Participants at The First Tee are using the lessons they are learning on the golf course to become leaders at home. But this summer, some are getting a chance to build their leadership on a national scale as well. Every year, The First Tee National Office brings together selected participants from around the country for a host of once-in-a-life time experiences. While the paths of these young people may be separated by thousands of miles, they are united by a love for the game and a desire to make a difference. Read about the experiences of some of our Seattle participants below.
The John Deere Drive Your Future Academy
This summer, participant Estey Chen was selected to represent Seattle at the inaugural John Deere Drive Your Future Academy in Atlanta, GA. She was one of 24 participants to attend this all-girls event. During the jammed packed Academy, Estey visited the Carter Presidential Library and the Center for Civil and Human Rights, received coaching on college admissions from Georgia State University advisers, learned about collegiate golf, and volunteered at a local senior center. All the while, Estey had a chance to learn from women executives and connect with new lifelong friends from around the country.
“The John Deere Drive Your Future Academy focused on building confidence, resilience, and using lessons learned over the week to become “powers for good,” said Estey. “I will immediately apply the lessons I learned by setting an example of confidence and resilience but I hope to continue to apply the lessons throughout my life as I pursue a career in community service as a policy maker, public defender, or civil rights attorney.”
Watch some of the highlights from the Drive Your Future Academy:
The First Tee National Par-3 Championship
Daniel McIntyre also had an opportunity to represent Seattle as one of 32 participants selected to compete in The First Tee National Par-3 Championship in Richmond, VA. Daniel represented his region as he went head to head in this match play East vs West 36-hole competition.
“I learned a lot about patience during this trip,” Daniel commented. “Having patience while playing was key. I also kept telling myself to simply enjoy the experience. We all knew we were playing at a course we may never see again and I wanted to enjoy it while it lasted.”
The First Tee Life Skills & Leadership Academy
Seattle participant Valerie Tse was also chosen to represent Seattle this summer at the 2017 Life Skills & Leadership Academy. Valerie spent the week at Michigan State University where she had the chance to build relationships with participants and coaches from around the country while building personal leadership skills and exploring college and career plans.
Click here to learn more about the national opportunities offered by The First Tee.
It is with a great sense of gratitude that we express well wishes to Heidi Wills as she sets off on her next adventure. Heidi has faithfully served The First Tee of Greater Seattle over the last 15 years, first as a board member, then as Executive Director for nearly 13 years. While her time on staff is coming to an end, we know the foundation her leadership built will elevate the organization for years to come.
What sets Heidi apart is her commitment to seeing no limits. If it should be done, it can be done. Her optimism, vision, and tireless advocacy have helped The First Tee grow from serving 224 students to serving more than 1,800 young people at golf courses across our community each year. Under her leadership, The First Tee of Greater Seattle has also developed one of the largest school-based programs in the country, serving 100,000 kids annually right here in King County.
Heidi inspires those around her to think big, which sets a high bar for excellence. Nationally, The First Tee of Greater Seattle has consistently achieved ACE status, the highest ranking of performance within The First Tee’s network of 155 chapters. Locally, we were recognized by Seattle Business Magazine as a top youth development organization in Puget Sound.
Heidi has fueled a tangible passion and framework for effective impact at The First Tee of Greater Seattle and we are excited to see what lies ahead. Thank you, Heidi, for your leadership and selfless service to the organization and to the community.
We are hosting a celebratory send-off on Monday, September 18th from 6 PM to 8 PM at the Lakewood Seward Park Community Club. To RSVP, please email Shelby at [email protected].
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LAST STORY 
The dream to build a clubhouse just for kids has never been closer to being realized. The First Tee of Greater Seattle has had a vision to create a special place for community, coaching, and mentorship right at Jefferson Park Golf Course. Seattle native and PGA TOUR Champion Fred Couples had many of his own dreams begin at Jefferson Park. That’s why he is serving as Honorary Chair of the capital campaign to make The Fred Couples First Tee Clubhouse & Learning Center a reality. This community space will offer kids a place to learn and grow through the game year-round. Classroom space and indoor practice facilities will help ensure the golf course is more than a place kids can improve their golf swings. It will be a safe place they can call their own.
Our proposal was recently evaluated by Seattle Parks & Recreation and successfully competed for the opportunity to build the junior golf clubhouse at Jefferson. We are excited to begin land lease negotiations as we continue down this road towards construction. We are also grateful for a visit from Fred Couples, who recently joined us at the proposed clubhouse site for a brief filming to share the vision and invite others to be a part.
Want to be a part of building a legacy? 
We’ve all had that daydream where we are taking a victorious walk down the 18th fairway at a major championship, with an adoring crowd cheering us on from both sides. For Seattle participants Bradley and Haley Wong, this dream will soon become their reality. Bradley (17) and Haley (15) were recently selected to play in the 
With the summer season coming to a close, it may seem like the golf season is slowing down. Not at The First Tee! The school year marks a new season of action for The First Tee’s National School Program.
