Category: Coaching

Coach Jignesh leading the next generation 

It started with his passion for the sport.  

Coach Jignesh, from First Tee – Raritan Valley, found a love for the game of golf and only wanted to get better. He focused a lot of his time on playing in tournaments and excelling in his skills to be a better player.  

When it came time to grow his family, he knew that he wanted to share his love for the game with his kids and once they were of age, he got them involved with First Tee.  

“First Tee builds mental health and strength for the kids so after many years of experience with the chapter, I too wanted to get involved to give back to the community and be a part of building game changers,” said Coach Jignesh. 

Since his kids have been involved with First Tee, they have been excelling in their golf game and together as a family, they build memories over their shared passion. Over time, Coach Jignesh would see change in how his kids became focused in school, in their golf game and instilling daily the character building blocks into their lives.  

“First Tee brings so many life values for the kids including mentorship and safety,” said Coach Jignesh. 

“I saw a big change in my son’s behavior and how when he goes out and plays, he brings those values to the tournaments.” 

Coach Jignesh started as a coach in 2020 and has gone through First Tee’s Coach Level 2 training, now a senior coach. Eventually, he will take his skills and passion to soon become a master level coach.  

As for his kids, they continue to stay involved in the chapter while his son has recently begun to volunteer himself as a way to give back to what has been given to him.  

“First Tee is more like an education itself, knowing there’s safety in the program and values that you can learn such as being able to define what confidence is. Here, the kids get to learn, be smart and have fun – all at the same time.” 

Coach Bonnie on sharing her love of golf: ‘Golf will make them better people’

It feels like fate played a role in bringing Bonnie Bunch Glover to golf 20 years ago. “I had a set of old clubs in my garage. Someone gave them to me, but I had no place to play and didn’t even know how,” she said. Then a colleague heard about the Lady Drivers, a group of Black women golfers in Jackson, Mississippi.  

Glover dusted off her hand-me-down clubs and attended a beginners clinic hosted by the group. “I was voted most likely to succeed at the clinic, and I’ve been hooked ever since,” she joked. 

For the last few years, Glover has been volunteering full-time with First Tee – Central Mississippi. 

“Sportsmanship is one of the things I enjoy teaching the kids,” she said. “Golf will make them better people later in life. They’re learning to share, patience – golf promotes a lot of things,” she said. 

With support from Morgan Stanley’s Eagles for Impact program, Glover attended a Level 2 Coach Training in New Orleans last year. “Getting that formal training just motivates you. You know you’re getting something solid to take forward,” she said. 

“Bonnie is eager to help our chapter in any way she can. She loves working in our girls’ classes, and she’s a great person to recruit new volunteers and coaches,” said Margo Coleman, executive director of First Tee – Central Mississippi. 

Morgan Stanley’s support will continue this year. For every eagle made during this month’s PLAYERS tournament, the firm will donate $5,000 to First Tee in support of the development and retention of diverse golf coaches, like Glover, to mentor the next generation of game changing leaders. 

As a self-taught golfer, Glover said she feels more comfortable passing along her skills after attending a First Tee coach training. “I just try to tell my kids that you don’t have to be the best. You just have to do the best you can, and it will pay off,” she said.  

“Coach Bonnie brings positive energy to each class. She is helpful to all of the students, taking the time to help them, no matter their level of golf,” Coleman said. 

In addition to coaching, Glover helps organize an equipment drive each spring in partnership with the Jackson Women’s Golf Association. The group has provided shoes, clubs and clothes to many young golfers in Mississippi.  

All her efforts aim to make golf more accessible to all kids, including those from diverse backgrounds, Glover said. “We need more minorities in the game of golf. Our kids need to see them,” she said. 

Research has shown that kids learn better when they identify with their teachers. That’s why First Tee believes it’s important for our coaches to represent the communities they serve. 

“We’re so grateful to Morgan Stanley for supporting this important initiative,” said First Tee CEO Greg McGlaughlin. “Coaches form the backbone of our organization, and we’re committed to bringing in and training coaches from diverse backgrounds because golf – especially with the life skills it teaches – is a game for everyone.” 

AnnaLeis Caldwell fell in love with golf through First Tee. Now she’s sharing her passion 

AnnaLeis Caldwell is a former collegiate golfer and current program director at First Tee – Clearwater. Her First Tee journey started with an ad her father saw 16 years ago while her family was living in Salinas, California.  

“He thought it would be a great way for me to learn the basics of golf, and he appreciated that it was both personal development and skills based, so I joined [First Tee] Monterey County as a participant,” she said. 

Caldwell’s dad was in the military, and she stuck with First Tee when the family later moved to Virginia. For Caldwell – an avid athlete and serious softball player – First Tee went far beyond sports. 

