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Marcus Freeman Pays it Forward

First Tee is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month, and over the years, it’s helped produce no shortage of game changers. 

One example is Marcus Freeman from First Tee – Greater Charlotte. He says the organization has helped him grow as a golfer and person. 

“Being a part of this community has helped me get through hard times. First Tee – Greater Charlotte was a safe place for me in 2020. During this time my grandfather was going through end stage pancreatic cancer and my family, like the world, was navigating COVID-19 and social distancing,” he says. 

The support he received from First Tee inspired Freeman to pay it forward. 

He completed more than 300 hours of volunteer work for First Tee in 2021. He collected more than 500 books for a First Tee book drive, and he’s a member of the chapter’s participant advisory council. Freeman has also volunteered for his swim team and tutored students in Japanese.

“An aspect of volunteer work that I enjoy is seeing the impact that giving to others can have,” he says. 

Freeman is one of 28 First Tee participants from across the country who’ll attend Innovators Forum this November in Dallas. The workshop empowers First Tee teens to develop a meaningful service project in their community focused on education, health or sustainability. Eight participants will be awarded scholarships totaling $32,000 after the event.

A junior at Palisades High School, Freeman is an accomplished violinist, and he won a medal for performing Japanese poems in 2019. Freeman aspires to study sports science in college. “I enjoy learning more about physical fitness and how the body works,” he says. Freeman spends his free time researching training tips and injury recovery. 

As he progresses as an athlete and student, Freeman says he’ll continue to use the lessons and qualities he’s learned at First Tee, including confidence. 

“When I first joined the program, I was a little shy when meeting new coaches, parents and other players. I spent time observing the instructors and how they interacted with all the different people coming and going. I saw them shake hands, make eye contact, smile and speak confidently,” he says.  

“I knew I wanted those skills as well. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, and I started to apply what I observed to my own social skills. I practiced a strong handshake. I introduced myself to people I didn’t know, and I have met many interesting people, like professional golfer Davis Love III, all because I have improved in sharing my personality.” 

Learn more about Innovators Forum. 

Alumna Hannah Rens Reaches for the Stars

Lots of kids aspire to become astronauts but few go on to build careers in space exploration. That hasn’t stopped Hannah Rens from chasing her dreams into orbit. 

The 24-year-old is a systems engineer for Boeing Space and Launch, working on Boeing’s Starliner, a commercial crew and cargo vehicle that will be transporting NASA astronauts to the international space station.  

“My ultimate career goal is to be chief engineer of a permanent human habitat on the moon,” says Rens, a former participant at First Tee – Siouxland and First Tee volunteer. “To achieve that goal, I need to develop advanced business skills, gain industry experience and further my engineering technical education.” 

That’s why she’s attending the First Tee Alumni Summit presented by Gallagher this November in Dallas. The event provides an opportunity for selected alumni to advance their career by building new skills while reconnecting with fellow alumni and chapter leaders. 

“I’m looking to learn more about working in a rapidly evolving industry, startups and founding your own business, and how to develop an effective personal brand,” she says. 

Rens says her nine years in First Tee helped shape her future. “It provided me with a structured path to improving my golf game, peer and trusted mentors, and interpersonal and professional skills that have been essential in achieving my goals,” she says. 

While in First Tee, she was selected to attend the Leaders and Entrepreneurs Forum at Disney World. “Getting to meet other students from across the U.S. while listening and working with successful business owners and entrepreneurs was unlike any other experience I had in high school,” she says. “The business principles and goals I learned have stayed with me.” 

A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Rens began her career with internships focused on aircraft maintenance and repair. As Starliner prepares to expand its service to additional sites in Earth’s orbit, Rens works on vehicle life span and sustainment. Ultimately, Starliner will become one of the first spacecraft with turnaround times closer to traditional air traffic. Talk about a Game Changer. 

Rens now serves as a mentor for high school and college students who want careers in the space industry, and she’s enrolled in an astronautical engineering master’s program at the University of Southern California focusing on human spaceflight. 

Rens still golfs, and she’s a certified open water and dry suit SCUBA diver. Learn more about the accomplishments of First Tee alumni. 

