It’s time! We’re Building Game Changers by empowering kids and teens to be the best version of themselves every day. Join any of our programs after school, Monday through Friday, from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (Sept. 29, 2022) – Seventy-nine First Tee teens from across the country had the opportunity to learn from the game’s legends and explore their opportunities in golf and beyond during the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee, an official PGA TOUR Champions event, which concluded Sunday, September 25, 2022, at Pebble Beach.
Kalea Hall, representing First Tee – Monterey County, earned her spot on the green on July 14, 2022. In preparation, Kalea embraced her excitement and her nerves. Although playing Pebble and Spyglass is not foreign to Kalea. “Growing up, my Dad always worked at golf courses, especially for me to play so many different courses.” However, the PURE brings a new environment, like playing 54 holes over three days, the crowds, and the media. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play these courses during the PURE, but this will be my first televised tournament, which comes with a lot of nerves. It will mentally be a good challenge for me to play in this new environment. I am excited to do what I do and make the most of it.”
Kalea also spent the Summer preparing with Sydney Craven, First Tee – Monterey County alumna and 2021 PURE Insurance Junior Champion. Kalea and Sydney first met at First Tee- Monterey County when they were eight. “It’s so cool having Sydney as a resource. She is someone I’ve been playing golf with since childhood; Someone I am close to and look up to, and she won the tournament I am going to play in.” Craven’s most important tip to Kalea was for her to get to know her Pro and make the most out of her time with them.
Kalea and her Pro, PGA Tour veteran and defending champion, Steve Flesch, played Pebble Beach Golf Links Friday, Spyglass Hill Golf Course on Saturday, and made it to Sunday’s final round. Sunday started off with a near albatross on hole two as she hit her second shot just over a foot from the pin for a tap in Eagle! Kalea held a one-stroke lead through seven holes in the final round and tied after 11. She birdied the 17th hole and finished with a par on the famous 18th hole at Pebble Beach. Kalea and Steve tied the lead until the final few holes in the final round. They finished second overall among more than 70 Pro-Junior teams capping off the tournament at 21-under.
“We are proud of all the teens who played with confidence and composure this week at the PURE Insurance Championship,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “These young people exemplify the character and values we instill daily through the First Tee programs. A special congratulations to Bryson and Megan for winning the Pro-Junior titles. We thank PURE Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions, Chevron, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, and Golf Channel for making this a special week for 78 First Tee participants.”
First Tee – Monterey County is one youth development organization of over 150 national chapters dedicated to teaching life skills and helping kids and teens build their strength of character through golf. The PURE Insurance Championship is one of several national opportunities First Tee Headquarters provides to encourage and motivate participants as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities.
First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization that the PGA TOUR supports. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. In 2022, First Tee celebrates its 25th anniversary, reaching millions of youth through its network of 150 chapters, 10,000 schools, and 1,700 youth centers. Headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA, programs are delivered in all 50 United States and select international locations. President George W. Bush serves as Honorary Chair.
About Monterey Peninsula Foundation
Monterey Peninsula Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization which donates funds from the proceeds of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA TOUR and the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee, a PGA TOUR Champions tournament. The Foundation focuses on improving the quality of life in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties.
Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE) Insurance is a property and casualty insurance company designed exclusively for successful, responsible families. We opened for business more than 15 years ago with the goal of offering something different in the insurance space: a company focused on doing what’s right for our membership (policyholders), one that promotes transparency and alignment of interests and delivers more excellent value.
Today, after growing at least 15% each year since we began, we are the most awarded insurer in our category, offer coverage in all 50 states that include high-value homeowners, automobile, collections, watercraft, personal excess liability, fraud & cyber, and flood to a membership of more than 100,000 individuals and families.
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers aged 50 and older, including 34 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour, and Instagram @pgatourchampions.
All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Tournament programming is available via 25+ TV linear partners in 145+ countries and territories, with 25 channels carrying long-form and/or highlights coverage and 200+ hours of live coverage distributed in 135+ countries and territories. Programming is also available via the OTT platform GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR in every market outside the United States, excluding China and Korea, with live coverage distributed in 130+ countries and territories.
