Author: zmccain

The Pure Insurance Championship will go down as one of the best weeks of my life. Not only did The Pure Insurance Championship give me the ability to play Pebble Beach and Poppy Hills golf courses, but it also further instilled the Nine Core Values that The First Tee prides itself on. I had the pleasure of playing with Joe Durant and while we didn’t play well the first day at Pebble Beach he couldn’t have been a better partner. Mr. Durant was outgoing, upbeat, and taught me so much in the short time I got to spend with him. Mr. Durant would always say hello to everyone on the course and took the time to help me read putts and make the right club selection. While we were never on top of the leader-board he still played and acted like everything was going well. Through his actions of patience and positivity, I learned to emulate them into my own game and I feel it will have a positive and lasting impact on my game here in the future. Mr. Durant is one who I can safely say lives by The First Tee’s Nine Core Values on a day to day basis, and his support throughout the tournament meant a great deal to myself and my family. Not only did my pro help make my week at The Pure Insurance Championship, but the whole experience outside of golf is unbelievable. Everyone wanted to make sure that everything was perfect and I felt as if so many people truly wanted to make it the best time of my life. It’s not too often you go to a place and feel as welcomed as I did at Pebble Beach and Poppy Hills. Everyone from the front desk to the volunteers on the course made sure everything was alright and knew the impact this tournament has on the juniors which was refreshing to know that everyone was trying to make you feel welcomed and wanted at the tournament. While my entire time at the tournament was truly a dream come true, the one thing that really made me week was the ability to speak with donors and Mr. McLaughlin on the final evening of the tournament. This was not only a huge honor to be accepted but also allowed me to say just how much the week meant to me. While nervous at first, I soon felt comfortable and noticed that I had never seen people so interested in what I had to say. It felt odd at first but as I was leaving I noticed how all donors and board members have the same goal in mind, to teach young people like myself to be leaders and live a successful and happy life. It made me realize how everyone in The First Tee shares this love and passion for not only growing the game of golf but also making sure everyone in their program is ready to live a great life. I can’t thank everyone who made this possible enough and I really appreciate everything The First Tee has taught me both on and off the course. It is truly amazing to be a part of this wonderful organization and I hope for many more great years with The First Tee. -William Perez

When I was a high school senior, like most other students, I was completely overwhelmed by the entire college application process. Not only is there the important decision about where you will spend the next four years of your life, but also how that choice will have lasting repercussions for your entire adult life. This aspect of the process is the source of a great deal of anxiety for nearly every student. Once the hours and hours spent completing applications are finally in the past, and even if you are accepted to a school right away there is one giant overarching decision still in front of you, money. It has been said a million times before and should be said again, college attendance shouldn’t come down to money, however the reality is that at times money has a large impact. According to the latest statistics, the average Class of 2016 graduate has $37,172 in student loan debt. As a senior in high school I think that it is impossible to grasp the magnitude of this amount of money, and the impact that it has when you graduate. I am still a firm believer that if you want to go somewhere you can figure out a way to make it work, but if you take certain steps you will be in a much better position when you finish school. I was lucky enough to receive the Eisenhower-Evans Caddie Scholarship, which The First Tee of Denver helped me a great deal in achieving. I was also lucky enough to come out of college with $0 in debt. This isn’t realistic for everyone, but you can make college much cheaper. I encourage everyone to seek out as many scholarships (on top of the ones offered through the school) as possible, even a few smaller scholarships have a huge impact. Everyone knows that these scholarships are out there, but most people don’t realize the sheer number of opportunities that there really are.  I know that after finishing college applications scholarship applications sometimes just feel like more work on top of that, but as someone who can speak from experience it is worth it! When you finish college and look back, the hours you spend applying for scholarships will be some of the most worthwhile time you ever spend.  Every year The First Tee of Denver offers college scholarships that anyone who has been a part of the program can apply for. Last year we offered two scholarships worth $10,000 each, and we hope to increase the value even more moving forward. Please email me at [email protected] if you would like to apply. I know that the scholarship that The First Tee of Denver helped me to achieve was one of the best things that has ever happened to me, and I’m sure that all of the other scholarship recipients would agree. College is an extremely personal decision and I think you always need to base that choice on what is the best possible situation for you. I would never discourage someone from going to their dream school, but I would highly encourage people to do everything they can to make that school as affordable as possible. I would also say that for some people going the in-state rout and saving money for grad school or other ventures is the right decision. The best advice I got is to ask for help and do everything possible to set yourself up for success. That includes asking us at The First Tee of Denver for help, we are always happy to do anything that we possibly can for people involved in the program. If you take these steps before school hopefully you will be as lucky as me, and will be able to sit back after you graduate with a great education and will be able help others to achieve their goals.

