he First Tee Lehigh Valley attended the Sugra Memorial Tournament
 
Embrace Your Dreams HomeEmbrace Your Dreams HomeEmbrace Your Dreams Home
he First Tee Lehigh Valley attended the Sugra Memorial Tournament
 
 
Embrace Your Dreams HomeFred Keller executive Director and Ray Dandrea Program Director for "Embrace your Dreams" took time out of their busy schedules to come and speak at our club meeting last week.  "Embrace your Dreams" consists of two parts; one being the First Tee Program and the other the New Jersey Tennis League (NJTL) tennis program. 
     
         The First Tee Life Skills Curriculum is divided into three levels, starting with Par (for beginners) and progressing through Birdie and Eagle.  The Par level focuses on the fundamental communication and self-management skills. The Birdie level deals primarily with goal-setting. The Eagle level gives participants advanced instruction and practice on mastering Par and Birdie level skills, as well as additional topics, such as conflict management, mentoring, and career planning.
 
         The NJTL Life Skills Curriculum is also divided into three levels—Game, Set and Match.

         The program supplies the kids with everything they need to be successful in the program.   Coaching is the most important step in providing effective education in the sport and in life.  Both the First Tee and the NJTL look to give every young person the opportunity to learn important life skills.  Skills we may take for granted, Sportsmanship, Perseverance, Courtesy, Honesty, and play using a set of rules.  The young people have these opportunities afforded to them because of Fred and Ray's willingness to get coaches, staff and many many volunteers to come out and help the children become responsible citizens.  The program is working but in the Northeast because of the weather most of the programs are directed in the summer months.  This means that throughout the year these kids may lose some of the things they learned and need to readjust the next summer.  Fred and Ray are working on a way to get the kids to have activities after school in a new facility they acquired with help from the City of Bethlehem. 

          In this old warehouse they can keep teaching year round.  The youth are provided with all of the equipment they need to learn the sport they choose to be in.  Gold clubs, balls, gloves, bags, tees etc are all provided along with tennis rackets, and balls for the NJTL program. 

          If you would like to see the entire program please go to Emmaus Rotary on You Tube and you can listen and watch the entire program from last week courtesy of John Chisca.  If you would like to volunteer or become a coach or just see what "embrace your Dreams" has to offer please go to their website www.embraceyourdreams.org