About

Clint joined the First Tee of Greater Washington, DC in October 2012 and has been around the game of golf most of his life. He grew up in Gaithersburg, MD playing at Montgomery Village Golf Club. In 1998, Clint graduated from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida with a degree in Sport Management. He has worked in and around Washington, DC since 2001 and has been working in youth development since 2007. Clint lives in Alexandria, VA with his wife Jessica and their daughter Josephine.

Katie is a Michigan native who has been playing golf most of her life.  She was introduced to golf by her father and maternal grandfather.  She started playing at the age of 8 years old and grew up on the 6^th green of the local country club.  During the summer she spent many hours playing with her grandfather and his friends.  Her favorite memory of junior golf was playing golf at night with her father until dark and the sprinklers would tur
n on.  She went on to play Division III golf at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.

Katie played golf at Hope College in Holland, MI.  She has a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science and a Masters of Education in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Athletic Counseling.

She is a The First Tee Coach and has coached at The First Tee’s Life Skills and Leadership Academy and The First Tee’s College Prep Academy.

Dolly joined The First Tee of Washington, DC in February, 2012. She previously worked as the Program Manager at Fort Dupont Ice Arena increasing the number of children and families participating in ice
related activities and bringing ice sports in Southeast Washington more visibility through schools, community groups and youth organizations throughout the city. As a two-term Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Ward 7/SE DC, as an elected official of the District government, has represented voters in a Single Member District. As ANC Commissioner she considered referendum that affects her community including traffic, parking, recreation, street improvements, zoning, economic development, the District’s annual budget and more. She is the President of the Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance, a grassroots community environmental group to restore the beauty of a small watershed and park east of the Anacostia River. She provided administrative support to Covenant House Washington, the City of Takoma Park, MD Parks & Recreation Department, have led adult programming with the YMCA earning a number of commendations in her community and as an active volunteer with MPD/6th District Community Partnership and with nonprofits such as Southeast Partnership, Alice Ferguson Foundation and the Anacostia Watershed Society. Working on behalf of a strong nonprofit organization where their mission provides youth development is a joy and a passion.

Roger grew up in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia and started playing golf with his father at the age of 8. His father would drop Roger off at the golf course at Cacapon State Park on his way to work and pick him up after work nearly nine hours later. Roger fell in the love with the game during these summer days.

Roger attended Shepherd College for two years and was a member of the golf team during his time at the school. After college, Roger followed his dream to become a PGA member and started working at Norbeck Country Club in Olney, Maryland. He obtained membership in 1991.

For the next 25 plus years, Roger worked at three golf facilities within Montgomery County and was drawn to teaching young golfers. This was the aspect of a golf professional’s day that Roger enjoyed the most of any duties that was expected of him. Golf is a game for a lifetime and goals are easier to obtain if started at a young age.

Throughout his professional and academic career, Lennard has been motivated by the unifying power of sports, specifically in uplifting and bringing together divergent communities. As a member of the Morehouse 2019 graduating class and a recipient of the Robert F. Smith Student Success grant, Lennard feels it is his duty to uplift underserved communities. At Morehouse, Lennard earned a Bachelor’s degree in psychology — specifically, personality and social psychology — and its intersection with four distinct areas: being and the freedom of play; agency through play; accountability, and the responsibility of those who “gaze”; and activism through the authority of play.

Prior to joining the First Tee team, Lennard served as a Program Lead for Golf. My Future. My Game., where the mission is to create strategic alliance initiatives for education and career development in golf. Targeting women, millennials, people of color, and youth, we work to foster greater diversity in both the business and sport of golf. As a program leader, he created innovative ideas to increase participation rates, shape mentorship efforts, and engage young people in a meaningful way. The most compelling piece of Lennard’s experience was giving young people exposure to new environments and acting as a familiar and encouraging leader.

Growing up, Nicole always loved working with kids and wanted to find a way to integrate her love for sports into having a fulfilling career.  After earning her degree in Public Relations with a double minor in Sports Media and Analytics and Event Planning from Virginia Tech, Nicole entered the sports industry to explore her passion for using sport as a vehicle for change. Since starting her journey, she has been very grateful for the opportunities she has had including interning with The Washington Football Team, The Global Athletic Foundation for Youth, Virginia Tech Athletics, D.C. United, DC SCORES, Marathon Kids and The Players’ Impact. Nicole was also a member of the George Washington Sport Philanthropy Cohort in the Spring of 2020. She was immediately drawn to the work The First Tee after learning about the impact they have had in the youth development field and knew it was where she wanted to be!

In addition to her professional experience, Nicole has also been a swim coach for the past eight years at her neighborhood pool in Northern Virginia, where she grew up. Her hope is to use her coaching skills to serve as an example for the community that not all participants of The First Tee need to have a golf background to learn, play and have fun!

The First Tee Level I Coach

Tommy Smith is the The First Tee of Greater Washington, DC Instructor located at Dulles Golf Center. He has been a member of the PGA for 25 years, during which he has served as an assistant pro, head professional, and as a general manager. Tommy will be coaching The First Tee classes three Program Locations including Algonkian Golf Course, Dulles Golf Center and Pohick Bay Golf Course. He has worked at Woody’s Golf Range and spent 8 years at Army Navy Country Club where, as Director of Junior Golf, he developed one of the finest programs in the country with over 350 participants annually. He has been selected as one of the Top 50 junior instructors in the country by US Kids Golf. Tommy has also achieved the distinction of being recognized as a Master Junior Golf Instructor by the PGA. While Tommy is a renowned junior golf instructor, he enjoys teaching golfers of all ages and skill levels. When not at the Range you can find Tommy coaching one of his talented students at advanced tournaments or assisting the PGA of America with their many projects.

The First Tee Level I Coach

Bryce is entering his fourth season at Dulles Golf Center and the Chuck Will Golf Academy. He is a graduate of William Patterson University with a degree in Business Management. Bryce is a Level 2 PGA Apprentice who has also completed training and certifications in Video Swing Analysis, Junior Golf Development Programs and Club Fitting. His love for the game started as an 11 year old when he was introduced to the game by his best friend’s parents. He went on to play varsity all four years for Roxbury High School where they went on to be conference and county champions his senior year. He still has a love for competitive golf and plays in many of the MAPGA and local tournaments. Aside from golf, Bryce’s other interest include, hockey, soccer, cars and relaxing with his family and friends.

David grew up and learned the game in Bennington Vermont at age 9, where played High School golf and caddied at Mount Anthony Country Club. David graduated from The University Of Vermont in 1982 earning a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. David moved to the Washington DC area in 1985 and worked
on Capitol Hill for 3 years. David eventually got into the Golf business in 1999 working at Hilltop Golf Club rising to the position of Assistant manager. In 2009 David moved to the Fort Belvoir Golf Club where he is presently employed.

Mike was born and raised in Seattle, WA.  He has been a member of the MCG Golf Academy since 2009.  Outside of golf, Mike enjoys bass fishing, guitar, and movies. He learned to golf when he was 12 after finally giving in to his golfing father who took him to play with a buddy; a perfectly struck 3 wood from 200 yards on a par 5 was all it took to get him hooked. Ten years later he completed the PGA Professional Golf Management Program and Methodist University, where he graduated as the valedictorian earning his B.S. in Accounting and his PGA membership in 2010.  Mike is a Level III Coach of The First Tee.

Mike believes that golf is a game, and games are supposed to be fun. Golf instruction can sometimes get too complicated, and it is important to understand what the student is looking to accomplish and shape the lesson(s) around working towards the student’s goal. He truly believes a lesson to be successful when the student understands what changes are being made and why so they can properly practice on their own. He enjoys teaching students of all abilities, but introducing people to the game, especially juniors, is something Mike really enjoys. In addition to private lessons, Mike teaches The First Tee program at Sligo Creek throughout the year, and multiple junior camps during the summer.