Veteran Spotlight: Kyle Hawkins, First Tee – Greater San Antonio Parent & Volunteer

This Veterans Day, we thank and honor all who have served our country. Thank you for your service! We especially wanted to spotlight one our parents who is a Veteran, Parent and Volunteer at one of our program locations!

We are happy to provide opportunities for families like the Hawkins throughout our 8 program locations. Read more about the Hawkin’s experience with First Tee – Greater San Antonio and how it has impacted their lives below!

“Golf is a terrifically frustrating game – it teaches you so many life lessons and good habits, while enjoying the outdoors.  I didn’t pick up my first golf club until my junior year of high school, but quickly became obsessed.  I continued to play when I could in college, but priorities were about to change for me.  I attended Duke University on a Navy ROTC scholarship, and I distinctly remember my first day in uniform was a Tuesday – September 11, 2001.  Once on active duty, I was fortunate to experience several areas of the Navy, from running experiments for the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Lab, to organizing the training for a fleet of minesweeper crews. 

I now have a 9-year-old daughter who has been showing interest in golf for a couple of years now, and the more I learned about the First Tee, the more I saw an opportunity for not only her, but myself as well.  As a volunteer and parent, I was able to get an up-close look at the energy and growth the kids bring, and hopefully in the process share some my own passion for the game.  It was amazing to see the improvement they made after only seven weeks, and I hope they got as much out of the class as I did.”

Parent Spotlight – Philip Walker, First Tee – Greater San Antonio Parent

Our parents’ support of our programming is why our participants succeed on and off the course.

We are happy to provide opportunities for families like the Walkers throughout our 8 program locations. Read more about the Walker’s experience with First Tee – Greater San Antonio and how it has impacted their lives below!

“We moved to San Antonio from Hampton, Georgia in October 2017 after I took a contract position with the Air Force Civil Engineering Center down at Lackland Air Force Base. Since we were not members of a golf club, all of Armond’s practices needed to be at public facilities. We found the driving range at the RIIM, but one day it was closed, so we found the driving range at Polo Field.

     After several weeks of coming to Polo Field to practice, Jimmy Lee, father of the Lee sisters, told me about the First Tee program. Admittedly, I only signed Armond up so that he could get $1 range balls. It was simply a business decision. However, once Armond started participating in the Saturday morning classes and then playing rounds along the Alamo City Golf Trail, the rest, as they say, is history.

First Tee – Greater San Antonio has made it possible for my son to interact with coaches and PGA professionals like Coach Vinnie. Also, Armond has had the opportunity to play at world class venues such as TPC San Antonio through his participation in the Game Changers Shootout. This is significant for me because Armond’s mother and I do not come from wealthy families. We are working-class civilians who strive to give both of our sons the very best life that we can give them. So, whereas we do not have a membership to a golf course like TPC San Antonio, the First Tee has made it possible for Armond to still get the experience of playing at venues like TPC. Not only that, but Armond had the opportunity to volunteer at the 2022 Valero Texas Open. It was an experience that he will never forget.

I enjoy the fact that Armond has so many people in his corner that want to see him succeed. From Coach Carrie, Coach Mercedes, Coach Steve, and Coach Vinnie to the parents of the other players, I feel as though Armond has built a network of connections that will be in his corner for years to come.” – Philip Walker

2022 Texas Mutual Invitational Benefiting First Tee – Greater San Antonio Recap

The First Tee – Greater San Antonio Board of Directors, Front Nine Committee and team are celebrating the 2nd Annual Texas Mutual Invitational and Concert benefiting First Tee – Greater San Antonio.

Thursday, October 6th marked the kick with a concert with 300 guests featuring Texas Country Music performer Wynn Williams with the stage sponsored by Valero Energy Corporation! Each guest received a complimentary concert T-Shirt sponsored by Rudy’s BBQ. There was a live and silent auction sponsored by Security Service Federal Credit Union and a raffle to win a 6-seater EZ-GO golf cart, won by Amy Thomas! Guests took home live auction items such as a 30-person private dinner party hosted by Don Strange of Texas, an Argentinian Dove Hunt, and a family deer hunt at 1851 Ranch! Our silent auction featured items such as Hotel Emma one-night stay, Alamo City Golf Trail Die Hard Membership, golf rounds, gift baskets and YETI coolers and more. Guests dined on cuisine provided by Don Strange of Texas and top-shelf beverages provided by Dripping Springs Vodka & Republic Whiskey! The night was full of excitement and energy!

