2020 Annual Report

Our Mission

To impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf.

Building Game Changers

Full-Time Staff

Tyler Smies / Executive Director

Taylor Haudek / Program Director

Chris Hashley / IT & Fundraising Coordinator

Randy White, PGA / Holland Area Director

Erik Sanford / Muskegon Area Director

Ben Elenbaas / Admin & Accounting Coordinator

Board of Directors

Mary Brandon / Chair / Retired, ASR Health Benefits

Rick Vandenberg / Vice Chair / Retired, Coastal Real Estate Holdings

Tyler Hitson-Heethuis / Treasurer / SurfacePrep

Travis Mikulenas / Secretary / Bradford White

Paul Albarran / Varnum LLC

Nate Golomb / Mercantile Bank

John Kruis / Smith, Haughey, Rice and Roegge

Omar Hall / NN Inc. Mobile Solutions

Russ Hines / Riverbank Events & Media

Brendon Johnson / CapTrust

Nine Core Values™

These values are the focus of every lesson we teach, on and off the golf course.

Honesty Integrity Sportsmanship

Respect Confidence Responsibility

Courtesy Judgment Perseverance

Jason Manshum / Grand Valley State University

Maureen Fitzgerald Penn / Penn & Ink

Sterling Raehtz / ShopperTrak

Scott VanderLinde / Retired, Calvin University

Photography

Courtesy of Cheryl TenBrink, Jonathan

Brock, Kori Thompson, Jon Kuiper,

Jenn Lardie, Taylor Haudek

Committee Members

Development Committee /

Jason Manshum / Chair Sara Seabright

Russ Hines Mindy Seufert

Cathy Cooper Steve Van Der Heide

Scott Dieleman Scott Waite

Cara Jones

Finance & Administrative Committee /

Tyler Hitson / Treasurer Thomas O’Rourke

Kyle Councilor Sue Stoddard

Nate Golomb Scott VanderLinde

Omar Hall

Marcy Roth Bill Stevensen Staff & Board

Volunteer Recruitment Committee /

Ryan McCahill / Chair Mindy Seufert

Design

Courtesy of TBX

We exist to enable kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. It’s about the self-confidence to show up to the challenge, the resilience to keep going when you fail, and inner strength to do the right thing even when it’s the hard thing to do.

2020 was a year that tested our strength of character unlike any in our organization’s nine-year history. It challenged our staff and volunteers to think deeply on how we could help our participants and our families, even if it was in a different way.

Relief & Connecting to Resources: March - May

During the first three months of the pandemic, our staff and volunteers focused on providing emergency relief to our most vulnerable participants. We knew helping our families was where our focus needed to be. Here are a few examples how First Tee and our relationships made an impact.

• A few families knew there was food available for their children but had no means to pick up the food available. One of our families, the Kovals, delivered food to their apartment dozens of times in the span of several months.

• One of our donors was connected to a participant’s family who was about to lose electricity due to previous unpaid bills before COVID. Our donor picked up the bill.

Hitting Our Sweet Spot: June - October

By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with our life skills curriculum, First Tee creates active learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence and resilience that kids can apply to everything they do. We knew our kids especially need those life skills this year. Safety measures were critical to our ability to launch programs during the summer, and we could not have done it without our Risk Management Committee’s guidance. Despite the golf industry experiencing its busiest year on record, First Tee was able to get access to golf courses and provide sessions to more students this summer than ever before!

A big thank you to our Risk Management Committee:

November 2020 - March 2021

Risk Management Committee:

John Kruis / Co-Chair

Maureen Fitzgerald Penn / Co-Chair

Paul Albarran

Matt Capel

Jim Carl

Art Thornley

Taylor Haudek / Program Director

Greg Heath / Lead Coach

With tighter restrictions for COVID-19 in place this winter, First Tee is offering virtual sessions and open hitting for families at two locations. All participants participating in Homework & Hitting receive mentoring, academic assistance, and golf instruction as well as life skills and personal finance curriculum.

Kids become a better version of themselves when they have the space to be who they are, surrounded by passionate people who guide them to see what they are capable of.

For the past three years, First Tee has been collecting surveys from our participants’ parents to learn if we are indeed Building Game Changers. Through 327 responses during those three years, we’ve learned that the further kids advance through the six levels of the First Tee program, the bigger the impact is on their lives.