Guess who’s headed to the TGR JR Invitational Presented by TaylorMade held at Pebble Beach Resorts?!
From October 8 through October 10, junior golfers, who range in age from 10 to 18, will be competing through a process that promotes the shared passions of TGR Live and the Pebble Beach Junior Golf Association by providing a unique opportunity and exposure to the sport of golf. We are excited to announce that First Tee – Monterey County participants Kalea H., Nikki I., Max Damian P., and Naomi R. are four out of sixty boy and girl junior golfers who have been invited to compete at The Hay and The Links at Spanish Bay. Learn more about the tournament at http://tgrjrinvitational.com/.
On September 21, First Tee – Monterey County participant Nikki I., Mentor Jeremy S., Alumnus Greg Classen, and PGA TOUR Champions Professional Tom Gillis. played in the Legends & Leaders Pro-Am presented by the PURE Insurance Championship. The team explored First Tee’s Five Key Commitments and shared invaluable memories together from the course to the Legends & Leaders Viewing Party!
Our rockstars, Naomi R., and her awesome brother, Jacob R., won their division at the 2022 Special Olympics 9 Hole Unified Division in San Jose, California! Special Olympics Northern California hosts fundraising and special events throughout the region year-round. This event is close to Naomi and Jacob as they share a passion for golf and raising awareness for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
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.
Today, we celebrate a partnership with Chevron that has led to $1,000,000 in donations for our Game Changers. The coalition initially began through the AT&T Pro-Am and has since become a long-time partnership dedicated to Building Game Changers. Andrea Bailey, Public Affairs Representative in Monterey County, shares, “At Chevron, we put people at the center of everything we do. Our greatest resource is our people’s inspiration, creativity, and ingenuity.”
Since the inception of First Tee – Monterey County, Chevron has stood in alliance with our vision of providing youth of all backgrounds an opportunity for a brighter future. Chevron has begun programs like the Aces for Access Program, Whole In One, and Chevron STEM Zone and supported First Tee – Monterey County’s Summer Camp to progress toward our community’s shared vision.
The Aces for Access program is part of Chevron’s global education commitment to increase access to quality STEM education and technical training. “Equal and equitable access is essential to improving diversity and inclusion efforts and achieving the benefits of an intentionally inclusive environment,” shares Bailey. Chevron has donated over $663,000.00 to First Tee – Monterey County through this program!
At the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Whole in One featured the Chevron STEM Zone in partnership with the Monterey Peninsula Foundation and First Tee – Monterey County. The program was designed to bring a holistic learning and golf experience, including nutrition, wellness, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), to local youth in Monterey County. Students from Salinas and surrounding areas also received golf training from professional coaches and lessons on nutrition, physical fitness, and sportsmanship from local experts!
In February 2022, Chevron USA, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Cameron Champ Foundation, and First Tee – Monterey County hosted a local golf clinic pledging $100,000 toward diversity, equity, and inclusion through the game of golf. The clinic will be hosted by PGA Tour star Cameron Champ and rapper and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am celebrity golfer ScHoolboy Q. During the event, Chevron, Cameron Champ Foundation, and Monterey Peninsula Foundation made a combined $100,000 donation to First Tee – Monterey County to be the founding partners for the chapters’ search for a permanent programming site on the Peninsula. “It is exciting to bring an intentional plan to expand our programming to positively change the lives of young people in Seaside, Marina, and other cities on the Peninsula,” Nick Nelson, CEO of First Tee – Monterey County, said.
For the second Summer, Chevron is the presenting sponsor of First Tee – Monterey County’s Summer Camp. This eight-week program is filled with so many fun and exciting opportunities. First Tee – Monterey County uses the summertime to introduce our character education and life skills programs to our local youth, helping kids and teens prepare for success at school, at home, and in their community. Like First Tee – Monterey County’s year-round course, the summer curriculum is divided into five levels, each with a different focus that helps kids develop their sense of self-a curriculum that Chevron strongly supports.