Adam started his golf career in 1987 at Falls Road GC and has been actively employed in the MCRA golf system since. He became a PGA Member in 2005 and he currently works at both Needwood GC and Northwest GC. His current job titles include: MCG Golf Ambassador, MCG Training Manager, MCG Juniors Golf Communications Director, Recognized Coach The First Tee of Greater Washington, DC., and Boy Scouts Of America Golf Merit Badge Counselor. Throughout his career Adam has showed an enormous passion in player development helping thousands of kids and adults learn the game of golf. He was awarded the 2015 Middle Atlantic PGA Section Youth Player Development Award. Outside of golf his hobbies include attending Washington Capitals games, fishing, gardening, and spoiling his 2 German shorthair pointers.

Adam’s teaching philosophy is to create a comfortable relationship with each student or group making sure all leave a lesson with one positive and one goal to work towards. While his focus is making sure students adhere to golf’s core fundamentals, he remembers to take into account a player’s true authentic style.

Martin was born and raised in Washington, DC.  He has been a member of the MCG Golf Academy since 2009.  Outside of golf, Martin enjoys family life, participating in the lives of his two children, and staying fit. He learned to play golf as an adult, after playing basketball and football in high school and college. Martin is fortunate to have Marty Johnson, PGA and the late Bill Strausbaugh, PGA, as his mentors in golf instruction.

Martin believes we can teach a person all they need to know about the golf swing in 45 minutes. The rest is coaching; and coaching is about finding the quickest path to your success and enjoyment of the game. Martin is passionate about the opportunity to help you develop in golf. Martin oversees the entire Youth Golf Program at Northwest, and maintains a busy private lesson book as well. Each August, he hosts a High School Golf Preparation Camp at NW, the week before the county schools hold try-outs. Martin is a Certified Coach of The First Tee Program.

Kara Moore started playing golf at the age of 7. She grew up in Centreville, VA, and took lessons from long-time Virginia coach, Varden Dyer. Kara was a 4 year varsity golfer at Westfield High School in Chantilly, VA.
After graduating from Marymount University, Kara volunteered with The First Tee, and returned to Westfield High School as a golf coach.
Kara is enthusiastic about golf and has a passion for sharing golf with kids, teens and adults. She credits the US Kids Level Learning Program for a structured, goal-oriented, FUN was to help juniors love the game as much as she does.
Kara is with the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional division. She is currently an instructor with The Everybody Golf School at Oak Marr Golf Complex in Oakton, VA.

In 2016, Dustin Stearns relocated to Maryland to join the MCG Academy and The First Tee of Greater Washington, DC from South Florida. Growing up playing every sport imaginable except golf, Dustin learned (like many of his students) later in life. He played professional volleyball and roller hockey in his 20’s and early 30’s. Realizing golf was a true passion; Dustin attended the Golf Academy of America in Orlando Florida. Dustin fell in love with how people learn sports (specifically golf) and motor movements and went on to get a bachelor’s degree from Keiser College of Golf. He then earned his Master’s degree from the University of Miami in the department of Sport Science and Kinesiology. He will be starting his Doctorate in May from California Southern University in Sport Psychology. When not working or furthering his education, Dustin enjoys playing as much golf as he possibly can and spending time with his wife Tracey. He also enjoys studying Nutrition and Human performance. Dustin is a PGA apprentice in level 2. He is also a certified US Kids instructor and a The First Tee Level III instructor. In 2016 Dustin won “Coach of the Year” for The First Tee in Broward County. Dustin enjoys working on his own game and loves playing competitively on the South Florida Mini tours and in PGA section events.

While attending the Golf Academy of America, Dustin went from an 18 handicap to a 0 in 18 months. He understands the frustrations that many of his students feel. He is a no quick fix kind of guy. Golf improvement takes time and repetition.