Our board chairman, Steve Schott, spoke with regional vice president of Texas Mutual, Jim Zilkowski about the importance of being the title sponsor and how First Tee aligns with their corporate values of generational learning. Our program ambassador, Vincent Kabaso, spoke with First Tee Lead Coach, Ernesto Macias, math specialist at Leon Valley Elementary, about introducing golf to his students and the benefits beyond the game.  

The Texas Mutual Invitational golf tournament was held on Monday, October 10th at the prestigious Oak Hills Country Club. Over 110 golfers received a premier tee gift, a Titleist travel golf bag.  Golfers practiced on the driving range and putting green thanks to our sponsor, BCS Prosoft. All golfers had a opportunity to win one of two hole-in-one cars sponsored by Cavender Auto Group. Golfers were able to utilize some shots of First Tee’s best participants on holes throughout the course and even attempted to beat the pro against Julia Vollmer, Marlo Zamora, and Michelle Lee on hole #2. Live auctioneer of the concert, Pat McMahan’s team won the tournament with a low score of 57!

First Tee – Greater San Antonio is very fortunate to have a title partner like Texas Mutual help cultivate the next generation of Texas workers, and help  provide a great experience to our event guests that will directly benefit First Tee  programs and scholarships. First Tee – Greater San Antonio is ready to grow and serve even more of San Antonio’s youth to continue building game changers!

Special thanks to all our sponsors for making this night possible!

Texas Mutual Insurance – Title Sponsor

Valero Energy Corporation – Stage Sponsor

Rudy’s Barbeque – T-shirt Sponsor

Cavender Auto Group – Hole-in-One Car Sponsor

Security Service Federal Credit Union –  Live & Silent Auction Sponsor

VIP Staffing – Cup Sponsor

Alina Gil: First Tee – Greater San Antonio Birdie Participant

My name is Alina Gil. I am a 7th grader at St. Luke Catholic School.  I am currently 12 years old. I joined the First Tee when I was 8, which makes it 4 years ago.  When I have free time I enjoy drawing, painting and playing with my dog.

What do you enjoy most about golf?
The things I most enjoy about golf is playing with my friends, and meeting new people. Something funny is, I like to snack in between holes in the golf cart.

What have you learned most since playing in tournaments?
What I have learned, from past tournaments, is that everyone has their own way of playing golf. Golf is a mental (mind challenging) game, and I have seen players handle their challenges differently. I have learned not to compare myself to anybody. Take this quote for example, “Be Yourself; Everyone Else Is Already Taken” – Oscar Wilde . Everyone has their own game, I set my goals to improve my previous score.

What is your favorite accomplishment with golf so far?
So far my favorite accomplishment with golf is when I got 1st place in the San Antonio Beltway Junior Championship tournament in my division. I also got a trophy for being player of the year!

How has First Tee helped prepare you for these events?
The First Tee has helped me by giving me friendships, courage, golf lessons and more. The First Tee has helped me get my 1st set of clubs. I was so happy and proud to get them! They prepared me in joining my school’s golf team. The effort and practices got me 1st and 2nd place in my school’s golf tournaments!

What are you looking forward to most with your golf game?
I am looking forward to get better with my golf game. In my future I want to be able to play in the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association). I want to get to that level so I can be successful in golf and my life.

The Key to Setting Reachable Goals

Have you ever thought about your achievements in life? What were the dreams and ambitions that you wanted to work towards? How did you get there? At First Tee, these are the type of questions we propose to kids and teens to help them understand the process of attaining goals; but to reach their goal, they must first understand how goals are formulated.  

A goal is something that you want to do, be or have, but it’s not something that you can do, be or have right at this moment. It’s something you must work to get in the future, and you can apply that to any challenge in life. For example, if your child wants to achieve Honor Roll and receive all As and Bs in school this year, what would that require them to do? They would need to do well on tests and assignments. How would they accomplish that? Encourage them to take good notes, turn in their work on time, and study for their tests. 

For kids, having guidelines or tools can effectively help them identify their goals and make them feel comfortable about reaching them. At First Tee, we utilize four guidelines to do this. Talk to your child about the dreams they currently have and try these out for yourself. 