Levels of First Tee Programs

PLAYer / minimum age 7

Tee it up for the first time and learn the game of golf and First Tee’s Code of Conduct and Nine Core Values™

Advanced PLAYer / minimum age 7

Second six-class session during which First Tee’s Code of Conduct and Values and reinforced

Par / minimum age 9

Focus on interpersonal and self-management skills on and off the course

Birdie / minimum age 11

Emphasis on setting goals and making them a reality

Eagle / minimum age 13

Learn resilience, conflict resolution, and future planning

Ace / minimum age 7

Put it all together and hone in on setting goals, career education, and giving back to the community

Has your child gained healthy friendships since joining First Tee?

Has your child gained someone they view as a mentor since joining The First Tee?

Since joining, I’ve seen a boost in my child’s confidence at home, school or relationships with other peers

Since joining, I’ve seen First Tee’s programs positively influence my child’s life

Power through Perspectives

The young people and families we serve are each unique. We invite, listen, learn and teach from diverse perspectives because it makes our work even more powerful.

Often our perspectives are shaped by the participants we serve. Ace participant Alex Karhunen, a senior at Jenison High School, has participated in First Tee on scholarship since the age of 9 and has developed through our junior coach program to become a Lead Coach. Through his strong academics (4.0+ GPA), golf team participation, work as a thespian and student council member, he has a strong chance of receiving the Evans Scholarship (a full-ride college scholarship that includes room and board) through his work as a caddie. He recently shared how powerful First Tee has been in his life while writing an essay for his college application to the University of Michigan.

“

For the past nine years, I have surrounded myself with coaches who are passionate about helping kids, and kids who are passionate about learning through the First Tee - West Michigan nonprofit program. The goal of First Tee is to integrate the game of golf with learning experiences that build character amongst youth. My involvement in the First Tee and my experiences with others in the program that have shaped me into who I am today: an avid learner who is passionate about helping others.

The strong leadership at the First Tee is what makes the program so special. My golf coaches inspired me to reach the highest level in the program. Today, I am a lead coach, working with sixteen kids at a time on not only golf, but the life lessons that golf can teach. Nine years ago, I did not have the slightest clue about what to do with my life. Thanks to my First Tee community, I can confidently say that my dream is to help others by pursuing a career in nonprofits.

I love attending classes as a participant in the program, but being a coach is special. As a coach, I now have the opportunity to provide young kids with the same experiences and joy that I had. Watching the kids’ growth and development process is what I find to be most fulfilling. Outside of school, my time is spent either creating lesson plans, attending class, coaching, or working in the office. The First Tee community is where I found who I am and where I fit in best.

We strive to ensure that our coaches and mentors are representative of the participants we serve. Here are just a few of our recent hires who worked on the front lines with our students, Building Game Changers at the golf course.

A graduate of Grand Rapids Creston High School’s golf team, Yvonne moved back to Grand Rapids from Philadelphia this year. Being exposed to golf for the first time in high school, Yvonne knows the impact and doors the game opened for her, and wanted to give back to other young girls so they could have the same experience.

Darcey

Darcey, a junior at East Kentwood High School, wrapped up her second year as a junior coach after participating as a student on scholarship for five years through First Tee’s partnership with Kentwood Public Schools. Darcey is now leading groups of students on her own, and is ready to take the leap to leading sessions on her own next spring.

Ben is our most recent full-time hire, and is in charge of the day-to-day accounting and administrative work while also coaching three to five sessions each week. Ben has a passion for coaching our youth and is leading our junior coach program of 16 teenage participants.

In his second year, Coach Michael brings great energy and enthusiasm to class every week, and has motivated our beginner kids to get excited about what golf can teach.

A First Tee - Baltimore graduate, Jay moved to Muskegon to be closer to family and immediately joined our staff because of the impact First Tee had on his life growing up. His infectious enthusiasm and relationships in Muskegon Heights got our participants excited to be at class learning about golf and all the game can teach.

Alex Karhu / ead

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Since 2016, Jorge and his younger brother Nicholas have been mainstays in First Tee, receiving its six-class sessions for just $5.00. Along the way, both Jorge and his brother have become solid golfers. Jorge was the number one golfer at Wyoming High School his sophomore, junior, and senior years. In 2019, Jorge received donated lessons from Golf-Tec’s Ian Hughes, the 4th ranked golf instructor in the state. As a result, Jorge carded his lowest scores ever his junior year.

But since his freshman year, Jorge has been working toward something bigger than his 4.0 GPA and a good golf game - a full ride college scholarship. He began caddying at Kent Country Club in 2016, and worked extremely hard in the summer of 2019 to get the loops he needed as a caddie for a chance at the prestigious Chick Evans Scholarship - a caddie scholarship that provides a full ride, including room and board, to the University of Michigan or Michigan State.

