And we've made the connection with Steve Young. Why don't we start the Steve Young Show? No Timmy out of the open? Okay, nevermind fall off a cliff. Well, Steve Young, Stevens what's up? Steve joins us on the UMA guest line, Steve, what's going on? Bro Hari Man, Steve, Yeah, there we go. We got to going. We've got a guest with us today. As we always for the the Steve Young Hero of the Week. Every week, camb Are and Steve Young's for
every Young Foundation honor a Hero of the week. So many individuals and organizations go above and beyond and have done so much to help so many, so we like to honor these individuals as the Forever Young Hero of the Week. And this week we salute First Tea. Austin Smotherman joins us. He's a First TA Ambassador. First Tea helps kids and teens build confidence, resilience, and strong character by combining the game of golf with meaningful life skills
they can use on and off the course. Since nineteen ninety seven, the organization has grown into a nationwide youth development program, reaching more than three million young people each year through schools, Golf facilities and community centers across all fifty states. Austin sputherman from first, he joins us, Austin, how's it going, Man.
Going? Well? Quite an introduction way to uh, way to lay the groundwork for what the first he does.
Yeah, Man, so, so tell us tell us about first t just beyond what it was that I read in the synopsis of what it is you guys do, give us an idea of how did you help these kids where you do it and what role golf plays in that building of some of these life skills.
Yeah, no doubt. I mean, I'm I'm fortunate enough that you know, before my golf skills became what they were, you know, the First Tea was a place for me that I was. I was one of those kids in the program learning life skills through the game of golf, which once you are exposed to it is enough enough. As I was, which I grew up in the First t of Greater Sacramento, which I'm a proud, proud alumni, and currently reside in Dallas where my home course, Trinity Forest.
You know, we host the First Tea of Dallas out there and to see it nationwide, to travel and I'll be able to play the game at a high level and to be able to give back is is pretty special to me. So yeah, maybe I'm I learned learned the game through the first team.
And you know he's you're talking to a pro here at him and UH and he was born and bred in the first Tea program and the first tea If you think about when I grew up, it was a boys and girls club and a lot of times the y m C. A or other other. It's like a place for kids to come together. And it's really i
mean it's inner city, it's out in the farmland. It's like they do a great job with the first team and trying to gather kids, give them life skills in the name of golf, and UH introduced them to the game. So that's what first he's done nationwide and and and then every once in a while there's a kid that comes to the program and turns pro and here you go.
It's it's it's pretty it's it's pretty special. But I mean to yeah, I mean, we've i mean, I'm assuming all of this here of you know, played played golf in some capacity, and you know, to to have the patients the confidence, the the ability to be around the game at a young age, which is what the first T tries to introduce. You know, you know it's kind of maybe an intimidating arena to go play in, you know, go to a golf course much more older people, adults.
You got to interact with you know, you've got to be able to you know, speak confidently, you got to be able to hold your own you got to be able to do all these things that you know are going to serve you well, you know later into life. And whether whether the official golf talent comes there or not.
You know, that's that's not the main outcome. You know, I was fortunate enough to have that aspect, but you know, others, you know, it's the way to go to college, way to form your resume, way to just grow as a person, and to uh the way to make impact in the community. Yeah.
The way you can help is there's for you know, First T Channels, a First Tea shims, just go Oakland, Sacramento, as you said, so like in the in your area.
There's opposed to if you've got if.
You've got a young kid that you know, get them off the phone, get them out and they'll learn skills. And you know, golf is just the is the is the gateway for it and and it really is about getting kids together, getting them off their phones and getting them some of the life skills and are really important. So I appreciate First T for what they've trying to do in the communities, and I'm sure they could take some of the nations. If you've got kids that could
be involved. The first tea I encourage you to kind of kind of jump in and another a small little bit of a small little bit that that you know, groups like first TA are doing to have kids learn real skills out away from the computer. So yeah, anything you'd add well.
Real quick to the website is first T dot org and there, as you said, many chapters and represented in all fifty states. First T Silicon Valley dot org is the one that I have right in front of me, and first T dot org for the main website, and I assume you can navigate from there to find the local chapter wherever you want to help, and you can donate and you can support first T First T dot
org slash donate to support the efforts. They say. Many chapters are also seeking coaches and Steve, I know, a couple of years ago, you cracked the code when it came to golf.
So I've cracked the coach crack.
I actually, I actually thought i'd cracked the code.
Now I have. I was confused. Wait can you can you can you share some of this wisdom with me?
Yeah?
Swing in a circle, bro. I've had so many people tell me a bunch of bowl like, oh, you know Tonate your lyrist, Oh you've got it. Like it's just not that complicated once you really break it down, and the fields are all by the way, whatever you think you're doing with a golf club, it's not what you think is happening.
And uh oh, I thought field feel versus real, real versus real. It's so true.
And and you think you're this athlete. He's like, it doesn't. It's just just so confusing. So you thought you I thought I broke the code.
I did.
I thought it, and then I didn't. But now now I have.
At one point Steve and Steve switched from left to right handed. I mean, that's how hard he was trying to break the good figured out.
So Austin, you don't, you don't, you don't know until you try it, all right, you.
Gotta do it.
You gotta figure it out, dude, this man, good luck.
On dot org.
Good luck Austin.
Thank you guys. Check check them out. I'm I'm, I'm so gracious to them. And yeah, the first He is an unbelievable program all over the country.
Awesome, great deal, Auston, some mother than first Ambassador First t dot org and check it out to help and support and donate to your local chapter.