Building Game Changers is essential for creating a world where energy is affordable, reliable, and ever-cleaner. Chevron and First Tee – Monterey County aims to inspire the next generation of innovators who can tackle complex challenges in life: building resilience and perseverance. Building Game Changers.
Our 12th Annual Summer Camp has reached over 330 kids and teens in only 5 weeks! First Tee – Monterey County Coaches have also spent over 12,000 hours working with all the kids! Like our year-round course, our summer curriculum is divided into five levels. Each level has a different focus that helps kids develop their sense of self. Our summer programs are weekly sessions that last eight weeks. Each week comes with energetic music, themed days, talent shows, karaoke, field trips, Splash Days, and much more! Visit firstteemontereycounty.org/summer to learn more.
Siblings Corrine and Derrick O. are First tee – Monterey County Alumni who joined the program in 2005. Both are still so involved with First Tee, today! Recently, Corrine has been selected to attend the John Deere Drive Your Future Academy as an Alumni! This all-girls event focuses on leadership development, remaining active in the game of golf, learning the value of volunteerism, and recognizing the importance of teamwork. Derrick has been selected to be a part of the First Tee Participant Advisory Council as an Alumni Mentor! The Participant Advisory Council was created to provide opportunities for youth to express themselves, voice their ideas, and provide input for projects or programs that will impact the experience of all First Tee participants.
Scholarships allow students to earn the education they need to become a Game Changer in our community. We understand that students may experience challenges paying for their classes, books, and lodging over their college and graduate school years. Click the button below to learn more about the scholarship programs First Tee – Monterey County offers to help build Game Changers.
CASA of Monterey County presents its 2nd Annual Fore the Kids Golf Tournament. You will not want to miss this exclusive opportunity! Designed by renowned course architect Jay Morrish, golfers will experience the stunning, private course of actor/director Clint Eastwood. Tehama Golf Course sits atop the hills of Carmel and overlooks Monterey Bay.
Par 3 Challenges • Three $10,000 Hole-in-One Challenges – In the winner’s honor, hole-in-one awards $10,000 – $5,000 take home and $5,000 donation to CASA of Monterey County. • Win a Getaway in a 3 bedroom, 3 Bath Carmel Cottage – Closest-to-the-Pin Challenge #1 – Closest to the pin at the end of the tournament will win 3 days/2 nights in a vacation rental located in the Gold-en Rectangle of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The perfect place for an exquisite getaway – valued at $2,500. • Win a Stylish Ladies Tudor Watch – Closest-to-the-Pin Challenge #2 – Closest to the pin at the end of the tournament will win the Tudor Glamour Date, steel and yellow gold, self-winding watch, which features a champagne dial with ten diamonds on a stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp and safe-ty catch-valued at $4,250.
Shotgun scramble. The top three foursome teams with the best-combined scores will win 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes. All golfers will receive access to the course’s short-game practice areas, a gift bag for participating, breakfast, and snacks. The day will conclude with a celebratory lunch and awards ceremony.
Having fun with intention creates a safe, engaged, and exciting environment where kids will get the most out of training. Beginning a practice with a set intention or a goal emphasizes clear communication. A set intention for practice also encourages kids and coaches to celebrate small victories; otherwise, practices become dull and cause burnout.
Changing activities builds excitement for kids and allows for more opportunities. When a coach is creating a new activity, they should ask themselves: How can I make the goal of this activity challenging with different processes? Changes can include minor tweaks to the activity’s lesson plans based on the personalities and skills of the kids.
“Modifications can be as simple as adding more color with setup and golf balls! The kids love point systems based on similar shapes or colors around them, like If a kid has a red putter, they challenge themselves to target the red noodle for 2 points.”
Coach Jose, Level III
The spontaneous shifts in the lesson plans capture the kids’ attention and make activities fun.
A bit less structure, adaptability, and modifications bring fun to the kids, and they will feel more heard and included. More excitement from the kids leads to more engagement and opportunities for creativity and inclusivity.