Last winter, Jorge was the first-ever Evans Scholarship recipient from First Tee - West Michigan, and was the only caddie from the area courses selected for the award. Now, he’s in his first year at the University of Michigan with 25

In 2013, First Tee - West Michigan first expanded into Muskegon to provide its first six-class sessions at University Park Golf Course. Between 2013 and 2018, First Tee had a small, stable presence in the community, serving between 45 and 145 participants each year at University Park and Muskegon Country Club through the hard work and dedication of Level III Lead Coach and longtime Muskegon resident Terri Clock.

other Evans Scholars, putting his self-reliance to the test with COVID-19 online classes and other typical first-year college challenges. He and Executive Director Tyler Smies connect every other week over Zoom to ensure Jorge is acclimating in Ann Arbor. He’s the first in his family to attend college. The normal challenges exist - getting to bed on time, and balancing new freedoms with class demands and responsibilities in the Evans House. There is still time for fun - Jorge is excited that he made an eSports Team at Michigan and has found a passion for ping pong as well.

Looking back four years ago when we first interviewed Jorge’s mother Maria, it was clear to her even then what impact First Tee was making on Jorge and Nicholas.

“I noticed then that both my sons were more calm, more polite, more thoughtful, and even more strategic in their day-to-day life than they were before,” Maria said. “The values that First Tee talks about - they are truths that they can live by in all parts of life - it’s not just in the context of sports.”

Muskegon Area Marathon Fundraisers

At Lincoln GC ($30,000 raised)

• Tony Buck / 36 holes

• Todd Carmichael / 101 holes

• Casey Farwig / 106 holes

• Jeff Gowell / 136 holes

• Greg Heath / 72 holes

• Jay Johnson / 120 holes

• Derek Thornberry / 101 holes

• Erik Sanford / 112 holes

• Fred Sanford / 72 holes

• Greg Sexton / 36 holes

• Ted Tallefson / 127 holes

• Terry Nolan / 130 holes

• Andy Weirda / 36 holes

At Muskegon Country Club ($30,000 raised)

• Tom Bouwkamp / 108 holes

• Thomas Voskuil / 120 holes

• Chris Hashley / 103 holes

• Kenny Taylor / 103 holes

• Team Westwind Construction / 73 holes Community Spotlight

• Joshua Farrell / 72 holes

• Ryan Kuznar / 103 holes

• Terri Clock / 54 holes

With a newly formed Muskegon Advisory Committee, led by Sterling Raehtz, First Tee’s impact in Muskegon began to multiply. In 2019, newly retired Level II Lead Coach Greg Heath taught hundreds of hours of programs, and two new golf courses, Oak Ridge, and Stonegate opened their facilities for First Tee programs. By year-end 2019, First Tee had served more than 200 students for the first time in Muskegon, with 54% of them eligible for First Tee’s $5 rate due to their families’ income.

As the 2019 season came to a close, First Tee was approached by a generous family whose father, Gordy Scripps, was a Norton Shores resident and Muskegon Country Club Member. When Mr. Scripps passed away in 2019, his family wanted to honor his memory and chose to make a generous one-time gift so First Tee could hire its first ever Muskegon Area Director, Erik Sanford.

Sanford started his full-time role in March and immediately got to work. A Whitehall native, Sanford’s name is well known in the Muskegon golf community due to his high school golf accolades (four state appearances), and his college golf career at the University of Tennessee - Martin. But Sanford’s work experience since his competitive golfing days was more important. His 15 years of working for the Department of Health and Human Services in Child Protective Services, Catholic Charities West Michigan, and as a teacher and behavioral specialist in Reed City prepared him well to serve the very participants First Tee can impact through golf.

Despite losing the spring season to COVID-19, Erik was able to add Bent Pine Golf Course as another program location, and strengthened First Tee’s relationships with Fruitport and Holton Public Schools. His extensive golf network at Lincoln Golf Club also yielded a new pool of impactful mentors as well as golf marathoners. Despite the challenges faced during COVID-19, Sanford and Muskegon Lead Coaches Terri Clock, Greg Heath, and Jay Johnson served 204 students in 2020, while adding 20 mentors and raising $60,000 through the marathons at Muskegon CC and Lincoln GC - each all-time records. We can’t wait to see how our Muskegon staff will continue Building Game Changers in Muskegon for years to come!

Participant Spotlight

Jorge Garcia Freshman / University of Michigan School of Engineering

Due to COVID-19, it was more difficult than ever to reach at-risk, underserved youth in West Michigan in 2020. First Tee ceaselessly works to collaborate with school districts and other youth-serving organizations to provide free six-class sessions to students who otherwise have not been exposed to First Tee and golf. Those partnerships nearly disappeared in 2020 due to school district restrictions and transportation concerns, and it drastically reduced the number of students we served from at-risk backgrounds.

