The First Tee of Greater San Antonio High School Golf Invitational,

Ramiro Garcia

The First Tee of Greater San Antonio is a program of San Antonio Golf Association, Inc. DBA Golf San Antonio.   The First Tee of Greater San Antonio is one of 170 Chapters of a national/international non-profit youth initiative called The First Tee. The First Tee National was created in 1997 by the World Golf Foundation to provide young people of all ethnic and economic backgrounds an opportunity to develop, through golf and character education, life-enhancing values such as honesty, integrity, confidence and sportsmanship.   The First Tee of Greater San Antonio was established in January of 2000 at the Polo Field Golf Center in Brackenridge Park. It is an on-going, year-round youth development program that uses golf as the tool to teach children life skills, leadership skills and healthy habits.    In addition to learning fundamentals of the golf swing and the game, our character education programs help young people prepare for success at school, at home and in their community. In the process, participants become valuable assets to our community.  Through our Programs; The First Tee Certifying Program, The First Tee TARGET Outreach and The First Tee National School Program we reached approximately 50,000 young people in 2017.  We currently deliver the golf and Life Skills Program at 7 locations. The First Tee of Greater San Antonio is also the umbrella for the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Program.

The Life Skills Certification Program seeks to instill The First Tee Nine Core Values (Respect, Integrity, Honesty, Sportsmanship, Judgment, Responsibility, Confidence, Courtesy, and Perseverance) and the Nine Healthy Habits (Energy, Play, Safety, Vision, Mind, Family, Friends, School and Community) in our participants. Participants learn interpersonal, self-management, goal-setting, and resilience skills that serve them well as they mature into adolescents and young adults.

The TARGET Outreach Program is an introduction to The First Tee Life Skills Experience^TM. It was developed to introduce young people to golf in a safe environment that promotes curiosity about the game while integrating essential links between golf and life skills seamlessly. These early, positive experiences help young people develop an immediate interest in opportunities

available at The First Tee of Greater San Antonio, as well as a life-long interest in the game of golf.

TARGET:

T – Take Aim

A – Anyone Can Play

R – Respect

G – Golf is a Game

E – Enjoy

T – Take It To The Course

The First Tee National School Program (NSP) introduces the game of golf and The First Tee Nine Core Values and Nine Healthy Habits to elementary students during physical education classes. This school golf program creates an environment where young people are introduced to the lifelong sport while learning the basic golf motor skills and the inherent values of the game.

The First Tee DRIVE Program is an activity based program that has been specifically designed and written for youth serving organizations.  By using a golf platform, the goal is to extend the life skills and Nine Core Values of The First Tee to young people who may not previously been exposed to the game of golf.  The program Activity Plans are designed in a way that allows for indoor and outdoor set up to fit a variety of locations such as gymnasiums, basketball courts, baseball, football and soccer fields.  Participating locations are provided with the necessary elements to deliver the program including equipment, a comprehensive activity guide and online training.

The LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Program provides the opportunity to learn to play golf, build lasting friendships, and experience competition in a fun, supportive, and girl-friendly atmosphere, while teaching them values that are inherent to the game.  Girls not only learn to play the game of golf, but they also discover life skills that inspire them to feel confident, build positive self-esteem and live active and healthy lifestyles through the Five E’s of Girls Golf – Empower, Enrich, Engage, Exercise and  Energize.

OUR MISSION AND PURPOSE:

The mission of The First Tee of Greater San Antonio is “To impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf”.

At The First Tee of Greater San Antonio, we have developed programs built on the positive youth development framework. Our programs provide the proven elements: safe places, intentional and trained caring adults, and developmentally appropriate and empowering curricula.

At the core of The First Tee programs are Nine Core Values—which are essential for young people to make positive choices and overcome challenges across all areas of their lives. Additionally, concepts around healthy choices (Nine Healthy Habits) reinforce the importance of physical, social and emotional wellness.

At elementary schools, youth centers and golf facilities, students participate in a seamless golf and character education program, promoting physical activity, introducing them to a lifelong sport and embedding core values and wellness in every lesson.

For young people who progress through certification levels at The First Tee chapters, the life skills they develop and hone include social skills, problem solving, goal-setting, resilience skills, managing emotions, working well with others, appreciating diversity and building quality relationships with family and in their community.

Through The First Tee curriculum and programs, young people can build confidence, develop responsibility and respect, and appreciate the value of giving back to their community, all while learning the lifelong sport of golf.

Many, many young people have a brighter future because our chapter is able to instill the values necessary to help them succeed by teaching them that golf is more than a game…. it is a way of life.