First Tee – Greater San Antonio participants Sebastian Garcia and Brody Albertson recently traveled to Emigrant, Montana, to take part in the 2026 First Tee Leadership Summit, an immersive national experience hosted in partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore.
The First Tee Leadership Summit builds on the five-week local First Tee Leadership Series and provides participants with an opportunity to further explore important leadership concepts, including building authentic relationships, growing through challenge and developing a positive self-identity.
Set against the unforgettable backdrop of West Creek Ranch in Paradise Valley, Montana, the immersive experience welcomed 40 participants from 31 First Tee chapters across the country over two weeks. Sebastian and Brody joined fellow participants for an experience designed to help them build on their strengths and values while fostering community, inspiration and meaningful connections with peers, adult mentors and the outdoors.
Now in its sixth year, the Leadership Summit combines outdoor adventure with intentional reflection and leadership development. Participants took part in activities including horseback riding, whitewater rafting, archery and challenge course experiences, along with guided hikes, sunrise yoga and stargazing.
Throughout the experience, leadership development experts and staff from First Tee and PGA TOUR Superstore led reflective workshop sessions designed to help participants uncover their values, sharpen their communication skills and grow through new experiences.
For Brody, the relationships and sense of community he developed with fellow participants were among the most meaningful parts of the experience.
“This past week at the First Tee and PGA TOUR Superstore Leadership Summit was an amazing experience. The thing that had the greatest impact on me was definitely the community; all the participants attending grew close to each other very quickly,” Brody said. “It truly made it easy to see that true leaders focus on their people and not only on the project. We learned about this through the workshops provided to us, but the other participants showed it outside of them as well. Thank you so much, First Tee, for this amazing opportunity.”
Sebastian also left the Leadership Summit with a renewed perspective on leadership, positivity and personal growth.
“The First Tee PGA Leadership Summit helped me become a better leader by teaching me to stay positive, put in extra effort, and never give up on my goals,” Sebastian said.
One of Sebastian’s favorite moments from the experience was the opportunity to play golf at Rising Sun Golf Course, where he was able to put the skills he has developed through First Tee into practice while connecting with other participants.
“I enjoyed being on the course, competing, and putting the skills I have worked on into practice,” Sebastian said. “It was also a great opportunity to have fun, meet new people, and create memories with other participants.”
Beyond the activities and experiences, Sebastian said one of his biggest takeaways was the importance of positive self-talk and believing in himself.
“I learned that becoming a great leader does not happen overnight,” Sebastian said. “It takes consistency, effort, and a willingness to keep improving every day.”
The 2026 Leadership Summit also featured special guest speakers, including actor and First Tee Ambassador Michael Peña during the first week and golf broadcaster Amanda Balionis during the second week.
Before applying for the Leadership Summit, participants were required to complete the First Tee Leadership Series, a five-week program that helps young people explore leadership concepts and prepare for future opportunities. This year’s participants were selected from a competitive applicant pool and represented First Tee chapters from across the country.
For First Tee – Greater San Antonio, opportunities like the Leadership Summit provide participants such as Sebastian and Brody with the chance to step outside their comfort zones, connect with young people from across the country and continue developing the skills that will help them succeed both on and off the golf course.
The Leadership Summit is one of several signature participant opportunities offered by First Tee to support its mission of building game changers through golf. In addition to supporting the Leadership Series and Leadership Summit, PGA TOUR Superstore and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation support First Tee chapters across the country through grants and in-kind donations.
Sebastian and Brody’s experience in Montana is a reflection of the opportunities available to First Tee participants who are committed to their personal growth and leadership development. First Tee – Greater San Antonio looks forward to seeing how they continue to apply what they learned and grow as leaders in their communities.