As a previous educator and the Director of In-School Programming I see the value of incorporating academics with sports. One of my favorite programs we offer is Read ‘N’ Swing.  Read ‘n’ Swing is an after school program and takes place at schools in some of the most under served areas of Denver. The program can be anywhere from 8-24 weeks long and is free to the school and students. Who knew anything was still free? You’re probably still wondering what Read ‘n’ Swing is. Students are invited to stay after school and read with staff and volunteers. The instructor to student ratio is no more than 2:1 for this program, which is my favorite part. This is where I see the biggest impact. The relationships and rapport established between the students and adults is moving. Nothing makes you feel better than having a child excited to read with you. After quality reading time and good behavior, students are rewarded by participating in an engaging golf activity. Literacy is important to overall academic achievement. Statistics show that if a child is not on grade level in reading by 3^rd grade they are more likely to drop out of high school and other long term consequences. By combining reading with fun activities, students begin to look forward to it. By encouraging reading outside of a traditional classroom setting, students begin to associate academics with life outside of school. If you are interested in learning more about Read ‘n’ Swing or bringing it to a school near you, email [email protected].

One of the most intimidating ideas for any high school student is the thought of college. To make it even more intimidating: SPORTS in college. Take it from me, I played college golf at Western New Mexico University on the Women’s golf team. It was one of the most amazing, terrifying, exciting and memorable times in my life, but it definitely wasn’t the easiest. If you are aspiring to play a sport at any collegiate level (DI, DII, DIII, NAIA, NJCAA) here are a few tips that I have acquired along the way from people telling me, people showing me, and me just figuring it out on my own.

1. Academics-

This is the most important of them all. The most important thing people seem to forget about being a student athlete is the STUDENT part of the deal. Do you need to strive and be great in your sport? Yes, 100% yes, however if you are incapable of maintaining that greatness in the classroom, college scouts and recruiters will be less interested in you. Let me put it this way: if there were two high school golfers with the same skill level, same golf stats and same success but one has a 4.0 and the other is struggling to stay eligible, which player do you think the college coach wants? You don’t have to be perfect; no one is asking you to be perfect. If you show that you are trying just as hard off the course as you are on then that is what coaches look for. Things I recommend doing during your high school careers in the classroom: -ALWAYS ask for help (teachers, counselors, tutors, coaches, upperclassmen, etc.) -Dedicate the same amount of time you practice to the time you do school work -Study on the bus any chance you get -Study and take your ACT and SAT tests to get into college

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH!-

The whole point of going to college is to expand your education on something you are passionate about. If you wanted to become a nurse, would you want to go to a school that has a poor nursing program? If you needed some milk would you go to an auto repair store for it? NO. Do your research! Not everybody knows what they want to study their freshman year and that IS okay.  However, college is a place where you are going to be living the first few years of your adult life, you have the right to choose where.

3. Other Financial Outlets-

Unless you are literally the next Jordan Spieth or Rory McIlroy at the age of 17, 100% full ride scholarships solely for golf are as rare as it snowing in July. The smartest way to be financially ahead of the game is finding other financial outlets. I’ll use me as an example. I had financial support from four outlets: Golf scholarship, academic tuition scholarship, federal grant and work study income. My tuition scholarship covered my full tuition as long as i maintained a certain GPA. My golf scholarship and federal grant covered my room and board for when I lived on campus and for my books. My work study job helped cover whatever i needed for supplies or extra necessities. Now, my college experience will be different than yours, but my point is you have to strive for more. COLLEGE IS NOT CHEAP! Things I recommend doing: -Research your community for local scholarships (Chamber of Commerce, Community groups, Non-profit organizations ** The First Tee of Denver!!) -Once you decide on what college you have committed to, look up scholarships you can apply for through them. -Look up what loans and grants you are qualified to receive (all dependent on family income, taxes, etc.)

4. Golf-

Finally to the good stuff! Each college coach is different when it comes to recruitment. By that I mean a a PAC-12 conference coach is probably looking for something different in a player compared to an RMAC conference coach. The type of coach you want to appeal to all depends on what type of school you want to go to, what you study and what level of competition you desire to play at. Overall, they are all looking for one thing: a golfer. Here are some actions you can take to get yourself noticed by college scouts: -Record your swing and send it to coaches -Make a portfolio of tournament scores, achievements, leadership roles, etc. -Constantly send updates on tournament results, swing changes, etc. (throughout high school you as a high school golfer are allowed to send mail to coaches all you want and make unofficial visits, THEY are not allowed to contact you first UNTIL the summer before your senior year) Now, that is the technical part of it. When it comes to your actual golf ability, there is the obvious tip PRACTICE, PRACTICE PRACTICE! When selling yourself and your golf abilities to college coaches, you want to accentuate your strengths and your practice regimen. Now, higher level of competition means higher expectations. Here are some things you can do to mentally and physically prepare yourself: -Start keeping your stats EVERY time you play (greens, fairways, putts, etc) -Consistent workout regimen outside the golf course -Start practicing time management (school, golf, workouts, sleep, etc.)

5. RELAX-

I know I just probably overwhelmed you with so much information, most of it isn’t even golf itself. This is just a quick summary of the first few steps. It is a lot of work, it is a lot of stress, but just remember the end goal! I promise you going to college was an experience in itself, but playing on a college team and competing at that level was an experience worth ALL the stress and I would do it again in a heartbeat.