The challenge we face today is making golf one of the child’s top five choices and creating an affordable and practical solution to get kids to and on the course. Presently children are choosing team sports such as baseball, soccer, football, basketball, to name a few of their top five. I believe in order for a child to try a new activity and stick with it there has to be certain elements that exist. First, the choice must be fun. Secondly, they can participate with their friends. Finally, they have to experience some level of improvement. However, the most important goal is to allow the child an opportunity to try the new activity. In the Midwest, it is not uncommon that many team sports require an unfair commitment from the child and the parents. After researching several programs and discussing this challenge with over 40 parents, here are my discoveries:
Baseball in Northeast Ohio
- 80 game season
- Traveling league to the surrounding states
- Double headers on Saturday and Sunday
- Off-season indoor practice and games during the winter and early spring
- Investment from families averaged $3000, covering equipment, fees, and lodging
There are parents who look at these sports-related expenditures as an investment in the future, namely a college scholarship. But for most, that last reasoning is a fool’s chase: Only 2% of high school athletes receive athletic scholarships. In addition, if you are looking at a professional career for your kid, the odds in most sports are equally long for making the transition from college to the pros. Studies show 73% of kids quit their childhood sport by age 13 because it ceases to be fun. The pressure put on them by coaches and parents do not make it worthwhile anymore. BURNOUT! Soccer and basketball were also very similar. The days of hot-stove baseball with a three-month schedule no longer exist. So, where could there possibly be time to even try another sport?
Here is the framework and foundation of my Academy that insures its success:
(1) Little Tee Program, (Golf is their first impression)
- Ages 4-6
- In-school programs will reach out to over 200 kids
- Little Tee Summer Camps enroll approximately 100 kids
(2) No Cost In-School Gym classes for grades 1-6
- Flyer sent home with students reach out to 2700 + kids
- I can identify individual students with stand-out ability and follow-up
(3) Offer after-school programs (typically 200 + will participate)
- Flyer is sent home with students, all grades, exposing my academy once again
- Students that enroll will enroll into my summer camps 95% of the time
(4) Summer Camps and Clinics ( 150 -200 will enroll in various programs)
- Teach and grow the game
- Evaluate those who have the potential and desire to go to the next level.
- Transition those into competition on the U.S. Kids Tour. In 2010, 40 of my academy students became members of the U.S. Kids Golf Canton Local Tour.
- Offer private lessons, and/or preparing them for High School Golf, depending on their age. Currently I have 32 regular students
(5) High School to Scholarship
- This level filters down to the serious and motivated students
- Currently 8 students are involved in this program
(6) Continue to grow the game with every child I introduce to golf, for fun or competition
My teaching philosophy is quite simple, “Kids don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”. I can say this in another way. “Kids won’t learn from you until you learn from them”. That is why I act just like them. I conduct myself in a professional manner; however, I also let them hit me with water balloons. When I am this type of a person, they feel more comfortable and relaxed and this creates a better learning environment. At this point I can teach them a solid set-up, balance, and to keep those happy feet from dancing. Student’s experience more rapid progress when they learn the short game first. However, our first lesson will start with a lofted iron and some Birdie Balls. The reason is the kids want to hit the ball in the air and see it fly. This keeps them interested right from the start and then we will work on the short game. Now they are ready to learn and have fun. When my classes start like this, everyone enjoys the program.
Colin Powell once said,” There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” The most important factor is our customer, the kids. If you want to know what is fun, then ask them. If you want to know how they learn, then ask them. We need to listen to our kids. They are amazing! I have improved numerous lesson plans based on my student’s feedback during a class. The result is always the same, everyone had fun and they learned something new. I am prepared of course, but I listen as I go along and I will adjust if needed. If it is broke then you are suppose to fix it and you can do it while you teach. When I was a Director at The First Tee we had a slogan, it is Good-Better-How. I always finish my lessons asking myself and my team”what was good, what we can do better, and how can we make it better”.
