Category: Blog

The First Tee welcomed 298 campers for the Life Skills Experience this summer! Students enjoyed course time at least one day each week, along with driving range access and various games designed for fun as well as learning core values and healthy habits. This year we surprised participants by filming with cutting edge Dialed In Golf Solution’s Trackman technology! Thanks to grantors like the Florida Junior Golf Council, Pinellas County Business Technology Services, Paradise Golf and the Salvatore Mascari Family Fund, we offered camp at a discounted rate to all families and provided 39 scholarships for youth in need!

“I am thankful that you guys allowed my son the opportunity to come. He has had a great week and has loved it! He comes home positive and I have seen a difference in how he’s behaving.” ~ 2018 Scholarship Parent

Campers Kylie, Will and Jaxen pose for a group picture on the course

Ian Peterson of Dialed In Golf films camper Makenna’s swing with Trackman technology

Coach Matt helps camper David line up a putt while Faith looks on

At the June Charity Breakfast, Tournament Director Tracy West announced a tournament record of $2,619,684 was generated this year for local nonprofits. We are honored to be a part of this event and thank the many hard working people who are responsible for the growing success of this premier Tampa Bay event. We love having this PGA TOUR event so close to home. A breakdown of how we participate:

• Chi Chi Pro Am annual fundraiser takes place at Innisbrook during the Valspar Pro Am
• The First Tee participants act as Standard Bearers on Thursday
• All weekend, Foundation volunteers work at the Michelob ULTRA 19th Hole
• Birdies for Charities bonus program
• Both the Golf Club and Sports Complex have event tickets for sale each year

This year’s Valspar Championship had a stacked field of players from all over the world! As part of The First Tee day on the Thursday round, 11 of our participants were Standard Bearers for the late tee times, including golfers like Jordan Spieth, Zach Johnson, Henrick Stenson and Tiger Woods! This unforgettable experience gave our students time to talk to the Pros and enjoy a PGA Tour event from inside the ropes, a place some of them hope to one day be playing. Thank you to Valspar Championship for providing our participants such an amazing experience to learn from great role models about the game they love. Special recognition to Bimbo Bakeries USA for volunteering as all day chaperones! To see more photos, please visit our FACEBOOK ALBUM  

During the PGA TOUR’s Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Resort, Academy sponsors were paired with a PGA or LPGA Pro on the newly renovated North Course. Following play a lunch in the Snake Pit Club overlooking the 17th green of the Copperhead featured a lively auction hosted by News Channel 8’s Jenn Holloway. Co-Chairs Vin Campagnoli and Mark Carron happily announced the event raised a net amount of $171,000 to further our mission of hope for community families. The net funds raised will support the annual $911,000 programming budget to educate and assist at-risk children using the golf course as a living classroom. Thank you to Presenting Sponsor Raymond James and Co-Title Sponsor RSM! Left: Lunch Emcee and WFLA news anchor Jenn Holloway with Board Member Scott Curtis; Right: Event Co-Chair Mark Carron announcing winners during lunch.

The program’s philosophy is that girls learning the game of golf in an environment with other girls are free to be themselves and learn at their own pace. We believe girls can do and be anything to which they set their minds. With more than 270 programs in communities across the country, LPGA-USGA Girls Golf is a networking of 62,000+ girls ages 7-17.  Classes are based on the 5 E’s of Girls Golf: Empower, Enrich, Engage, Energize and Exercise!  For more information, please contact Coach Camille at [email protected].  

On Friday, December 22nd Academy Students enjoyed their annual Celebration Station Holiday party riding go-karts, playing games and soaking each other on the bumper boats! The end of year get together gives students, teachers and supporters an opportunity to spend time together. Special thanks to the Hurter family members Bill, Whitney and Hayden who help plan and fund the event. A big thank you to Bimbo Bakeries USA, Chi Chi Rodriguez Ladies’ Golf Association, East Lake Woodlands Women’s Golf Association, Brian Krostue & Vology and all of our wonderful volunteers who give time and donations seeing that each child has a gift and a great time.      *Photos: Left: Board Member Scott Curtis takes a selfie with 5th grader Trinity on the go-karts; Middle: 8th grader Ashanti shows off her tickets from game play; Right: Academy girls wait in line for the new bungee.

