Playing For A Better Life
First Tee of Greater Washington, D.C. Introduces More Than Golf To Future Leaders
By Raoul Dennis // PHOTOS BY CAROL DAY AND RAOUL DENNIS
Xavier Francois, 13, walked up to the podium at Gaylord National Harbor as easily as he were walking up to the morning school bus. The event was filled with over 100 county and state VIPs from the elected, business and faith communities. There was enough power in the room to launch the next presidential candidate.
Any polished speaker may have been intimidated by the magnitude of the moment.
But when called to address the influential audience, Xavier strode up to the microphone with his razor sharp haircut, nicely lined dark suit and a smooth confidence normally found in the swagger of board room executives.
Young Francois’ confidence was a centerpiece of the evening produced by First Tee of Greater Washington (“FTGWDC” or “First Tee”), a youth development program aimed at children ages 7 through 18. First Tee provides educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. First Tee of Greater Washington, DC is celebrating its 20th anniversary and is one of over 140 Chapters across the United States and the world in the First Tee network. The Chapter has trained some 572,000 children---455,000 have been elementary school-age golfers.
First Tee of Greater Washington DC (“First Tee” for the purposes of this article), burgeoning with the success of waiting list programming in Prince George’s, is expanding the options for participation in spring 2020 to include programming at four golf courses.
The reception held Nov. 6 was a gathering that did more than introduce the programs to top decision makers in the county. It will likely open future wallets toward keeping the courses tuition free.
“We are marking the anniversary and our return to Prince George’s County,” says First Tee Executive Director Clint Sanchez. “We started in the county in 2019 with four program locations (including University of Maryland, Lake Presidential, Laurel Golf Center and Gunpowder Golf Course in Laurel) and beginning in 2020 will be opening four more and they will all be within Park and Planning in Prince George’s.”
First Tee Excitement Is Contagious Within Families
The game is known to be the lynchpin for business executives but it’s a lifelong game centered on character values that students learn at First Tee.
Gene and Felicia Francois, who are raising their children Xavier and Makaila, 11, in Bowie, MD, say the most vital lessons learned at First Tee are those off the golf course – and that it’s well worth the drive every Saturday morning to get to College Park.
“I love what it teaches them. I love what it will mean for them for the future,” Gene says.
Xavier got interested in the game easily: he saw it played on t.v., thought it was cool and knew that golf is what he wanted to do. He was five at the time. He’s now an eight-year veteran of First Tee and he’s recently won the Metro Tour with First Tee this summer. Metro Tour is a series of junior tournaments played by First Tee chapters across the region (Washington, DC, Baltimore and Howard Counties) where youth enjoy introductory competition amongst other chapters. Xavier is also in the Mid Atlantic PGA tour—a higher level of competition beyond the Metro Tour. He’s working to get onto a high school golf team and that will create the path for him to get into a great college and onto a college team.
The Francois Family: (l-r) Xavier, parents Gene and Felicia and daughter, Mikaila. PHOTO RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
“We enrolled them in a summer camp one year that exposed them to so many things,” says Felicia. “Makaila took to Chinese and Xavier showed interest in golf. The couple enrolled Xavier in the First Tee program and he’s been on the fast track with the sport ever since.
Mikaila has also developed an interest in the game.
“I wanted a sport that I could play for many years to come and I was interested in it because Xavier was doing it,” she says. “But I also enjoy getting to a point where I can beat him at it,” she adds with a smile.
Dianne Proctor and Clint Sanchez present award to Jim Cornelson. PHOTO: CAROL DAY // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
Antoine Brown, is the father of 11-year-old Avery Brown, who participates in First Tee. Brown, president of the Birchwood Civics Association in Oxon Hill, brought Avery to the reception to help expose him to top tier events and people.
“It’s a great program run by great people,” Brown says. “I wanted [to] bring Avery out to let him know that people appreciate the program and for him to have the experience of seeing the VIPs gathered like this,” he says.
But it’s no coincidence that Brown is giving Avery such exposure. Antoine Wright, Brown’s oldest son, now 23, was also involved with First Tee at 12.
“Antoine was interested in golf at a young age. He liked the program and it was free for him to participate, it was great,” Brown says.
How The Game Is Played: County Figures Support First Tee
“All you have to tell me is that there will be an opportunity to play golf when we get there, and I’m there. I start packing to go,” says Dianne Proctor who is Chair of the First Tee Committee in Prince George’s. Proctor and her husband, Steve, are the leading duo at G.S. Proctor & Associates, Maryland’s largest minority-owned lobbying agency. Most importantly, she’s an avid golfer with a winning record on and off the green.
