The First Tee chapter of Tucson is set to reach more young golfers throughout Southern Arizona this year, all thanks to an IDEA grant from the United States Golf Association.
First Tee Tucson received an inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility grant of $10,000 late last year. Out of 85 applicants, the Tucson chapter was one of 29 chosen during the selection process.
The USGA has awarded over $1 million in grants to First Tee chapters in the U.S. since 2021.
The grant will be used to introduce the game of golf to youth in underserved communities, including those from the Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O’odham tribes and students at Title I schools, through outreach programs and clinics, according to Judy McDermott, the executive director of First Tee Tucson.
A portion of that grant will go toward transportation, to get their programming to as many places as possible, making First Tee geographically accessible, along with financial aid for the club’s yearly $30 fee and individual session fees ranging between $10 to $30.
“We've been doing quite a bit with the Pascua Yaqui kids, with Sewailo (Golf Club), with our junior league recently, with having our teams play their teams, and doing home and away matches,” McDermott says. “And then right now, we are trying to get back up and running, having First Tee classes at Sewailo, as well.”
With the help of the IDEA grant, First Tee Tucson aims to introduce golf to around 400 to 500 local kids and teens.
“It's going to help us reach kids that do not have the ability to participate in our programs,” McDermott says. “And so that's what's really nice. And then it'll be our job, once we introduce the game to those kids, to then take it to the next level with them. And that's really a big part of it. What I'm hoping is that we can build upon that grant and apply again next year.”
The next First Tee Tohono O’odham clinic is on Feb. 21.
Over the last 20 years, First Tee Tucson has been a one-stop shop for local youth golfers looking for their start in the game or to sharpen their skills through the chapter’s various programs.
Zoey Norris tees off as her Blue Team plays the third hole of the afternoon during a First Tee session at Trini Alvarez-El Rio Golf Course in Tucson on April 25, 2023.
First Tee programming also helps young athletes find a sense of community, whether that’s through golfing or other program activities, like making Christmas ornaments during the holidays, for example.
Kids as young as 5 years old can begin programming at First Tee.
“It's kind of neat because a lot of people, when they hear First Tee, they think it's just developmental and kids just run around and do this,” McDermott says. “But here at First Tee Tucson, we have all levels of kids playing in our program, from true beginners to kids who take group lessons and just want to come out and have fun and learn the game.
“And then we have other kids that want to take it to the next level and we help provide lessons for them. And we have advanced classes where we sit kids down and talk to them about how to get recruited to play college golf and things. So, we kind of do a little bit of everything here.”
Many local high school golfers, including Arizona Daily Star High School Student-Athletes of the Week Ariela Trejo and twin brothers Hunter and Jake Chen, have been part of First Tee’s programming over the years.
Recent Canyon Del Oro High School graduate Zufan Girard has been a part of First Tee Tucson since she was 11 years old. During her time with the program, she played in the PGA Junior League, participated in the prestigious First Tee Innovators Forum and eventually became a coach in the Tucson chapter.
“It just felt like such a familiar community,” Girard says. “It just felt like the people I met there, they wanted to see everyone there succeed and you're surrounded by a bunch of kids who are hard-working, dedicated, responsible, respectful. It was a truly different environment than normal school. And I really, really am happy I met a lot of people through First Tee, my coworkers and other kids, we grew up playing junior golf together. It's a really special experience.”
Now, Girard is playing collegiate golf at Texas Southern University in Houston, where she is studying aviation management. She’s also training to become a pilot.
She credits First Tee Tucson with giving her the confidence to play golf at the next level while taking her personal goals to new heights.
Zufan Girard, far right, poses for a photo with First Tee members James Labukas, coach John Gilley, Olivia Munoz, JoJo Munoz and First Tee youth member Rosey. Girard joined First Tee Tucson when she was 11 years old.
“First Tee has shown me that hard work can really pay off,” she says. “And I think that's what golf has taught me, that consistency really makes a big difference over time. In First Tee, they've always been about the love of the game and having fun and not being super competitive, like ‘All that matters is that you win.’ So I really developed a passion for the game.
“I see a lot of people, even in college golf, they don't really have any passion or love for the game; they’re just here for the competition or for a scholarship, but I really love golf. I'll do it for the rest of my life if I can.”
First Tee Tucson aims to continue being a stepping stone for Tucson-area kids and teens to develop confidence, in life and on the fairway, for the next 20 years and beyond.
“I think, for everybody here, (the goal) is just to share the love of the game and the passion for the game like we all have for it and to introduce kids to it,” McDermott says. “It's a game of a lifetime. It's a game you can play with anyone because it's an individual sport. And so many people think golf is expensive, and it is, but we break that barrier down. And so it's getting kids and families past the perception that golf is unattainable because it's expensive, but through our program, it's not.
Judy McDermott talks to a reporter at El Rio Golf Course, 1400 W. Speedway, in Tucson on Sept. 6, 2024.
“The curriculum that we teach is and the tagline with the home office and everybody here is (we’re) building game changers. But it's really true, we’re getting kids to have the confidence in themselves, and working with our adult coaches and our mentors, and just come out and have fun and see what they can do with this game of a lifetime.”
For more information about the First Tee Tucson program, visit firstteetucson.org.
