March 2025 - First Tee - Coachella Valley

First Tee alumna Lauryn Nguyen tees it up at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur

Lauryn Nguyen received her first set of clubs at age 5 and her lifelong love of golf began shortly after. Her mother, a golfer herself, enrolled Lauryn in classes with First Tee – Greater Seattle while she was in kindergarten and Lauryn quickly picked up the game as well as found a golfing community.

“It was a great introduction to the sport and a great way to be surrounded by other people who were interested in golf,” Lauryn said about her early years in First Tee.

As her love for golf grew, so did her passion for giving back to her community. As Lauryn began to make the transition to playing competitive golf, she continued to stay involved with First Tee as a junior coach to share the knowledge she had learned and mentor other participants growing up through the program.

Through her time involved with First Tee, Lauryn not only learned golf, but also found a community of like-minded individuals. While junior coaching, Lauryn met and began mentoring a group of young women who shared her last name. Although the girls are not related, they share similar life experiences as first-generation Americans who found their community through the game of golf. They all became fast friends and together they founded the Nguyen Junior Am, a golf tournament that gives back to First Tee – Greater Seattle and the Washington Junior Golf Association.

“They’ve done so much for us and our upbringing. We wanted to give back to the organizations that gave so much to us,” Lauryn said.

Lauryn continues to excel both on and off the golf course. She is currently a senior at Northwestern University where she is studying marketing and communications and playing on their Division I golf team.

This year, for the second year in a row, Lauryn has been invited to compete in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, a tournament that highlights the top talents in amateur women’s golf and takes place at Augusta National Golf Club the week before the Masters Tournament.

As she continues to prepare for the week ahead, her community at home is never far from her mind. Lauryn recognizes that each time she tees it up, she’s representing everyone who has played a part in getting her there, all the way back to her first class at First Tee at age 5.

“I’m playing for myself, but I’m also playing for something so much bigger,” Nguyen reflected.

First Tee Week: National campaign launches May 19 at the Charles Schwab Challenge, celebrating coaches who are game changers in their communities

Parents call coaches the “unsung heroes of youth development.” First Tee will celebrate these mentors during its inaugural network-wide awareness campaign.

Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (March 11, 2025) – Leading nonprofit youth development organization First Tee is launching a weeklong national awareness campaign to celebrate the impact of its coaches. By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, First Tee creates active learning experiences that build character like inner strength, self-confidence and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do.

Kicking off at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, from May 19-25, First Tee Week aims to engage communities across the country, encouraging them to celebrate the coaches who make a difference locally. Entitled “Dear Coach,” the campaign will feature a variety of in-person and online activities, including:

First Tee will launch a new creative campaign, including an updated PSA that speaks to the power of youth sports coaches to instill confidence, values and life skills in the kids they serve.

On Wednesday, May 21, First Tee will host a group of alumni at the PGA TOUR’s Charles Schwab Challenge, where they’ll hear from a panel on “The coach effect: The importance of coaches and the stories that shape us.” The panel will feature New Orleans Saints defensive end and First Tee – Phoenix alumnus Cameron Jordan alongside other First Tee alumni.

First Tee chapters across the country will host a variety of activations, including a fundraising tournament at Winged Foot (Metropolitan New York), meet the coach night (San Francisco), golf marathons (Greater Baltimore, West Michigan) and more. Find a First Tee chapter in your area.

First Tee’s corporate partners will celebrate First Tee Week in a variety of ways. “Dear Coach” content will appear at Topgolf and PGA TOUR Superstore locations across the country, with organizations like Golf Digest, the USGA and Morgan Stanley planning to highlight coach stories on their own channels.

First Tee has launched a digital experience at FirstTee.org/DearCoach and social content featuring stories from participants, alumni and notable supporters like former NFL player Larry Fitzgerald and PGA TOUR professional Wyndham Clark on the incredible relationships between coaches and participants. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn to engage.

“Today’s kids and teens are facing new challenges, and parents are looking for character-building programs because they know strength of character is essential for overcoming obstacles,” said First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “For nearly 30 years, our dedicated and trained coaches have set First Tee apart because we have developed a training system built on research-proven methods of positive youth development. We are excited to celebrate their contributions and raise awareness for their work during First Tee Week.”