“Now I’m a First Tee trainer and I always talk about the importance of being a mentor because of my own experience,” she says. “I couldn’t tell you the names of my softball coaches today, but I remember all my First Tee coaches because we talked about my school life and my home life – not just my stats.”  

Caldwell said golf has opened doors for her on and off the course, offering unique opportunities and giving her confidence. On National Girls and Women in Sports Day we’re celebrating the positive benefits that sports can provide. “Sports changes lives,” Caldwell said. 

Having female coaches at First Tee when she was younger helped Caldwell build confidence, she said. “Seeing these professional women who enjoyed the game and were high up in their careers – and looking back, they were moms, which I identify with now – it gave me the confidence that I could achieve those things,” she said. 

Caldwell had never touched a golf club before her initial First Tee lesson. “Little did I know 16 years ago, I’d be coaching for First Tee, welcoming girls and getting kids excited about golf,” she said.  

Her journey came full circle in 2021 when she attended the Game Changers Academy as a coach. She previously attended the event as a participant and then as an alumni chaperone back when it was called the Life Skills Academy. And as a new national trainer she’s now working alongside one of her own First Tee coaches, Colleen Henry of First Tee – Silicon Valley. 

“It’s amazing to be able to impact so many girls,” Caldwell said. Her chapter serves about 40 percent female participants. 

Caldwell previously worked for First Tee – Upstate South Carolina, and she was the first director of women’s golf at Champion Hills Golf Course in North Carolina. Caldwell played golf at North Greenville University. 

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Mentors Make the Difference: Scholar Becky Jones Shares How Her Mentor Guides Her as she Navigates College 

It’s National Mentorship Month! And we truly believe that mentors can make all the difference for kids as they face new challenges – from navigating middle or high school to eventually embarking on a career. That’s why we’re proud to pair every First Tee Scholar with a mentor to help them along their journey. 

First Tee – Indiana alumna Becky Jones is a sophomore at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology where she is studying civil engineering. Her professional goal is to address pollution in her home region. “Especially around our area, we have a lot of environmental hazards that I’d like to fix,” she said. 

As she works toward her future, Jones said, she knows she has at least one person in her corner: her mentor Dr. Roger May. May is senior technical manager in the Great Lakes region for TruGreen, a First Tee Trustee. Not only has May helped Jones on her academic journey, but “he knows me as a person,” she said. 

“Especially as I’m going to college and being in a new environment and working with a lot of different people, he’s given me fantastic advice about things like teamwork, what to do when group members aren’t holding up their weight,” she said. 

His guidance was especially helpful during Jones’ internship at a 66-turbine wind farm in Iowa. “I was in a very different environment than I’m used to, and while it was a wonderful experience, it did challenge me in a lot of ways,” she said. “It’s been incredible. I’m lucky First Tee connected me with him.” 

May said mentoring Jones has helped him understand the challenges a college student faces in 2023. The pair talk for about one hour each month, and while mentoring isn’t a huge time commitment, it’s a great way to give back, May said.  

“I thought back to the time when I was a freshman in college. I could have really used a mentor!  This was a golden opportunity to pay it forward with experience and help a young person navigate the ups and downs of the college experience and give them career advice,” he said. 

For the relationship to work well, mentors need to be non-judgmental, and mentees must be open about the challenges they’re facing, May said. “When everything clicks you form a trust that helps to keep the relationship and communication progressing,” he said. 

As a First Tee scholar, Jones not only receives support from her mentor, but also financial assistance and access to professional development opportunities, including a recent winter workshop that brought together 40 First Tee alumni from across the country. She said First Tee has helped her gain confidence and expand her horizons.  

“When you start playing golf as a kid, you’re just out there hitting a ball. You don’t think about all the etiquette you learn,” Jones said. “You learn about systems, being outside, appreciating nature, respecting authority, honesty. There’s just so many values that go throughout your entire life. Now as a Scholar I get to hear from all these phenomenal speakers who are giving me advice on aspects of my career and personal life, and I feel like I’ve grown more as a person in so many ways I can’t even describe.” 