“I’ve only been playing for 10 years but I love the game,” Proctor said. “It has led to some great relationships and I think that at First Tee young people learn how to build relationships, have good sportsmanship, respect for each other and build confidence and life skills.”
It’s a sentiment repeated by a number of county trendsetters who are lending their voices – and influence - to the support of First Tee.
Tom Graham is Vice-Chair for the Prince George’s County First Tee Committee. A former professional athlete, Graham says he stands with the character-building long term lessons that First Tee will give.
“I always tell people that if someone will try to cheat you on the golf course, they will try to cheat you in business,” says Graham. “It’s not just what you’re learning from the field [when you participate in a sport], it’s about what you’re learning from the process. What you’re learning about is your work ethic, what you’re learning about [is] your commitment to excellence and accountability. I’m from the Bill Belichick School: everybody just do your job. Do your job and we’re all successful. At First Tee, you’re learning about values you can build on through your entire life, not just golf. The skills you learn from golf are the skills that will carry you throughout your life.”
James W. Cornelson, president and CEO of Old Line Bank, was a key sponsor of the event. The committee honored Cornelson with an award for his support at the reception.
Steve Proctor brings his leadership and vision to the First Tee committee in helping to bring so many together.
Prince George’s County At-Large Council Member Calvin Hawkins chats with Maryland Attorney Bill Shipp
“The objective was to get the word out to the business, elected and faith communities that First Tee is back in Prince George’s and that was successful,” Steve Proctor says. The room was bursting with high-value leaders from lawmakers in Annapolis to entertainment executives at MGM National Harbor. “They also heard the message that we will have a key event in April next year at Top Golf. People are already telling me ‘I’m in,’ so tonight is a huge success.”
When asked what brings people to such clarity in participating, the veteran lobbyist simply says, they get it.
“They come because they see the importance of First Tee and programs like it,” he says. “They understand because they’ve been there [in their own growth to become successful in life and career]. And they know what this will do for our community.”
Dianne Proctor and Jim Cornelson. PHOTO: CAROL DAY // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
Bright Lights: The Leaders Who Set The Tone
The four new program locations in 2020 will allow well over 200 additional initial participants to join First Tee. In order to support that new wave of youth; coordinated support – including financial efforts – are planned through public and private sources.
Said County Chief Administrative Officer Major Riddick: “The County Executive wants to be certain that she touches the lives of the youth in Prince George’s County and there’s no better way to do that than through programs like First Tee. She would tell you that she is Prince George’s County Proud.”
County Council Chair Todd Turner remarked that living at the Villages of Upper Marlboro in his early years in Prince George’s County gave him direct access to golfing—even if the proximity didn’t improve his game. “I keep saying that as soon as I get good enough, I will get new clubs. Obviously, that hasn’t happened. But the opportunity that these young people will have with First Tee is something that we can all be proud of.”
County Councilmember Calvin Hawkins spoke of the direct impact golf “Everything that First Tee represents is the experience that I had the a chance to benefit from,” he said explaining the way his early experiences helped to set the character tones that helped him to prevail in life – even over obstacles. “[Those lessons also helped me] to have the kinds of character tools to build the campaign that got me into office and allowed me to be here today. I’m so proud that First Tee is coming back to Prince George’s.”
CAO Major Riddick speaks with Cierra Jackson and Tom Graham. PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
Former Washington Redskins football player and Super Bowl veteran Gary Clark. PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
Former Washington Redskins football player and Super Bowl veteran Gary Clark brought star power to the conversation.
“You already see what the program has done,” Clark said nodding to Xavier and Makaila, seeking to drive home the value of the numbers of future leaders the program will yield. “Your money is well spent in supporting youth programs and groups like First Tee. What you get from it are young people like this who see what you are doing today and they will grow and want to lead and give back to their communities in years to come.”
Steady As They Grow: First Tee Youth Get Ready For Leadership
Positive character traits are stressed at First Tee as much as the lessons on the golf course.
While dozens of talented golfers who’ve come through First Tee in locations around the nation have gone on to play at a professional level, thousands have gained the essential skills to be successful in life.
“Let’s face it,” says Steve Proctor “most of these kids are not going to be professional golfers but they will all be citizens, they’ll all be neighbors and that will be ready to be successful at whatever they do because of programs like First Tee teaching them how to make and build relationships, how to negotiate challenges and how to cope with decision-making.”
Just as Xavier Francois describes himself as a veteran of First Tee after eight years, he does so not because a decade is such a long time but perhaps because in the game for a better life, the basic rules for success don’t change much and he’s been consistently practicing them since childhood.
Whether he’s in front of his peers at graduation or a local VIP reception or accepting a presidential nomination, his approach will be consistent.
He walks up to the podium, leans into the microphone looking across the audience as if he knows each one personally.
“Good evening,” he begins.
