PHOTO CREDIT: JENNY FOLMAN PHOTOGRAPHY First Tee - Colorado Rocky Mountains Zach McCain The Face of
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SPORTS
F irst Tee - Colorado Rocky Mountains is more than just teaching golf, it’s about teaching life lessons. In the sport that one can do most of their life, First Tee is about teaching honesty, integrity, and lessons kids can carry with them their whole life. The local chapter started in 2002 as a way to get golf to more kids in the area. After going to a couple of the local schools, especially the lower income schools in the area, the program grew to be the second largest First Tee chapter worldwide. “The biggest thing that we do is really try to make golf fun, to get kids out there with their friends,” says Zach McCain, Director of Marketing and Communications at First Tee. “It not only teaches you those core values for the rest of your life, but it’s a sport you
can do for a lot longer than other sports as well.” Last year, First Tee served around 12,500 local kids. A couple of thousand of that number are kids on the golf course itself, while nearly 9,000 are in schools learning golf and other lessons at no cost. In the schools, the program works with kids multiple times, teaching different values and skills at every lesson. On top of the golf, First Tee also offers college scholarships, national opportunities, and youth development for kids to grow and explore through trips and bonding activities. Scholarships are offered to any child that needs it so that no one is turned away for an inability to pay for programs on the course. It’s more than just golf, it’s helping the youth. During First Tee programs on
the course, kids are taught golf through different games and fun and interactive warmups. They are building relation- ships and confidence. Through their golf and life lessons, scholarship programs, employment of high school students, and more, First Tee is creating a wider impact on the community. “It’s just a great building block for whatever people end up doing in life,” explains McCain. “That’s why, at least for us, we feel like it’s such a useful tool to pass on those lessons to kids.” For more information about First Tee, head to their website at firstteecolora- dorockymountains.org or call them at (720) 865-3415.
12 Faces & Places® | Summer 2026
facesandplaces.com
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator