Blog Archives - Page 13 of 13 - First Tee

Intention

By: Coach Chad Radecker Intention: A determination to act in a certain way (Webster’s Dictionary). Intention is one of the most important words we use when practicing a sport, especially golf. When we go to the driving range, putting green, or sand trap, we must have a plan or intention. It’s common to see people at the driving range use every club in their bag to hit hundreds and hundreds of golf balls. Golfers are often told that to become better players, they must hit hundreds of balls on the range and practice their putting repeatedly. The secret to becoming a better golfer is not necessarily to practice more, but to practice smarter and more effectively. For example, if you want to build swing speed and strength, it is better to go to the gym than the golf course. Hitting hundreds of balls can cause repetitive use injuries and solidify bad habits built from changing proper form due to muscle fatigue (see www.bmihealthcare.co.uk). How do we practice smarter? First, we must plan. We must decide what we need or want out of practice and then form an intention. If your intention is to learn how to hit a cut, then use a 7 iron and set up and practice a cut. If your intention is to learn how to hit a knock down shot, then you would practice the best tools to meet this end. Be very specific about what you want out of practice. Many people go to the driving range or chipping green and practice by aiming at the tee flag. A better use of time is to mark a spot on the green to practice aim. Intention is best used when we practice one skill at a time. If you are having a problem reading greens, then this is what you work on and is your intention. Understand how to read greens and work on that skill. We should all remember that golf, or any other sport, is meant to be enjoyed and not suffered. Practice and intention help us focus, stay safe, and get the optimal benefits. Work smarter, be better, and get stronger. Coach Chad Radecker

The Faces of The First Tee October 2018 Gavin McDermott

October 2018 Face of The First Tee

Gavin McDermott

Well-rounded 4th grader is creative both on and off the course

St. Cletus 4th grader Gavin McDermott is our selection for The Faces of The First Tee for the month of October. Gavin first started going to the golf course as a 2-year-old, tagging along to watch his older brother practice. After about a year of watching, Gavin decided he wanted to play too. He’s been a golfer ever since. Nine year old Gavin is a 2-year veteran Birdie Level member of The First Tee, and lives in Harvey with mom Jessica, dad Kevin, and older brother Hunter, who is also a First Tee participant. He competes in many different golf tournaments throughout the year, including the US Kids Golf Gulf Coast Tour, Kelly Gibson’s Junior Golf Tour, and the USSSA Junior Golf Tour. He is also a member of the PGA Jr. League Team of TPC Louisiana, where he also attends The First Tee sessions. “Gavin’s favorite part of the game is putting. The part he enjoys the most about playing golf is making new friends and having fun with them on the course,” says mother Jessica. “One round of golf with Gavin McDermott will show you what this game is all about,” says Director of Education Perry Faulkner, praising Gavin’s on-course character. “The raw emotion that permeates from Gavin makes him a real joy to play with. When not having you rolling laughing, Gavin amazes with his astute observations and decision-making ability.” As shown in Gavin’s portrait, he’s partial to blue, and is an avid reader. His favorite read is the Ready Freddy book series by Abby Klein. Gavin also loves to draw and is not afraid to try the most challenging ideas inspired by his imagination. When not in school, reading, drawing, playing golf, and making people laugh, Gavin enjoys playing video games. Not surprisingly, his favorite game is Fortnite! This well rounded, jovial, and passionate young man joins incredible company as this year’s 2nd selection for The Faces of The First Tee.

About The Faces of the first tee

The Faces of The First Tee is a new platform to recognize and award current participants who embody the criteria set forth in the Mission of The First Tee. The Faces of the First Tee demonstrate impeccable character, embody one or more of the Nine Core Values, and faithfully practice one or more of the Nine Healthy Habits. This award is not based on athletic ability, but rather a displayed grasp of The First Tee curriculum. This recognition will be awarded to one participant monthly for a period of 12 months (following the school year calendar, beginning in September). Advantages of being selected as one of The Faces of The First Tee include:

A professional portrait taken by New Orleans Snapshots’ photographer and First Tee of Greater New Orleans’ Board President Andrew Cohoon
A month-long, dedicated web site feature story including the portrait and a biography describing the criteria for which the participant was selected
A featured headline in our newsletters, Home on the Range and Tuesday’s Talk of The Tee
Social Media promotion on Facebook and Instagram
A certificate of recognition

Congratulations to those of you who have been selected as one of The Faces of The First Tee!

Nurturing Participant Growth and Development, Coach’s Corner, 4th Ed.