Through the National School Program, The First Tee equips local schools with the curriculum, equipment, and teacher training to make character education a regular part of the school day.
This year, we’ve hit a new milestone. Now, students at more than 200 schools are having conversations on confidence, perseverance, and integrity in their physical education classes, thanks to The First Tee. This means that more than 100,000 kids throughout King County are being exposed to new opportunities through our school partnerships.
The Enumclaw, Riverview, and Snoqualmie School Districts are the latest to join the growing list of school partners. Plus, for the first time, The First Tee is partnering with middle schools in the 2017-2018 school year. This means more opportunities to remind young people of the power of demonstrating respect, celebrating sportsmanship, and using good judgment, with golf as the hook.
Learn more about how The First Tee is supporting local schools through the National School Program 
Khanh Nguyen
Participant since 2012
Graduated from: Liberty High School
Next steps: Khanh is headed to Seattle University to study nursing.
“The most important core value to me is perseverance because it’s the core value that has helped me throughout my life. Perseverance has taught me to never give up, no matter the situation, and to always keep moving on with life. It’s helped me with my golf game because I would’ve never been the golfer I am without being persistent. Perseverance is something that will I carry with me my entire life.”
Haley Chinn
Participant since 2004
Graduated from: University of Washington
Next steps: Haley is working for a private equity firm in San Francisco.
Makenzie Milton
Participant since 2008
Graduated from: Kennedy High School
Next steps: Makenzie is headed to Bellevue College to study criminal justice and play on the golf team.
“My teenage years were some of my hardest times. I had to learn to make decisions and hoped they were the right ones. After two weeks in a traditional school, I transitioned to online school. It was a very different experience for me and it was a roller coaster ride of emotions, triumphs, lessons, and failures –mostly failures, academically and personally. But those were the years I felt defined my character the most, and helped me overcome my failures. They were also the years I spent my summers as an intern for The First Tee.
The First Tee taught me many things growing up. I always thought it was odd how you can relate the game of golf to life, but it does work out. When making your first shot, know your options, envision your goal, and build contingency plans. When taking that swing, keep your eye on the ball, focus on the task at hand and don’t get distracted. When putting on the green, calculate, line up, and be patient because this is the most important shot. If you miss, keep trying. This all applies to life as well–know your dreams, plan your goals, don’t stray from the path you intended, and if you miss, just keep trying.
I believe these lessons brought me through high school and beyond, mainly due to The First Tee Nine Core Values that the program instilled in me. I honor every single core value I learned but I particularly value integrity. Integrity is not what other people tell you that you are. Integrity is who you decide to be and how you treat yourself and others. Your integrity tells others what you do when no one is watching. It can be as small as picking up trash or stepping over it. It can be as big as helping someone without hesitation or remaining a bystander like everybody else.
The First Tee program and the people involved have helped me turn my failures into successes. I am always grateful for what I’ve learned and experienced and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.
As for my plans, even out of school I’m still learning and that’s something that will never stop. I currently work in a hotel downtown and in a new restaurant in Pike Place. When the time is appropriate, I plan on owning my own establishment here in Seattle, first as a food truck and eventually in a building.”
For eighteen-year-old Nic Ross, science was not his favorite subject in school. In fact, it wasn’t even an area of interest. But the worlds of chemistry and biology were transformed for him after a day on the golf course.
Last summer, Nic participated in The First Tee’s Careers on Course Academy at Snoqualmie Ridge. Through the program, professionals from the golf industry led hands-on workshops on the elements of maintaining the golf course. The group explored everything from water management, soils and fertilizer technology, to managing green speeds. Over the course of the academy, Nic saw chemistry and biology go from homework assignments in school to the driving force behind what keeps his favorite golf courses in championship condition. That day, Nic knew he had found his career aspiration. “The experience showed me what a superintendent truly works on and how important that work is to maintaining the golf course,” said Nic.
Equipped with a vision, Nic set out to make his new dream a reality. He participated in a behind-the-scenes job shadowing experience at Snoqualmie Ridge during the PGA TOUR Champions’ Boeing Classic week and spent his senior year in high school planning his next steps.
His perseverance paid off. This fall, Nic will be heading to Walla Walla Community College. He has a direct transfer to Washington State University’s Turf Management Bachelor’s program in two years.
Nic has been a participant in The First Tee for the last nine years. His desire to make a difference in the game extends beyond his interests in turf management. Nic is an ACE student at The First Tee, the highest level in the program. When he is not taking classes, you’ll find Nic out on the course weekly, mentoring other students as an Assistant Coach. Nic also serves as a member of The First Tee’s Junior Advisory Board, where he graciously gives countless hours to helping resize clubs for our organization’s quarterly garage sales.
“The most important lesson of The First Tee for me has been perseverance,” says Nic. “If you stop trying, you won’t accomplish anything. If you keep trying, you can accomplish anything you want.”
How many holes can you play in a day?
Many of us can only dream of the answer to that question but 13-year-old McKenzie Enright knows the answer: 100.
