach Joe: ‘This program has taught me to become a better coach and father’ 

Joseph Goh, or Coach Joe as many know him from First Tee – Greater Dallas, has been a coach for more than 17 years. He sat on the board of directors for the Greater Dallas chapter until focusing his time as a volunteer coach, where he made it his goal to recruit other volunteers. 

Originally from Singapore, Joe started his journey as a coach through First Tee – Singapore and moved to the United States after his technology company was bought out by a company in Dallas. Eventually, he and his wife planted themselves in Texas and started their own family.  

“First Tee is more than a golf instruction program; we teach life skills. This program has taught me to become a better coach and father because of it,” he said. 

He enrolled his two children in the program and the rest became history.  

His two kids participated in First Tee throughout high school. His oldest, Jonathan, attended the University of California, Los Angeles and graduated in 2021 with a major in electrical engineering. He currently works at Amazon Robotics in Boston as a hardware development engineer. 

His youngest daughter, Joni, is attending the University of Texas in Austin and will graduate in May 2023 with her degree in architecture engineering. She is currently an intern at The Boring Company and will be working with Southland Holdings as a business development associate. 

“I want to emphasize that the First Tee program has built a foundation for its participants, including my own kids,” said Joe.  

He makes it his mission to positively impact and equally empower First Tee participants with the skills and opportunities they need to be successful.  

“As a volunteer coach at First Tee, I could change the trajectory of a child’s life,” he said. “No other organization gives me the opportunity to impact another’s life and add value to them like First Tee would.” 

Joe, like many other First Tee coaches, is just one of many unique stories that make First Tee’s impact so profound. If one person can make a difference, a difference can be made upon a multitude of generations.  

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