When life gets busy with school or as it gets cold outside, it can be harder to find time for fitness and extracurriculars. However, a report from First Tee and The Harris Poll found that 95% of parents say their child’s activities are effective for creating opportunities to learn life skills and build character. First Tee believes in developing experiences that are just as fun as they are meaningful, where kids feel excited to grow, safe to fail and better equipped for whatever comes their way next.
First Tee is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all participants through year-round programming at 150 chapters, 11,000 schools and 1,400 community centers nationwide.
Here are a few benefits of PE programs and playing sports:
1. Improved physical fitness and health
First Tee is an activity-based program and during a class you might see students doing a wide range of activities, like playing tic-tac-toe putting or competing in a relay race. In addition to teaching golf and life skills, the First Tee curriculum is also designed to enhance players’ overall fitness. Each class begins with a set of warmups that improve motor skills through strength, flexibility and mobility, agility and coordination, balance and object control. As participants get older they will continue to improve their physical fitness through golf related activities, such as walking nine or 18 holes.
2. Strengthened interpersonal skills and peer relationships
Physical education and sports can help build a young person’s confidence and social interactions. A report from First Tee and The Harris poll found that among parents whose child plays sports, 92% said their child’s activities had a positive impact on their social health. The First Tee curriculum incorporates life skills into golf programming including the concept A-L-R, which stands for Ask – Listen – Respond, to teach youth about the importance of a greeting and basic communication. Students build an appreciation for the positive personal and social values associated with the game throughout lessons that build off of each other.
3. Improve student performance on and off the course
First Tee values the personal development of the participant. As participants learn more about who they are and what they are capable of, they are encouraged to begin to look towards the future and plan their own paths. First Tee lessons like FAIL, or First Attempt In Learning, help participants to identify their path to success. When youth are taught to embrace failure as a good and crucial step on the path to learning, they can choose to fail forward and recognize the learning opportunity that exists and the power they have to turn any individual failure around, both on the course and in the classroom.
Are you an advocate for the health of your children and your community? Learn more about bringing First Tee to your child’s elementary school.
About the First Tee National School Program
Currently introduced to more than 11,000 elementary schools, the First Tee National School Program creates an environment where young people are introduced to the lifelong sport while learning the basic golf motor skills and the inherent values of the game.