Four Guidelines for Setting a Reachable Goal: 

  • The goal is Positive: 
    • I want to achieve a passing score of 80% or higher vs. I don’t want to fail this test 
  • The goal is Important to You: 
    • The goal needs to be important to you, not to someone else. You should be able to explain why you want to achieve it and why it will make a difference for you. 
  • The goal is Specific: 
    • You want to know exactly what you’re working toward. 
  • The goal is Under your Control: 
    • Your efforts will allow you to achieve this goal vs. Something that is out of your control like becoming famous or winning the lottery. 

Goal setting is a strategy kids and teens will apply for the rest of their life. When we set our goals, we want to be very clear about them so that we have the best chance to achieve them. The key to remember is that goals come in all shapes and sizes. Just because it doesn’t work for someone else doesn’t mean that you can’t achieve it. Your kids will learn from both their achievements and setbacks, but as they begin to set personal goals, they will learn and grow in ways that you did not think possible. 

Want to get involved with what we are building at First Tee? Click here to find out more. 

Michelle Lee: Game Changers Integrity Award Winner

Michelle Lee

Michelle has been a participant in our First Tee program for three years. At 11 years old, she has already won over 50 junior golf tournaments around San Antonio and beyond. With her 2 sisters, the Lee girls are some of the most hardworking participants we have. With aspirations to play professional golf, Michelle knows that hard work, integrity, and dedication are keys to success. Michelle enjoys reading and watching golf when not playing and she credits her sisters for her fierce competitiveness.

Congratulations Michelle! Well deserved! Keep up the great work!

Why Girls + Growing through Golf = Empowerment

Did you know more than 80 percent of First Tee chapters offer programming specifically for girls?  

“Growing up playing golf, I never imagined being in the golf industry,” said Rebecca Caimano, assistant executive director at First Tee — Greater Philadelphia, who joined the chapter in 2011 to help grow its girls programming. “It was tough being the only female who played golf.” 

Now, Rebecca is among thousands of leaders/coaches who are involved in First Tee. 

First Tee views golf as a metaphor for life. It’s not the score that counts, but what you learn along the way. The game is a perfect practice ground for learning skills that extend far beyond the course. Let’s face it, digging deep when things get tough is a natural part of our sport – and life – experiences. 

As we celebrate our 25th anniversary (& Women’s Golf Day), First Tee is proud of the role we’re playing in helping more young girls embrace the sport and what they can learn through it. Thanks to many female coaches and leaders throughout our network – like Rebecca – we are a safe place where girls can come, be themselves and learn from coaches and role models on the course and in the business world.  

Also, thanks to organizations like USGA (a Founding Partner), LPGA-USGA Girls Golf and John Deere, sponsor of the Drive Your Future Academy, a national leadership development opportunity for female First Tee teens, we continue to intentionally offer opportunities for girls’ personal growth and development in many ways.  

Empowering girls for a brighter future 

While many First Tee alumnae have gone on to work in golf, others have excelled in different areas, including medicine, journalism and public affairs. And we think that’s great for them, and for the world around us. 

Studies have shown that women leaders are engaging and collaborative, yet it hasn’t always been easy for women to break into many top leadership roles. Golf can help. 

Ninety percent of Fortune 500 CEOs play golf, according to the PGA of America, and more than half of all businesspeople believe golf is a valuable networking tool. Women executives believe that a background in sport was helpful to career advancement because it prepared them to work better in teams, and behaviors and techniques can be applied to the corporate setting (Women’s Sports Foundation).   

First Tee teaches valuable life skills that can help girls as they become leaders. Through our personal growth and junior golf programs, we encourage girls to build self-confidence that they’ll carry with them into their future.  

“I originally stuck with it [golf] because I wanted to beat my brother,” Rebecca continued. “And now, here I am, using a sport that changed my life to change others.”  

Now, that’s girl power.  

Approximately 25% of First Tee’s coaches are women, and we’d love to increase that number! If you are interested or know of a passionate female leader in your life, please point her here to get involved: https://firsttee.org/get-involved/coach-volunteer/  

Catching Up With the Inaugural First Tee Scholar

Sixteen-year-old First Tee – Lake County (Hammond, Ind.) participant, Steven Outlaw, was notified during the 2001 First Tee Network Summit, the annual gathering of those within the First Tee network, that he was going to have to make his speech earlier than originally scheduled. The events to follow happened in a way that only fate decides.  

