First Tee Impact Stories – Spring 2022
Keira Joshi began as a First Tee participant at age seven alongside her twin brother, Kyzar. 10 years later, they are still active with First Tee and working diligently toward achieving ACE level certification, the highest achievement a participant can reach within the program. This winter, Keira and Kyzar participated in the 2022 First Tee Leadership Series in partnership with the PGA TOUR Superstores. The Leadership series is an interactive five-week series designed to provide teens the opportunity to discover their personal values and emerging leadership strengths. For the last three years, Keira and Kyzar have also volunteered to coach younger classes in Braintree, Natick, and Norton.
During the 2021 summer season at age 16, Keira participated in several Mass Golf events including the Massachusetts Women’s Amateur, where she qualified for match play. She also won the Osgood Memorial Trophy for Low Net score during the qualifying rounds, becoming the first teenager to win the honor since Isabel Southard did so in 2014 at age 19. Joshi was also selected to the Mass Golf team for the New England Junior Amateur Invitational, becoming part of the squad that swept the girls and the boys team competitions. Joshi also finished tied for seventh with scores of 79-75 at the Mass Golf Girls Junior Amateur, and tied for second at the Challenge Cup Girls Championship with rounds of 80-72.
“Participating in First Tee means learning important life skills, such as honesty, integrity, and perseverance, on and off the golf course.” Joshi said. “Being introduced to those skills at a young age has given me the tools necessary to accomplish all that I have done, and still hope to do, in golf. Competing at the New England Junior Amateur and representing Team Massachusetts was one of the highlights of my Summer. I love to compete and love being on a team, and I hope to continue both of those by playing golf at the collegiate level.”
Now a junior at Ashland High School, Keira competes on the boys’ golf team since her school doesn’t have a girls’ team. Not letting that stop her, Keira is now a co-captain and has helped her team qualify for the Boys sectional tournament the past three years. She is also excited to play as an individual at the Girls Sectional Tournament this spring.
An accomplished athlete and student, Keira is also a varsity swimmer, Student Council Board Member, and Honor Roll Student.
David Jope is a sophomore in high school and has been involved with First Tee since he was seven years old. Jope has taken First Tee classes at three out of our seven locations, including Brockton, Norton and Hyannis. Today, he is progressing through the Eagle level at our Norton location, The Links at Mass Golf.
Jope is currently on the Varsity Golf team at his high school and earned his varsity letter last year as a sophomore in the Fall of 2021. He also received the team’s Most Improved Award for his growth and development following his freshman campaign.
“I think that award reflects a lot of what I learned in First Tee,” David said. “For example, I was taught that perseverance means I must continue even when I make a mistake or when things are difficult. This lesson helped me continue throughout the ups and downs of the high school season. Without First Tee, I never would have connected with the coaches and other golfers who have made my golf journey so much fun and such a great experience.”
Jope is also involved in Boy Scouts where he is currently a Life Scout and is pursuing the rank of Eagle Scout. Throughout his scouting years, he has earned 75 merit badges. His favorite badges are Golf, Personal Fitness, First Aid, Landscape Architecture and Nature.
Interested in being featured in one of First Tee’s Impact Stories? Email Program Manager, Allyson Mollung at [email protected].