Nurturing participant growth and development

Karrington “KK” Knight accepting Oscar J. Tolmas Foundation Scholarship at Bayou Oaks in August

By: Perry Faulkner, Director of Education For the last three years, The First Tee of Greater New Orleans has crafted an engaging, fun, and educational program to grow the game of golf. We use this approach to introduce young people to the sport, resulting in a seamless transition into acquiring golf skills. Our obligation is to serve the youth that we have initiated and nurtured in a way that will help them grow as both golfers and people. Over time, we have seen the need to develop new opportunities for our older participants as they push the envelope of success and achievement. In answer, we are excited to offer The First Tee Flagstick Tournament Series and Enrichment Seminar Series. We encourage parents and participants to take advantage of our new programming. We’ve committed our staff and resources to accommodate the growth of our participants as competitive golfers, while still maintaining the highest standards of The First Tee Life Skills Experience. The First Tee does not exist solely as introductory program, but as an organization that will help our participants continue to develop through adolescence, high school, and in preparation for the transition to college. The Tournament Series and Enrichment Seminar Series is a must, especially if your child is planning to or is already playing on the competitive junior golf circuit. Likewise, the Seminars serve to educate parents and address questions and concerns regarding the growing world of junior golf. These events are thoughtfully curated with our parents and participants in mind, and we hope that you will find them beneficial. Thank you for the continued support of our program. I am excited at what the future holds as we work together to make the youth of New Orleans Good Golfers and Better People.

Do You Want to Play College Golf? Coach’s Corner, 3rd Ed.

Do You Want to Play College Golf?

By: Coach Ryan I joined The First Tee of Greater New Orleans’ coaching staff this past summer, and since then, have been amazed by the impact that golf has on so many young people. Golf is a game you can play for a lifetime, regardless of age or skill level. Being able to see such enthusiasm and dedication from junior golfers has been a heartwarming experience. I sincerely wish every First Tee participant has valued their experience as much as I have. I am writing this to address junior golfers who want to take their game to the next level. If you want to play college golf, here are a few pieces of advice to help you achieve that dream:

The first and probably most important thing to keep in mind is that you must be all in. If you decide that playing college golf is your dream, you need to be willing to invest a lot of time. I was a freshman in high school when I decided I wanted to pursue college golf, and from that moment forward, I was dedicated. I practiced every day after school. I skipped friends’ birthday parties for junior tournaments. I spent hour-upon-hour learning everything I could about golf swing mechanics. Those hours paid dividends, as I signed a golf scholarship with Loyola New Orleans my senior year. My dream was realized. But, I never would gotten that scholarship if it hadn’t been for those years of hard work. In the words of Joel Embid, “Trust the process.”

Second, there is absolutely no substitute for competitive experience. Hitting range balls and practicing your short game is important, but the most formative moments are during tournament play. If you want to play college golf, play in as many tournaments as possible to become familiar the competitive atmosphere. There will be growing pains, but you will learn to be more comfortable under pressure.

Lastly, it is important to be passionate about something other than golf. This is not meant to contradict my first point. Golf is a frustrating game by nature, and even the best golfers don’t win all the time. It is the reality of the game we love. It is easy to become discouraged when the results don’t align with the effort. In moments of doubt, it is vital to have other passions to properly measure the importance of golf. I found my second passion in writing, but it can be anything you want. When golf becomes frustrating and practice starts to feel like work, sometimes the best solution is to take a break to clear your mind. It helps to have something to distract you from golf, even if only for a few hours.

I hope this advice is helpful for any junior golfer who dreams of playing college golf, and I am excited to see the progression of junior golf in New Orleans!

Golf on the Emerald Isle; Coach’s Corner, 2nd Ed.

GOLF ON THE EMERALD ISLE

At the beginning of the summer, my family got the chance to embark on the trip of a lifetime to the beautiful country of Ireland. Not only was this the first time I’d been to Europe, but this was also my first chance to play golf outside of the United States. I would like to share my thoughts on what makes Ireland such a great place to visit, and especially, to play golf. Being from Louisiana, the first thing I noticed in Ireland was the weather. Summers in Ireland are mild with highs rarely topping 70 degrees. This was a welcome change from the hot and humid New Orleans weather. Second, I noticed the people. Irish people are very welcoming, happy, and humorous (see Rocky below). The people in every town we visited made our trip that much better. Lastly, the incredible green landscape for which the country received its nickname, “The Emerald Isle,” and mesmerizing views from coast to coast, can only be done justice by seeing in person. The only thing missing was a little golf… . In a small town outside of Galway, we scoured the internet for the best courses, available tee times, and local recommendations. All fingers pointed to Lahinch Golf Club. The course, founded in 1892, is in a town of less than 1,000 residents, right on the Atlantic Ocean. Lahinch is golf at its purest – no trees, no carts, no nonsense. It was the perfect setting – just us and the golf course. And Rocky. Our forecaddie. Rocky was a local guy in his mid-40s who started caddying at Lahinch when he was 15 years old. Rocky guided us through the rolling dunes for the next 5 hours, keeping the mood light by cracking jokes all afternoon. As the day went on, we realized the round was more about the memories we were making and less about scores. The one exception was my eagle 2 on the drivable Par 4 13^th. That was special. Not long after that play, the sun began to set. We walk off the 18^th green 9:30pm, concluding what was one of the most memorable rounds in one of the most unique places. My wish for all the kids I coach is that one day, they can take a trip across the pond and make memories like mine. You will not be disappointed with what Ireland has to offer. To read more about Lahinch, click the button! http://www.lahinchgolf.com/ PS: Also, check out the 2019 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open… Coach Brad

The Coach’s Corner, 1st Ed.

