ANNUAL REPORT 2 23
MATT BASSLER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A Note from Our Director
As I look back on the past few years, I could not be prouder of our team and of the success our Chapter achieved in 2023. We have grown to serve 464 students in the Baltimore area and are providing our participants with more opportunities than ever before. Whether through college scholarships, First Tee leadership conferences, or caddie rounds, our team is committed to introducing more life-changing opportunities to the students that participate in our programs.
Our goal is to create safe spaces for our students to grow socially and emotionally through the game of golf. In this effort, our Chapter is currently ranked first amongst all Chapters in our cohort in National Benchmarking results coordinated by the First Tee home office. This report evaluates Chapters based on program participation, program delivery, financial performance, strategic alignment, and board governance. We are proud of this ranking and find it reflective of the hard work our team has put in to deliver the best programs that we can to our students.
Looking forward, we intend to reach more youth through our programs and hope to grow the number of active participants in our program to 600 by 2026. In order to reach this goal, we aim to train more coaches and volunteers and increase the number of community partnerships with local organizations in Baltimore City. Building on our success with the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore, our hope is to get more of our city’s youth out to our programming locations.
Our impact in Baltimore is due to the support of our local community and I would like to thank our board of directors, donors, coaches, partners and volunteers for making the work we do possible.
Students practicing putting at the Caves Valley Golf Club Foundation Learning Center at Forest Park Golf Course.
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Our program is growing, and we are committed to providing opportunities to all youth that participate. Below are some numbers that show the impact we are making.
464 STUDENT participants 100% GROWTH in the Girls Golf Program over the last three years
60% BOYS 40% GIRLS
9,859 YOUTH served through our school and community outreach programs
50 VOLUNTEERS
12 Paid Part Time COACHES
5 STAFF Full Time
8 LOCATIONS programming
We have developed partnerships with Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore, St. Ignatius and Baltimore Lab School to deliver our on-site programming.
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MARCH KLEIN
PROGRAM DIRECTOR & COACH
PROGRAMMING for SUCCESS
Coach March Klein knows that First Tee – Greater Baltimore is not just about putting or chipping. As she puts it, “These kids really want to find people they can sit with. And First Tee can provide that community. They’re not just a team; they’re a support off the green as well.”
As Program Director, Coach March’s teams focus on raising each other up, something that’s especially evident among the growing number of girls taking part in First Tee. “They don’t even realize that everything we talk about is empowering them. We’re also showing the boys that the girls can play as well as them, something they don’t expect.” As a female coach, Coach March knows what it’s like to be constantly underestimated — until people see
her and her teams on the field. “They don’t know that I’m a golf coach and that I know what I’m doing. I don’t want any of my girls to ever have that feeling.”
Her approach is intentional — to create learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience. Players learn to rely on each other on and off the green, fostering their “go-to-team.” She also sees an opportunity to keep golf at the fore even as students transition into their young adult years, when golf often takes a backseat to other commitments — not to mention the small number of local high schools that offer golf as a team sport. She hopes to develop a program in Baltimore City that could be offered through local public schools and make an impact on an even broader level. “Using funding from our donors and grassroots efforts, we can reach more students and support them as they grow.”
Under Coach March’s values-based leadership, the program has been a huge success. Next up: continuing to increase opportunities for girls and expand the lifelong impact First Tee – Greater Baltimore has on youth in our region!
Kids really want to find people they can sit with. And First Tee can provide that community. “ ”
VARADA MAULKHAN EVANS SCHOLAR RECIPIENT
Varada received an internship through the USGA’s Pathways Internship Program last summer and spent 10 days out at LA Country Club for the US Open.
ACHIEVING A FUTURE
Varada Maulkhan radiates confidence and intellect. Yet if you ask her, she would tell you she was very shy growing up. Today, at twenty-one years old, she’s a recipient of the Chick Evans Scholarship at the University of Maryland, College Park and she credits First Tee –Greater Baltimore with helping her break out of her shell. “First Tee granted me the opportunity to interact more and to build my communication skills, not just with my peers, but with adults.”
Financially, the University of Maryland would have been out of reach for Varada. But thanks to the skills she learned through the First Tee – Greater Baltimore Caddie Program, she received the full-tuition scholarship necessary to achieve her goals of becoming a high school history teacher.
She also gained crucial experience that shapes how she faces challenges. “It’s golf; it’s not my whole life. If I mess up one hole, I have 17 left. I can change up my routine.” That mindset will serve her well throughout life — rather than letting a setback ruin her day, she knows she can reevaluate and move on. Thanks to her time with First Tee – Greater Baltimore, she’s well prepared to influence the next generation of young people to pursue their interests, particularly if that’s golf!
CONNECTING with COMMUNITY
Colin King-White has been playing golf for over a decade – not something every thirteen-year-old can claim! Now he’s a leader on the green and off. “I really enjoy helping the younger kids with their stance and their swing. It’s fun to see what they’ll do,” says Colin. His dad, Ryan KingWhite, is impressed with the influence First Tee has had on Colin. “I’ve seen a lot of growth and maturity. And that translates over to success in school and with friends.”
Through First Tee – Greater Baltimore Colin has made some amazing friends, some of whom don’t have access to the same opportunities because of funding, supervision, or transportation. But because First Tee – Greater Baltimore levels the playing field, Colin and his friends can share equally in a community that takes pride in building game changers. Thanks to financial support from individuals and corporate donors, First Tee participants have access to premier golf experiences.
First Tee – Greater Baltimore also prepares Colin and his friends to make connections and practice networking, which will help them succeed on and off the course. As Ryan King-White says, “The medals and trophies are great, but I like to celebrate all of the opportunities that will last these kids a lifetime.”
I’ve seen a lot of growth and maturity. And that translates over to success in school and with friends. - Ryan King, Colin’s Dad “ ”
COLIN KING-WHITE PROGRAM PARTICIPANT
Colin practicing at the Caves Valley Golf Club Learning Center during our Annual First Tee Metro Tour Series.
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