Nathaniel Mills comes to golf from the sport of speedskating, where he was a three-time member of the U.S. Olympic Team.

Since retiring from Olympic competition Nathaniel has turned his focus to Olympic cooperation: As co-founder of the Olympism Project he’s a leading proponent of Olympic education, and he is a former Athlete Ambassador for Right to Play, which works to ensure that children everywhere have access to sport and play, regardless of economic or political hardship.

In Washington, DC, Nathaniel helps make Olympic ideals real for hundreds of children each year through The First Tee DC and through DC Inner City Excellence (DC-ICE), a skating-based youth development program which introduces skating sports to youth living in the nation’s capital, challenging them to become Olympians in Life. “Coach Nat” was the youth coach of World and Olympic Champion speedskater Shani Davis and of local Olympian Maame Biney, who first learned the sport with Coach Nat at Fort Dupont Ice Arena in DC.

As educator in DC, Nathaniel taught Global Perspectives and Alternatives to Violence classes at Wilson HS and School Without Walls, and he developed a pioneering Olympism Athletics program for the former Coeus International School.

Also a lawyer, Nathaniel works with the World Service Authority, where he is Vice President and advocates for world citizenship and human rights, particularly the right to travel. As Coordinator of WSA’s World Sports Commission, he is charged with advancing world citizenship through sport.

the first tee level i coach

George is a true Washingtonian, a product of D.C. public schools who worked for the city’s Department of Recreation and Parks. George has been a First Tee Coach since the Chapter’s inception in 1999.

The First Tee Level I Coach

John attended Eastern High School in Washington and graduated from D.C. Teachers College and George Washington University. He taught in the D.C. public school system for 34 years. During that time, he coached virtually every sport the system offered, from football and basketball to skiing and golf. He joined The First Tee of Washington D.C. in 2002.

Fred is Class-A PGA Member with over 18 years’ experience as a Golf Professional. Yet his ties to the game extend beyond professionalism. His family is strongly rooted within the field with his father, uncles, and cousin all serving as Class A-PGA Professionals. Fred developed his passion for golf at a very young age and he turned that passion into a career. He now shares his passion and experience with his students. Moreover Fred constantly updates and expands his knowledge of instruction by readily attending seminars, PGA teaching summits and club fitting workshops. He is a certified club fitter with several major vendors and has extensive experience using motion capture swing analysis video and Flight Scope technology. His teaching philosophy is to focus on core fundamentals and the individuals’ natural range of motion to create solid and consistent swing mechanics. Fred’s passion for the game isn’t just in teaching, he is also an accomplished player winning several events in the Middle Atlantic PGA Section. Thus he feels very strongly that instruction must be a combination of on course play and the lesson tee. His main influences are Butch Harmon, Mike Adams, Bob Toski and Dave Stockton.

The First Tee Level II Coach

Email: ctippins@thefirstteedc.org

Jeff has been a PGA class A member since 1992.  He has been in his current position as the Director of the University of Maryland Golf Course for the last 21 years. Jeff serves on the Board of Directors for the Middle Atlantic PGA and the First Tee of Howard County.  Jeff has a passion for growing the game of golf and has been a champion of player development programs for more than 20 years. His passion for growing the game is apparent by the number of new programs he has initiated at his facility as well as serving on the Section Player Development committee for the past six years. Jeff is very active in the Middle Atlantic Section, his community and at his facility in promoting the game of golf and for this, has been awarded the Middle Atlantic PGA 2018 Bill Strausbaugh Award for mentoring fellow professionals and 2019 Player Development Award.  Jeff and his wife Wendy live in Ellicott City, Maryland and have a daughter (Lauren) and son (Jarrett).

The First Tee Level II Coach

Ted is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Chicago Bears. He played college football at the University of Nebraska. In 1999 Ted was inducted to the Washington-Greene County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame and in 2000 he was inducted in to the Nebraska Hall of Fame. Vactor also served as the head football coach at the University of the District of Columbia from 1977 to 1982.