The First Tee of Joliet offers character development program for youth

JOLIET – When Alyssa Rosas joined The First Tee of Joliet nine years ago, this shy girl could not look anyone in the eye, said Bill Rooney, president of the board.

But earlier this year, Rosas, 18 and of Joliet, attended The First Tee Nine Healthy Habits Summit in California and had a conversation with former President Bill Clinton, Rooney added. Rosas feels The First Tee of Joliet has changed her life.

Because of it, Rosas said she has played golf all four years at Joliet West High School. She also has volunteered at St. Mary Nativity Catholic Church in Joliet and the former Deerbrook Care Center in Joliet. Rosas said she has learned professionalism and perseverance.

“I learned how to present myself and carry myself,” Rosas said. “It’s a great program.”

According to its website at www.thefirsttee.org, The First Tee is an international 501c3 nonprofit organization that teaches life lessons and builds character in youth ages 8 through 18 from playing golf.

A school program is also available, for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. The First Tee has 200 chapters in the United States and four in other locations around the world. The program has affected about 9 million young people since its inception in 1997.

The idea for bringing a chapter to Joliet in 2005 originated from the Joliet Sweet Swingers, a golf club that had unsuccessfully tried offering a program for kids, said Fred Hawkins of Joliet, executive director for The First Tee of Joliet.

“It was nothing consistent,” Hawkins said, “more like golfers coming out with the kids and grandkids to hit some balls.”

That changed once Hawkins heard about The First Tee and helped bring the program to Joliet. The board for the Joliet chapter began reaching out to area schools and through organizations that served youth, such as the Boys and Girls Club, he said. That’s how Rosas learned about The First Tee.

“My mother was a volunteer there and she signed my brother and me up for everything at the Boys and Girls Club: karate, swimming and then golf. We were like, ‘Golf, really? It’s so boring.’ ” Rosas said. “Then I met the coaches and they were so welcoming, I wanted to come back.”

The First Tee of Joliet meets at Inwood Golf Course, 3000 W. Jefferson St., Joliet, but it also has programs in 10 Joliet Public School District 86 schools and five in Troy School District 30-C, Rooney said. Those programs serve about 13,000 youth, Hawkins added.

The kids learn the different skills by rotating through various stations, spending about 15 minutes at each one. Volunteer coaches teach the game; a retired school teacher heads the life skills.

“We have a lot of parents call thinking this is a golf clinic, but this is not a golf clinic,” Hawkins said. “The golf is the icing on the cake. We develop them as young people first. The golf comes second.”

Rooney’s wife, Molly Rooney, now a retired gym teacher, first told Rooney, a lifelong golfer, about The First Tee several years ago when Shorewood Elementary School started offering it.

“I said, ‘That’s got to be a little challenging, 7-year-olds with golf clubs in their hands,’ ” Rooney said. “Then I thought it might be fun to go out and coach some kids.”

When Rooney learned about the character building part of The First Tee, Rooney was so impressed he approached Hawkins and shared his desire to be part of the executive board, which The First Tee of Joliet is presently expanding, Rooney said.

“You see these little kids that can’t look you in the eye grow to the point where they walk up to you and shake your hand,” Rooney said. “They have purpose to them.”

Mark Boykin, 16, of Joliet, joined The First Tee of Joliet seven years ago. He plays on the varsity golf team at Joliet Central High School and caddies at Butler National Golf Club in Oak Brook. Boykin said The First Tee has taught him skills he will use his entire life.

“I’ve learned critical thinking and adjusting to difficult situations,” Boykin said. “It’s also helped with test anxiety. I think about the assignment, and then anticipate and respond.”

IF YOU GO
WHAT: First Tee of Joliet Annual Golf Outing
WHEN: Shotgun start is 9 a.m. July 30
WHERE: Wedgewood Golf Course, 5001 Caton Farm Road, Plainfield
COST: $130 (includes green fees, cart and food). Optional team skins game is $20 per team.
ETC: 4 person scramble. Individual play is optional. Limited to the first 144 entries. Sponsorships available.
RSVP: Mail check or money orders to The First Tee of Joliet, 3000 W. Jefferson St., Joliet, IL 60436. Deadline is July 23.
VISIT: www.thefirstteejoliet.org
CONTACT: For more information or entries after mailing deadline, call Fred Hawkins at 815-409-6081, Mike Howland at 815-922-3325 or Bill Rooney at 815-474-0201.

More than just teaching kids how to play golf, First Tee of Joliet using the game to impart nine core values: honesty integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment. A University of Minnesota independent study said:

• School was unanimously identified as a setting in which participants transferred life skills
• 73 percent reported high confidence in their ability to do well academically
• 82 percent felt confident in their social skills with peers
• 78 percent described their ability to transfer life skills through specific examples and stories
• 57 percent credited First Tee for their meeting and greeting skills.
• 52 percent credited the program for their ability to appreciate diversity
Source: From the 2013 Parents' Guide to First Tee