WASHINGTON — Young kids in the area that are a part of the First Tee of Greater Washington, D.C. had the chance last week to play golf and learn life skills in a camp hosted by former NFL wide receiver, and Super Bowl MVP, Santonio Holmes.
The camp was held at Langston Golf Course in Northeast throughout the week as part of Holmes organization 10 All In, which helps teach kids the game of golf through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) elements.
Holmes' weeklong camp is helping communities across the nation, especially ones where golf is still growing in popularity, and may not have been afforded the opportunity to learn the game.
"After spending 20, almost 30 years of my life playing football, I realized there's a sport that I could actually compete at for the rest of my life. And I don't have to be a professional to compete ... And to see the young kids who were actually involved in the first tee program, seeing that they have a love and respect for this game," said Holmes. "It has just created a mindset that I want to involve every kid in the world to be able to play this game. And it shouldn't matter about not having opportunities to have funds to play this game."
Super Bowl MVP teams up with First Tee
Langston Golf Course set a historic moment for the program to pull from the course's historic past as one of the first African-American-run golf courses in the United States when the sport was mostly played by only wealthier white communities.
The kids at Holmes' camp also got to see how the sport of golf is fighting for more inclusiveness through one of the instructors at the camp, Lennard Long.
Long, a recent graduate of Morehouse College, is back in his hometown of D.C., teaching as an instructor and organizer with the First Tee, helping kids who grew up in the same community he did, just like the elders of Langston Golf Course did for him in his youth.
"I was one of these kids at some point ... so, if I could influence these kids in the way my mentors up there (at Langston Golf Course) have influenced me — that's special," said Long.
Holmes believes that his organization, 10 All In, and organizations like the First Tee, can help minority youth learn skills through golf. He himself credits the game for giving him an outlet after his professional football career ended.
"I think that's what is missing from this sport, is the fact that educating kids how to compete, and what that does for you in, in the real world, you know, it just opens up more opportunities," said Holmes. "If we want to become diverse and inclusive, we have to create more opportunities for our kids to see the success of other people and how they interact and use this game to grow as well."
The First Tee of Greater Washington, D.C. program is part of the nationwide First Tee organization. This local chapter serves Washington D.C. and its neighboring outside areas within Virginia and Maryland.
Nationals Links Trust is the nonprofit organization that manages the three public golf courses in D.C. Learn more here.
To learn more about the work of the First Tee of Greater Washington, D.C., click here.