Coach Perry Reflects on a Valuable Lesson learned from the passing of Jarrod Lyle

I wanted to start this series off by discussing the history of golf, but something happened the other day that prompted me to share a more important message. The golf world was stunned by the devastating news that Australian Professional Tour player Jarrod Lyle passed away at the age of 36 after his third battle with cancer. The news had a profound impact on me, as it made me recall my dad’s (a cancer survivor) battle with cancer. My dad introduced me to the game of golf and it is a love that we share together to this day. A few months ago, I was privileged to play with him during his first round of golf since treatment. We were in Lake Chautauqua, NY and he shot 84 – not too shabby for a someone who had just undergone a year of surgeries and radiation! When I heard about Jarrod’s passing, it made me realize how lucky I was to share that round of golf with my dad. It will be a round that I remember forever, and I hope to make many more memories on the links together. The reason I share this story is to remind both our First Tee parents and participants that golf is far more than a score you put on your card, or the place you finish in a tournament. As said by Jarrod: “I feel like I’m the luckiest golfer goin’ around, because so many people took an interest in me and took an interest in my fight. You know, to have so many friends around the world, whether they’re spectators, whether they’re golfers, whether they’re marshals …whatever, to have that kind of support … to go to every tournament, is a great feeling.” Jarrod passed away reflecting not on his many victories, but on the relationships he forged through the game. So, participants, think of Jarrod the next time you are lamenting a double bogey or a three-putt. The moments in golf that you will carry through your life have little to do with your performance on the golf course. Parents, I ask you to reflect on how the game of golf has impacted your relationship with your child. I hope that many years from now you will look back fondly on these moments. They are times you got to spend together. Author: Coach Perry Photo: Getty Images

2018 Senior Spotlight

senior spotlight

Karrington Knight

Ace Certified, 2016 Participant of the Year, Karrington “KK” Knight has been with The First Tee of Greater New Orleans since she was 7 years old. She was the 1st winner of The First Tee of Greater New Orleans Regional Tournament, a First Tee Scholars Recipient, and received the JAKE Scholarship from The First Tee National Office. Karrington is a decorated graduate, having earned distinctions such as National Honors Society, Senior Class President, Varsity Golf Team Captain & MVP, St. Charles Ave. Magazine Student Activist Award. Not surprisingly, she received the prestigious 2018 Student of the Year Award from Ursuline Academy. Karrington looks forward to her future in International Studies, with a concentration in Psychology and Spanish at Rhodes College (one of seven institutions offering Karrington academic scholarships). Karrington has been guaranteed a starting spot on the Rhodes Female Golf Team. Lori Launey Click on Lori’s picture to watch her interview with mike hoss of hoss communications!!!

Class of 2018, Cabrini High School senior Lori Launey has no shortage of both athletic and academic achievements. Lori began The First Tee in 2016 at the age of 15, where she received the 2017 Respect Award, the 2018 Honesty Award, and served as The Zurich Classic Junior Coarse Reporter for 3 consecutive years. She is also a Founding Member & Team Captain of Cabrini’s Golf Team. A values-based designation, Lori was voted Cabrini Character Court Senior Queen by her classmates. Lori received over $1 million in academic scholarships and has decided to attend Loyola University New Orleans, where she will join the women’s Wolf Pack Golf Team. Julia Simon

National Merit Finalist, National Honor Society Member, U.S. Presidential Scholars Program Candidate – these are just a few of the accolades earned by Julia Simon. Come Fall, Julia will enroll at Stanford, where she plans to study Environmental Science and play intramural golf. Julia began The First Tee in the 5^th grade and reached Ace level her Junior year. In 2017, she was awarded the chapter’s top honor, the Participant of the Year award. Also recognized by The First Tee National Program, Julia was chosen to play at The Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach and was selected as one of The First Tee National Scholars. Since the 8^th grade, Julia has volunteered as a Junior Keeper at the Audubon Zoo. She also served as a Tulane University Van Bael Lab Assistant. and during the summer of 2016, interned with the University of New Orleans Advanced Material Research Institute’s (AMRI) Summer Outreach Research Program for High School Students.