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"TRUST IT": THE IMPACT A GO-TO TEAM HAD ON ACE PARTICIPANT, ELIZABETH
Elizabeth, who recently signed to play collegiate golf at Transylvania University,
wrote a college admission essay about the impact her coaches, golf instructors and volunteers had on her while growing up with the First Tee:
"There isn't one First Tee core value that has not helped me in some way throughout my life. The nine core values and the relationships I have built with my coaches have kept me coming back summer after summer, even before I found my love for the game. However, it wasn't until the certification from Birdie to Eagle, which is the third of five levels, that I became more golf-focused. More importantly, it was during this process that I developed perseverance and confidence.
The certification process was hard, especially the full-swing component. This was the first time I experienced failing at something that I really cared about. I had to learn what to do with that sense of failure and how to work past it. One of my instructors, Coach Bill, really helped me by staying at the range with me for hours trying to figure out how to overcome my mental roadblock. I wanted to certify so desperately that I was unable to focus on the shot at hand and stay in the moment. Coach Bill continued to help me by giving my swing little tweaks and helping me practice. Swing after swing he stayed with me, the sun beating down on us, as he helped me tweak my swing and pushed me towards my goal. He showed me that the mechanics of my swing were there, I just needed to relax and believe in myself. I can still hear his encouraging words on the range, "stay relaxed and trust your swing" before every shot. This message really resonated with me and continues to guide me today.
I am constantly reminding myself to "trust it." To me, this phrase combines the ideas of "trust the process" and "trust yourself" I've learned to do this from seeing my successes and how my hard work can pay off."
Your support of our campaign for kids helps us continue equipping children with the confidence and skills to "trust it" when they grow up with us.
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