Learn More about the First Tee Scholars

Coach Ron Castillo, First Tee – North Florida

Golf is a fun and challenging platform for growth, helping kids and teens build the confidence to show up to a challenge, the resilience to keep going when they fail, and the inner strength to do the right thing, even with it’s the hard thing. For today’s youth, First Tee provides mentors who help them write their personal growth story. Ron Castillo, First Tee – North Florida Program Director since 2017, has been a part of First Tee since 2001. “I moved back to Atlanta after working as an assistant golf professional in Hilton Head, SC. I called one of my professional mentors and told him I was looking for a job. His reply was, “yes, I’ll always have a job for you. Come by tomorrow.” I have been involved with First Tee ever since. Speaks volumes to having a Go-To Team!” For twenty years he’s been a coach, a mentor and a friend. He can tell you stories about numerous participants and families he’s gotten to know and how their kids have grown to be college graduates, doctors, entrepreneurs, husbands, wives, parents, and yes, professional golfers.  When he joined First Tee, he was ready for the next stage in his career. He stays for something much more personal. “Simply put, I stay because I absolutely love what I do. Being a coach at First Tee has helped me be a better husband and father. I find myself thinking about First Tee lessons when advising my son and making decisions for my household.” Coach Ron shares with us why golf is the perfect sport for learning lifelong skills and fostering personal growth.

Coach Dustin Marsh – Lessons in Leadership

At First Tee, we guide kids to strengthen what’s inside and put it into action because strong character, inner strength and resilience is needed now more than ever. This month we are talking to leaders within our Network about their experiences and key lessons learned over the course of their careers.

Coach Dustin Marsh, First Tee – Central Carolina

What is your current role at First Tee, how long have you been in that role and what is the most rewarding part of your job?

Currently, I am a recognized First Tee Coach. I have been coaching with The First Tee since 2009.

This month we’re celebrating Black History Month and lifting up voices of Black participants, coaches and leaders exploring what it means to be a leader. As a coach, you’re both a mentor and leader to the participants in the program. What does that mean to you?

It means a great deal to me! Many people get to middle age and find themselves in a job or career that they did not foresee. They get caught up in making a living. They may or may not like what they do. I like what I do but, before I started with The First Tee I was not participating in my community as I thought I needed to. I was searching for something to fill a void in my being. When I was young, I was an education major but, life happened and I took an opportunity to work in computer technology. Now that I am coaching with The First Tee, I feel like I’m exercising the same passion I had when I was on a path to be an educator.

How important is it for participants to see diverse leaders like yourself and others coaching at the chapter?

It’s extremely important that our participants experience the program from a diverse range of leaders and with diverse peers. I think specifically about some of the kids I have coached over the years who have gone on to college and professional careers, and I know having diverse coaches was instrumental in not only attracting them to the program, but also keeping them engaged for the long run.  At the end of the day, it’s about making kids feel welcome and comfortable, and when a kid can see themselves in me or another black or brown coach, that increases the likelihood they will want to come back.

Who were some of the strong voices or mentors in your life that inspired you?

Many of my coaches made strong impressions on me for various reasons. Some of my teachers inspired me as well. However, I think the strongest voices in my life were those that exemplified and instilled the importance of decency toward others.

What accomplishment are you most proud of in your life or career?

One thing I’m most proud of is my track record of community service, specifically through First Tee – Central Carolina.  I’ve been doing this for over 11 years.  It isn’t always convenient or easy in my schedule, but it has been worth it.  I’m proud that kids have called me a mentor even when I didn’t think I was, and that I’ve been able to help them figure out all how to deal with the hard things life has thrown at them.

Can you give an example of a challenge you have faced in your career and how have you worked to overcome it?

A challenge that I have faced in my career is leading teams of people and how to get the best results possible.  What I’ve learned is that you have to know what motivates them and what their strengths and weaknesses are.  This takes time and building relationships.  Once you know these details, you can put people where they are going to be the most effective and the whole team benefits.  I’ve done the same thing in the First Tee classes I coach.  I try to learn as quickly as I can why a kid is there and what they are looking to get out of the experience.  Once I know this, I can adapt my coaching to best match their needs.  Like we are trained in the First Tee Coach Program, match the activity to the child and not the child to the activity.

How does or can First Tee play a role in bringing more diversity to our game?

I think we must continue to find ways to make golf inviting to a diverse group of people. There isn’t one way to bring more diversity to golf. We have to try every approach we can come up with. It’s not something that can be accomplished overnight. Golf used to be a sport that was available to only those with financial means and making it more inclusive is going to take time and perseverance. There is a lot of untapped talent that golf has yet to tap into. It ultimately comes down to building relationships in your community that are genuine and time tested.  The opportunities to be more diverse can be hard to initially see, but if your focus is on building relationships, the opportunities to engage with black and brown communities will become more apparent.  When it comes to this type of work, don’t worry about being the first one there, focus on being the last one standing.

What leadership advice or concept do you think is most important for your participants to know?

Focus on the process, not the outcome.