“My favorite game is Noodle Blasters because we get to use the colored clubs and tennis balls to hit all the different noodles for different points,” – said Sophia J., First Tee – Monterey County Participant.
Do you want to have fun with intention? A great way to do so is during a game of 21 on the putting green.
21 is a game that can be set up all day for programming for kids of all ages! 21 embraces adaptability with easy modifications to the setup, equipment, rules, and point system. The game is set up with a team (or two for an exciting competition!) and two ropes-or more! During the setup, there is a line of cones for kids to line up behind, with rope lined up in front of the cones. The spaces between the ropes should gradually become thinner. Each space between the ropes is worth a different amount of points-the narrower the area, the more points. The first team to accumulate 21 points wins, but they cannot go over 21 points!
The setup of 21.
The game requires strategy, teamwork, and distance control. If a team goes over 21 points, a coach can subtract 12 points- or bring the team back to zero points! For an added challenge, you can have the team (or teams!) switch sides to experience different environments. You can keep up the challenge by playing on other greens, requiring players to adapt and create new strategies!
Teenagers from all different walks of life came together for a week of exploration and adventure.
Four First Tee – Monterey County participants, Timmy A., Fabian P., Max Damian P., and Ernesto S., spent a week experiencing the outdoors at Little Jennie Ranch, an active cattle ranch located in Bondurant, Wyoming. Little Jennie Ranch is family-owned and partners with The Wyldlife Fund to impact young people’s lives. The Wyldlife Fund’s mission is to unite people to advance wildlife habitat, research, and education.
The group relaxed in a meadow before their next project at Little Jennie Ranch.
The four teenagers earned an all-expenses paid, once-in-a-lifetime week-long trip through a scholarship program provided by The WYldlife Fund. “It was so enjoyable seeing all these kids experience the outdoors as they have never experienced before,” said Chris McBarnes, President WYldlife Fund.
“By far, the best part was experiencing this with people from across the country and friends from First Tee. We even met kids from other First Tee’s,” shared Max Damien P., First Tee – Monterey County participant.
Program leaders guided the kids through fishing, horseback riding, stargazing, and Game Warden’s even taught the kids about the different species local to Wyoming! “The stargazing took my breath away because the sky lit up with all the starlight!” said Fabian P., First Tee – Monterey County. Additionally, the group learned about wildlife habitats and research to help them understand the precise and efficient allocation of resources on the ground to advance wildlife projects.
This opportunity would not have been possible without the generosity of Geoff Couch, Board Chair First Tee – Monterey County, Chris McBarnes, and Little Jennie Ranch. “Every teen’s life was memorably impacted, and each has a whole new perspective on Nature ” said Chris. “Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. You shared so much with us and have inspired me to be the best, most honorable version of myself,” Timothy A. said sincerely.
Watch the video below to learn more about their adventure!
Would you like to make an experience like this possible for your local Game Changers? Click the button below or email Mitch Massey at [email protected].
Brayden G. has been selected to attend the First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. as a participant, and Coach Cynthia A. has been selected to attend as an Alumni! First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. is an evolution of our longest-standing participant event, the Joe Louis Barrow Jr. Life Skills & Leadership Academy, to address the challenges and experiences our teens face in their daily lives and better equip them to build the strength of character to be game changers in their communities. To learn more, please visit https://firsttee.org/game-changers-academy/.
Corrine O. has been selected to attend the John Deere Drive Your Future Academy as an Alumni! This all-girls event focuses on leadership development, remaining active in the game of golf, learning the value/impact of volunteerism, and recognizing the importance of teamwork. To learn more, please visit https://firsttee.org/john-deere-leadership-academy/.
Derrick O. has been selected to be a part of First Tee Participant Advisory Council as an Alumni Mentor! The Participant Advisory Council was created to provide opportunities for youth to express themselves, voice their ideas, and provide input for projects or programs that will impact the experience of all First Tee participants. To learn more, please visit https://firsttee.org/first-tee-participant-advisory-council-alumni-mentor/.
To further empower your local Game Changers, please click the button below.