Steven describes it as “being in the right place at the right time.” Using one of the first skills instilled into First Tee participants, as well as taught within his own household, on how to properly introduce yourself to others, Steven walked right up to one of the other speakers of the evening, former president of Georgetown College, Dr. William Crouch, and shook his hand. Steven’s demeanor stood out to Dr. Crouch and gave him quite the idea.  

Following Steven’s speech, Dr. Crouch scrapped his own prepared comments and surprised Steven with a full scholarship to Georgetown College and news that he planned to provide a full scholarship to First Tee participants every year following. This full-ride scholarship would alleviate the financial burden of furthering Steven’s education. 

Bob Krause, former vice president of institutional advancement at Kansas State University, followed suit with Dr. Crouch’s pledge. The First Tee Scholars Program was born and set to begin by 2003 with the inaugural class of Scholars, many of whom Steven is still in touch with today.  

L to R: Christopher Hawkins, First Tee – Metro Atlanta alumnus and First Tee Scholar Class of 2003; Adam Ruegg, Troon Golf; Steven Outlaw, First Tee – Lake County alumnus and inaugural First Tee Scholar; Rod Jackson, First Tee – Metro Atlanta alumnus; Brandon White, current Program Director First Tee – Lake County. 

As the inaugural First Tee Scholar, Steven graduated from Georgetown College with a degree in political science. After college, he enrolled in the PGA, PGM Accelerated Program. After completing two levels of the program, he secured an internship with Troon Golf, a leading golf management company. He has since worked with Troon Golf for nearly 15 years, starting in Arizona and traveling overseas to work in the Middle East, and in Malaysia managing The Els Club Teluk Datai (rated #83 in the world by Golf Digest in 2016).   

More recently, Steven serves as the PGA Director of Golf at Wickenburg Ranch Golf & Social Club, managed by Troon Golf.  Steven has been a PGA Class A Professional for more than 10 years and currently serves on the Southwest Section PGA Board of Directors and is very active with Troon’s D&I Council. Going forward, Steven aspires to ascend the ranks in the PGA of America, with a passion specifically around diversity, equity and inclusion and positive change within the game of golf. 

Though Steven had numerous amazing opportunities during his time as a First Tee participant, he now prides himself in exploring what he can do for First Tee as an adult. He works closely with First Tee – Lake County, often supplying the chapter with donations.  

“These opportunities would not have been possible without First Tee and the core values instilled in me such as perseverance and confidence. Much of what I learned during my time with First Tee I use now to strengthen and empower my team. I am forever grateful and honored to be part of such a great organization. I look forward to the future of First Tee and the path they will pave for the next generation.” 

Eleven years after Steven’s speech, the First Tee Scholars Program continues to thrive. It has since received a face-lift following Greg McLaughlin being named First Tee CEO in 2019.  

Relaunching officially in 2020, President George W. Bush, honorary First Tee chair, congratulated the first class of the revamped program. First Tee College Scholarship Program now extends its impact to alumni beyond financial support, providing personal and professional development throughout their post-graduate careers.  

Each of the Scholars is paired with a dedicated, trained adult mentor who helps encourage and guide them throughout the college experience, including virtual and in-person meetups. The program also provides professional development workshops held in-person throughout the year, and up to $5,000 per year toward tuition.   

“First Tee aims to inspire and empower every young person in the program to set goals and begin pursuing them,” said McLaughlin. “The First Tee College Scholarship Program is intended to motivate young people to stay in the program and support alumni as they matriculate through the college.” 

In recognition of First Tee’s 25th anniversary, the Class of 2022 includes 25 First Tee Scholars. This time, Steven Outlaw has turned the tables, joining as a mentor to one of the Scholars.   

“I was extremely fortunate to be surrounded by great professionals as I progressed through my time with the First Tee.  These individuals helped me grow not only in golf, but personally and professionally.  I consider myself lucky to be able to return the favor to the next generation!” 

We believe in helping youth succeed – on the golf course and in life. Learn more about our programs and how you can get involved.