The First Tee goes to high school! Four of our participants made their school teams as freshman and all represented their schools during Regionals at Lansbrook Golf Club this October. Devyn and Sonya play for Palm Harbor University High School and Hadleigh and Tia play for Countryside High School, where Tia averaged the best 9-hole score for the team all year. All four also give back by volunteering with younger participants of The First Tee during summer and Saturday classes. We are so proud to have these four representing us in the community not only as good golfers but great advocates of the game and the core values we teach.

  

Raymond James and the Tampa Bay Rays established the Raymond James Community Impact Award back in 2013 to recognize non-profit organizations that have made a positive impact on the Tampa Bay community. As part of the award, Chi Chi’s Foundation received a $5,000 donation, tickets for the Press Box Suite during a home game as well as a pre-game interview with the Rays Radio Network discussing our mission. On September 30th, Superintendent Eric Dixon and Director of Development Mallory Hubbard joined Raymond James Senior Vice President Doug Brigman on the field for a check presentation to the five Community Impact Award Winners (Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay, Ronald McDonald House, and the YMCA). Chi Chi’s team along with the other award winners also took part in a ceremonial first pitch!

   

*Photos: Top: Academy Executive Committee members, supporters and Chi Chi team members with their families enjoyed the June 24th game in the Press Box; Middle Left: Mallory Hubbard throws the Ceremonial First Pitch to Eric Dixon with the other four charities; Middle Right: Eric Dixon, Mallory Hubbard and Board Finance Advisor Chris Butler pose with the check; Bottom: Neil Solondz interviews COO James Poulter and Director of Development Mallory Hubbard about our mission for children.

  Sonya is a freshman at Palm Harbor University High School and has been participating with The First Tee of Clearwater for over five years. She is one of only four participants who has reached BIRDIE certified level and will begin Eagle level this school year. Throughout her years as a participant, Sonya and her younger brother Joey have volunteered during Summer Camp and many of the Foundation’s fundraising events. In 2014, she started the Ambassador program where students demonstrate the Nine Core Values on and off the Course and commit to finishing Eagle level certification. In March, she participated in her third year as a Standard Bearer during the Valspar Championship, our only student to do so three years in a row. Our grateful thanks to the many supporters who gave Sonya her incredible opportunity through The First Tee programming.

The First Tee welcomed 267 campers for the Life Skills Experience this summer! Instruction is based on an introduction to the game of golf plus core values and life skills seamlessly incorporated throughout each lesson. Students enjoyed course time at least one day each week, along with driving range access and many fun games. Thanks to grantors like the Florida Junior Golf Council, Pinellas County Business Technology Services, Paradise Golf and the Salvatore Mascari Family Fund, we offered camp at a discounted rate to all families and provided 51 scholarships for youth in need!    

Fifteen golfers represented The First Tee of Clearwater throughout the summer in PGA Jr. League Matches. The League is a fun, social and inclusive opportunity for children 13 and under to play on a team. Students have competed against Ace Golf, Belleair and Westchase both at the Chi Chi Rodriguez Golf Club and other courses in the Tampa Bay Area. Most of the team’s golfers are also in The First Tee’s PAR and BIRDIE Saturday classes during the fall and spring learning interpersonal communications and self-management skills through golf. Congrats on a great season team!

 In May, we said goodbye to an amazing 8th grade class as they continue on their Journey to Success with high school.  During graduation, each student spoke about their time at Chi Chi’s and thanked those who supported them.  Academy Executive Committee Member Scott Brown awarded two Higher Learning Scholarships to Kyra and Ta’miya.  The scholarship recognizes high achieving students with up to $4,000 each for college or other higher learning post high school graduation.  We look forward to watching them grow through their high school years.  Congratulations class of 2017, we know you will make us proud!