Angela “Coach Angel” Whorton, First Tee — Greater Akron

Coach Angel has been an educator for 15 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from Hampton University, where she attended on a full NCAA Division I scholarship helping lead her team in March Madness. After graduation, Coach Angel traveled extensively and was invited to speak on diversity and educational practices. She began her teaching career in Turkey, teaching English as a Second Language before going back home, to Akron, Ohio where she is currently an educator at the Lebron James IPromise school. Coach Angel was introduced to First Tee 8 years ago when her son, John Ramon, joined the program. She joined in not long after and has been coaching at First Tee — Greater Akron for 7 years.  “I feel it is important to stay involved in the First Tee to offer the kids in my urban community the opportunity to play a sport that they may have not felt was in their realm of abilities.  When we begin working with these athletes we open a whole new world for them while developing their character through the Core Values to instill a solid foundation for success.  I also feel it is essential to have representation in the world of golf and being able to interact and develop friendships and perspectives with people in the golf community that may have otherwise never built a relationship with someone in the Black community such as myself.” Coach Angel is just one of the many inspirational coaches across our network and we invite you to learn more about her journey and thoughts on leadership in the video below.

The Power of Mentorship

If there are any silver linings to this pandemic, it’s been the coaches and mentors who have stepped up going above and beyond for our participants. The events of 2020 have reinforced the need for programs like First Tee that lift up, support and empower kids to stand strong and grow during challenging situations. The coaches and staff of First Tee programs across the nation have leaned on their creativity, flexibility and adaptive spirits to keep participants engaged and encouraged during a challenging year. Often, we take for granted how truly invaluable these mentors are in the community with their consistent effort and support for the participants they lead. But we see our coaches putting in the long hours. It’s extra time on the putting green or staying late for one last lesson on the driving range. That time isn’t just about helping a kid improve their golf game. Our coaches are digging deeper, building trust and having meaningful conversations. Many times, those sessions together turn to discussions of dreams beyond the golf course – what the future could hold, current struggles or opportunities for personal growth. Julia Hardy, a participant from First Tee — New Hampshire, knows firsthand the benefits of having a dedicated and caring First Tee coach. Coach Beth Flint has been a mentor to her for the last seven years and it’s changed her life. Julia had always been an avid golf fan, and early on she would take lessons at her local driving range, but Julia craved more time on an actual golf course. When she joined First Tee — New Hampshire in third grade, she didn’t realize she was signing up for so much more. “First Tee was my first time truly playing on a ‘real’ golf course, and I was a little nervous, but the entire environment of First Tee really helped me adapt. The fact that the instructors at the First Tee not only cared about helping me improve my golf skills, but also grow as a person, really helped me connect and feel comfortable in the program. I always felt valued and supported.” Julia admits that she was incredibly timid when she first started. One of the first things Coach Beth did when they began to work together was challenge her to build confidence. At the Sagamore Golf Course where Julia would practice, the 8th hole requires a difficult shot over water. Beth, knowing that timidity was a theme in Julia’s game and in her life, encouraged her to continue to push through the doubt. Ultimately, it made her a better person. “Beth would always urge me to have confidence and swing through the ball. With each successive visit to the eighth hole, and each ‘be confident’ spoken, I could feel my confidence grow. Finally, I got to the point where I could approach the eighth hole, push away the doubts, and just hit the ball.” After that, more often than not, the ball would fly over the water. This confidence translated off the course as well. Julia started speaking up more in class and participating in family debates. This growth in confidence allowed her to attack new challenges head on, Julia credits this growth in confidence as the most helpful trait she’s taken away from the First Tee. Coach Beth agrees. “As she got older, it was beautiful to see her inner strength and self-confidence become greater,” she said. “Advancing through the program, it was obvious that she was a positive influence on others in all aspects of life; not just with golf but at school with friends, in her community, and of course with her family of whom she talks so often about. It has always been a pleasure to golf with Julia – however seeing the wonderful person she has become is the real treasure!” Julia is now an Eagle certified participant, on track to get her ACE certification. The best part is that this isn’t an isolated story. Across the country, coaches and participants are building lasting bonds, showcasing the growth and evolution of positive relationships that have a ripple effect on the communities they serve and the people they meet each day. But earlier this year, many chapters were unsure of what the future would hold for coaches and participants. Classes were cancelled and fundraising was unknown. It’s been thanks to generous supporters, like the USGA, who have helped ensure chapters keep their doors open for safe and socially distant programs. First Tee — New Hampshire was one of 51 First Tee chapters to receive a grant from the USGA towards their ongoing commitment to making the game more accessible and welcoming for juniors. “The USGA’s commitment to investing in First Tee over the years continues to have a lasting impact on the game as well as countless young people in communities across our country,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “We are offering a meaningful and positive experience through golf that helps young people uncover who they are and grow personally. There is no better sport in which to do this, and we are thankful for the USGA’s confidence in our work.” Learn more about character building programs across the country and how to get started with a First Tee chapter a near you.