NYSGA News

The NYSGA is excited to start the New Year with its initiative to reach 3,500 kids in the greater Syracuse area with a developmental golf program in the classroom. Thousands of kids will now have their first opportunity to learn about the great game of golf in a structured educational environment as a result of the NYSGA’s $25,000 financial commitment to the National School Program for 2010.

A minimum of three schools in the Syracuse City School District and seven in the greater Syracuse area will introduce a curriculum that contains 24 lesson plans designed to include safe, fun and challenging activities for each student.

The First Tee National School Program, which launched in 2004, has reached approximately 900,000 elementary school students in its six-year history. The program is designed specifically for elementary physical education classes as its curriculum was written to align with national physical education standards established by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE).

The design of the National School Program curriculum integrates the learning of skills, concepts and core values in each lesson. One of the major skill sets taught in the curriculum include developing motor skills associated with striking such as putting, chipping, pitching, and the full swing in gradual progression. Another focus of the program includes teaching students the protocols for safe participation like taking turns and checking their personal space before swinging. Furthermore, the lesson plans emphasize the First Tee’s Nine Core Values: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, responsibility, confidence, respect, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.

A safe and effective school golf program requires developmentally appropriate equipment that fits the muscle coordination of beginners. Therefore, the First Tee National School Program features modified equipment such as oversized clubs, tennis-style balls, and a variety of targets to ensure safety for all participants.