First Tee is confident these partnerships will return in the future. Until COVID-19 becomes a memory, however, we are working creatively to solve the barriers to participation, including new opportunities for transportation and new communication tools.

As more of its longtime participants enter high school and play golf competitively, First Tee wants to provide those students even more technical golf instruction to help reach their goals.

Enter PGA Professional Randy White. A 35-year PGA Professional, White has instructed some of the finest high school golfers in West Michigan during his career, and has led multiple area high school golf teams to state appearances, including Grand Haven, Spring Lake, and Mona Shores.

Since 2017, White has served as First Tee’s Holland Area Director, helping launch the program in the area, and now leads a team of five coaches and 175 participants. In 2021, White will transition to focus on more individual and small-group instruction for our teenage participants, particularly those on scholarship who could not afford outside PGA instruction. As a result, First Tee will seek a new Holland Area Director this winter to fill White’s role.

Next Level Instruction

Next What’s

White’s golf knowledge and mentorship will yield important fruit for our teens, creating better awareness of First Tee’s local and national program opportunities as well as job prospects at other area courses. Long-term, First Tee believes White’s influence in the PGA’s Michigan Section will help engage other area PGA professionals to give their time to instruct our participants, leading to more college golf scholarships for students from lower-income families.

This spring, First Tee announced its plans to expand to the Kalamazoo community, partnering with the Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association and the Kalamazoo Municipal Golf Association (owners of Red Arrow, Milham Park, and Eastern Hills Golf Courses) to offer its programs to kids starting in the spring of 2021.

PGA Professional Dean Marks, who operates the City of Kalamazoo’s three courses, and is also president of the Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association, is excited. “The KJGA has provided affordable golf opportunities to 400+ youth annually for over 30 years. The opportunity to partner with First Tee and their life skills and values curriculum will increase our outreach to area youth. That is a win for the community, a win for the youth, and a win for golf and the future of Kalamazoo. We are excited to expand the use of Red Arrow Golf Course to ensure that any family who wants their kids to learn important life skills through the game of golf will be able to do so regardless of their ability to pay.”

First Tee’s headquarters at this time remains located at what was Stormy Creek Golf Course, and is now Covenant Park (a City of Kentwood Property). As the facility no longer has a golf course, First Tee is seeking a long-term home at a golf facility that is centrally located near its students in need.

A New Community: Kalamazoo

Since the announcement, First Tee’s Kalamazoo Advisory Committee has led the charge, helping to organize its first fundraiser, the Kalamazoo Marathon, at Eastern Hills Golf Course this fall. Between the marathon and a generous start-up gift from a local family foundation, First Tee’s seed funding for the Kalamazoo launch is up to $60,000, paving the way for the hiring of a full-time Kalamazoo Area Director this winter.

In addition to securing the necessary funding to launch, the Kalamazoo Advisory Committee has begun making inroads with area school districts and youth-serving organizations for partnerships to ensure First Tee reaches students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to learn through the game of golf because of income, transportation, and cultural barriers.

A New Home

The future move will require a new building and a capital campaign, as First Tee’s staff and programs require more space. Stay tuned for more on this in 2021. Meanwhile, First Tee has a flexible lease with the City of Kentwood for its office and winter Homework & Hitting program to remain at Covenant Park for three years if necessary. The search of potential locations has narrowed, with First Tee’s staff and Executive Committee continuing to work diligently to find First Tee’s future home.

Kalamazoo Advisory Committee

Nate Golomb / Chair / Mercantile Bank

Mercedes Befus / Horizon Bank

Marcus Brussee / Mercantile Bank

Torean Greeley / HUB International

Jeanne Hess / Retired, Kalamazoo

County Commissioner

Matt Forkin / Boys & Girls Club of Kalamazoo

Melissa Johnson / Gull Lake View Resort

Dean Marks, PGA / Kalamazoo Municipal

Golf Association

Jack Versau / Kalamazoo Country Club

Mitch Wilson / Retired, Pfizer & Kalamazoo College Men’s Golf

Inaugural Kalamazoo Marathon Fundraisers ($38,000 raised)

Marcus Brussee / 100 holes

Nick Carbary / 136 holes

Matthew Gifford / 108 holes

Nate Golomb / 108 holes

Torean Greeley / 81 holes

Kalamazoo College Golf Teams / 200 holes

Dean Marks / 127 holes

Dave Vernier / 136 holes

Jack Versau / 136 holes

Mitch Wilson / 110 holes