According to research from Harris Poll, 91% of parents agree that sports coaching should inspire their child to excel both on and off the field, and they believe coaches can impact their child’s ability to work well with others and be resilient in the face of challenges.

First Tee’s network of 150 chapters engage more than 5,000 active, trained coaches who deliver a curriculum designed with input from youth development experts using golf as the platform. First Tee serves more than 3.1 million kids annually.

Learn more about getting involved with First Tee.

Coach Emily ‘is a mentor and role model’

It’s no secret that First Tee considers its coaches to be the most important ingredient in its success. All trained and background checked, First Tee coaches connect with participants to ensure each one feels safe and celebrated for the qualities that make them unique.

One coach who exemplifies First Tee’s mission is Emily Ortmeier of First Tee – Southern Colorado, who has been with the chapter for five years. “Emily Ortmeier is more than a coach; she is a mentor and role model,” said First Tee – Southern Colorado board member Jeff Stedman.

A former collegiate golfer, Emily leads by example and inspires participants to do their best on and off the golf course, according to her colleagues at First Tee – Southern Colorado.

“When a participant fails, Coach Emily is always there to console and encourage them to persevere,” said chapter CEO Sandy Johnson. “She uses these moments as learning opportunities that greatly help to develop the character of each participant, reassuring them that we must fail in order to learn how to succeed and get right back to pursuing our goals.”

Eagles for Impact at THE PLAYERS® Championship

As the eyes of the golf world turn to TPC Sawgrass for THE PLAYERS Championship 2025, there’s an extra reason to root for low scores. For every eagle or double eagle carded by the pros during the tournament, Morgan Stanley will donate $5,000 to support First Tee’s coach training efforts.

Last year, Emily was one of 107 coaches to benefit from Morgan Stanley’s generosity. She attended a Level 4 training in Monterey, California, and has advanced to the point where she now leads Level 1 trainings for new coaches. She’s trained 20 coaches in her region.

First Tee – Southern Colorado colleagues agree that Emily’s passion for making golf accessible to all kids is evident in her work. She’s helped 21 new schools and community centers begin offering First Tee programming over the last two years.

In fact, Emily means so much to the community that she was recently recognized with Southern Colorado Business Forum & Digest’s 40 Under 40 Award.

Coaches make the difference

According to research from First Tee and Harris Poll, 80% of parents believe there’s a shortage of high caliber coaches today. That’s why First Tee is committed to coach training and youth safety.

Nine out of 10 parents agree that coaches should help their child succeed both on and off the field, and parents view coaching as instrumental for teaching collaboration, resilience and leadership – all qualities that become even more important into adulthood.

Learn more about the importance of youth sports coaches.

Cleveland teacher introduces First Tee programming to 5 Title I schools

Lisa Longino has over 30 years of experience in education with a focus on health, physical education and wellness. As the physical education specialist for the East Cleveland City School District, she is responsible for designing and implementing comprehensive physical education and intramural programs for Pre-K through sixth grade students.

At the beginning of this school year, Lisa inquired with First Tee about implementing the School Program into the five Title I schools where she teaches. She was first introduced to First Tee through her interest in incorporating diverse programs into her curriculum.

“First Tee’s focus on integrating life skills into golf education is more than just an innovative approach,” said Lisa. “It’s a transformative opportunity for my students.”

Through a grant, Lisa was provided with training, golf equipment and lessons plans that integrate life skills and values with the game of golf at no cost to herself or the district. She will now be able to introduce First Tee programming to students at all five schools.

“I’m truly excited to bring this program into our schools because it goes beyond teaching a sport,” said Lisa. “By providing equipment designed specifically for youth, I can create a safe and engaging environment where students can develop fundamental skills, both in golf and in life.”

As Lisa begins to integrate First Tee programming into her classes, she will have the support of First Tee – Cleveland as well as an online community for teachers and youth leaders that deliver First Tee programming across the country. She looks forward to seeing how these activities will help students overcome barriers, develop resilience and build social and emotional strength that extends into their academic lives and beyond.

“For many of our students, this will be their first introduction to golf, and I’m confident that it will open doors to new opportunities, build confidence, and inspire a love for golf that can stay with them throughout their lives,” Lisa said.

Since 2004, First Tee has been integrating its curriculum into PE classes in schools in the United States and Canada. We’ve trained educators at nearly 12,000 schools to teach our program and in 2024, we reached more than 2.4 million kids at these schools.