McKenzie competed in the The First Tee’s 1st Annual Junior Golf-A-Thon. She was relatively new to the game of golf but with her dad/caddy by her side, McKenzie set out to have a great time while raising money for The First Tee. She wasn’t concerned with her score. She simply wanted an opportunity to push herself and get in a lot of practice.
The pair set out on the first hole at Jefferson Park Golf Course at 9 AM. Eighteen miles of walking later, with the moonlight at their backs, McKenzie and her dad finished up their 100th hole at 10 PM.
With the 
The First Tee Nine Core Values and the way they are taught through real life experiences are very powerful. We learned values in elementary, middle, and high school but the impact was nothing like The First Tee because The First Tee adds many more steps to that learning process. The First Tee teaches the nine core values but then also models them through coaches and staff. For a kid, that has a huge impact. As a student, we are asked to use them in action during our golf session after we learn them. Now we have heard it, seen it, and we have to do it. On top of that, we even get the chance to teach it by being an intern, coach, or volunteer. What that all meant to me was that it gave me a chance to really learn what these values were and what they meant. The First Tee made me think about how important these values were to me, what I stood for, and who I wanted to be. They have impacted me all through my high school experience and continue to impact me now as a student at the University of Washington in the Foster School of Business.
The First Tee gave me a chance to appreciate diversity in a new way: age diversity, ethnic diversity, economic diversity, cultural diversity, and more. I think about how age diversity helped me while at the UW when I went through recruitment and joined the professional business fraternity. Most of the people going through recruitment were upperclassmen but because I had coached students that were much older than me at The First Tee, I felt comfortable being younger. I even had the confidence to run for VP of my pledge class despite everyone else being upperclassmen and having a lot of internship experience. I did not get it but I had the perseverance to run for the chair of Professional Development and got it. In that, I have been applying what I learned through The First Tee: how to plan events and think through all the steps needed, how to work with people, and how to plan and lead. Through all of this, having had the experience working with such diversity at The First Tee has really helped me work with people within my business fraternity.
What I’ve learned as a person is much more valuable than what I have learned in my golf game, although that was great, too. I’ve learned a lot from the other participants in the program who come from diverse backgrounds. I was able to be in a community with them and that has given me insight and had an impact on me. Most importantly, I’ve learned so much through the great mentors, coaches and staff who work for The First Tee. Evan, Kimberly, Heidi, and Coach Eli have all been really valuable models and mentors for me. The way they communicate, encourage, and support The First Tee values in people like me has been incredible. I hope I can be that good one day. I know I’m a better person and a more successful leader because of the four of them and The First Tee. I know that in the future I will continue to give back to The First Tee whether that is through time, money, or mentoring others. The First Tee has taught me so much and I’m so grateful for everything I have learned and will continue to learn.” 
We know that mothers are super heroes. The hours are long and the job comes with its challenges. That’s why when moms like Becky Haldeman go above and beyond to support kids in their community, we are in awe.
Becky serves as a Volunteer Coach in The First Tee classes at Jackson Park. After watching the coaches in action during her daughter’s class, Becky knew she wanted to join the team. She has jumped into The First Tee with both feet. She coaches classes weekly and even attended The First Tee National Coaches Training in New Orleans to learn new techniques to empower kids through the game. We asked Becky about her experiences with The First Tee so far. Here is what she had to say:
How did you first hear about The First Tee?
I stopped by Jackson Park Golf Course to inquire about lessons for my daughter and learned about The First Tee from the staff at the shop.
What inspired you to get involved as a coach with the program?
My daughter and her friends had such a positive experience at their lessons and with their coaches. I was impressed with how quickly the coaches established a rapport with the kids. I also appreciated that The First Tee focused first on The First Tee Nine Core Values and secondly on the game. In that way, it was different than other youth sports programs I’d been involved with.
What stands out to you about The First Tee Life Skills Experience?
One of the main reasons that I have continued my involvement with The First Tee is the emphasis on life skills. Regardless of background, it is so important that youth be equipped with a strong foundation rooted in values like integrity, responsibility and judgment so that they can navigate whatever it is that life may throw at them.
What do you enjoy most about coaching?
I love working with young kids, especially those who need extra encouragement to realize their potential and gain confidence. It is rewarding to watch kids develop, even over the course of a single season. I also love that much of the classes are held outdoors.
You recently attended The First Tee National Coaches Training. What were your biggest takeaways?
I had a great time at the coaches training in New Orleans and learned a lot from the trainers, curriculum and fellow coaches. I was fortunate to travel with two other coaches that I knew. We had a wonderful time building relationships with each other and exploring the city in the evenings. What I remember the most from the training sessions was how many of the coaches absolutely transformed when they brought students in for us to coach. Formerly stoic and reserved individuals suddenly became lively and engaging as they led the players through their lesson plans. It was a very encouraging experience!
What is one fun fact that people might not know about you?
I competed in the Head of the Charles Regatta as a varsity coxswain in college.
Are you interested in getting more involved in The First Tee like Becky? Visit