Healthy Habit: Family

If you did a search on the internet about the importance of family, you would probably find a ton of studies with a lot of feel good terms but when you are kid you are probably not thinking about building a foundation for future relationships and success.  Instead, some kids are forming opinions about family based on their experiences.  If they get their way, they love their parents but if they don't-their parents are the worst.  Sibling relationships can also vary moment to moment- love and hate them.  The hope is that with maturity their viewpoints will adjust. 

When you are a student athlete and your parents are driving you all over for lessons and competitions, it is easy to take your parents for granted.  If their other siblings are not athletes this can also create tension in the family.  It is not easy to balance the priorities but it can be done.  Check out the articles below:

Mike started out as one of my private golf students and today I am honored to call him friend.  He is a good player but like most he allows the bad shot to take over too much mental space which leads to more poor shots.  What impresses me about Mike is his desire to keep practicing and playing even as he deals with debilitating pain which is probably why we get a long so well. 

When he asked about being a volunteer, I was not surprised.  People see that I have a lot of kids and they always ask but Mike was the first to follow through by completing all of the necessary background checks and training that First Tee requires.  He really enjoys watching the kids and is their biggest cheerleader.  When I was informed that he was awarded Volunteer of the Year for 2022 and that they wanted him to attend a special event, I laughed.  There was no way that Mike was going to a special event, if he was getting an award it would need to be in front of his players.  

It took two tries to present it since his back was not cooperating but we did it.  He was  completely unaware of what was happening at the time.  Congratulations Mike!!!

Q: ​How does it feel to receive this award?
​A:  It is an honor to receive an award for GIVING.

Q: How did you get started playing golf?  
A: Curiosity, my friend started to play and I went along with him. 

Q: What prompted you to start volunteering? 
A: I had been taking lessons with Glen for several weeks and he mentioned that he also taught kids as part of the First Tee program, so I asked if he needed any help.

Q: What do you enjoy the most about volunteering?  
A: Giving back is the greatest lesson, no matter how or when I have found it to be the greatest reward that I have experienced in my life. 

Q: When you are not playing golf what do you like to do?  
A: Watch and play sports, spend time with family. 

Q: Who is your favorite golfer and why?
A: Bernard Langer, his dedication to be the best. 

Q: Most people who are experiencing the kind of pain that you are, would just stop volunteering until they are well.  Why is it important for you to keep your commitment no matter what?
A: I was taught by my father a long time ago, if you make a commitment you keep it no matter what.  As the classes went on I observed that this was much more than teaching golf, Glen had a group of people who cared about teaching respect, family, and integrity etc. (Glen, Danni, Mayda, Mateo, Zack, Stan, Reva)  It has truly been a privilege to be involved with Glen and his crew, it is not often you get to spend time with such good people. 

If your junior is interested in golf, the first step is lessons but the real enjoyment for the game happens when they get on course to play.  First tee and Youth on Course have forged a great partnership where your junior can play at select golf courses for $5.  Each course has their own restrictions so additional fees could apply.  Click here to join Youth on Course and take advantage of this great opportunity.

One of the healthy habits that I teach to my junior golfers in community.  I often speak to them about looking out for each other and their neighbors but most of the time, I encourage them to take care of their physical community by becoming responsible for their trash.  I am constantly shocked by the amount of trash that is left behind on the driving range when trash cans are conveniently located for proper disposal.  It's not fun cleaning up after others but it is the right thing to do for the environment. 

When I was a kid, I know that was a long time ago, a popular public service announcement message was "Give a hoot, don't pollute" and it stuck.  It also makes sense.  When would littering be a good idea?  
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As it is we are producing so much trash that the biggest garbage dump on earth is actually in the ocean.   Sometimes, we humans just aren't very smart.  Maybe one of my junior golfers will develop a solution for it in the distant future.  In the meantime, creating awareness might cause us all to think differently about trash and its impact on our community at large.

My son, Gavin, is in the Navy so I thought I would share this video.​