Coach Mary Ellen

Coach Mary Ellen loves the game of golf and sharing her love of the game with the First Tee families. She joined First Tee in 2021 and is a Level 2 coach. She has been awarded Kids Choice (2022) and Coach of the Year (2024). 

Coach Max

Max has been coaching with First Tee since 2020 and has been playing golf for nearly his entire life. During the day, he’s the digital executive producer at WXYZ. He grew up in Rochester where he started golfing with his grandpa, and eventually studied journalism at Wayne State University. In his free time, you can find him exploring the City of Detroit trying new places, rock climbing, running or on the golf course. 

Coach Neil

I have been coaching youth in a wide variety of sports since I was 18 as well as leading other youth based programs. I am retired from work and have 3 grandchildren. I really enjoy coaching with First Tee Greater Detroit! The programming with focus on youth development using golf as the vehicle is a great focus. I really enjoy coaching kids grow and seeing them develop in to great young adults, it is very rewarding.

Coach Teresa

Teresa has spent a combined six years volunteering with The First Tee programs in Eastern Michigan and Greater Detroit. Teresa coached golf at Kearsley High School, in Flint, MI and played golf at Siena Heights University in Adrian, MI.

Teresa is excited to join The First Tee of Greater Detroit team as a lead coach and continue her commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive environment for youth golfers.

Coach Sam

My name is Sam and I have been a First Tee Coach for a year! I have been playing golf since I was 4 years old. First Tee gives me the chance to give back to the Detroit Community by teaching the next generation all the life lessons golf has taught me and hopefully to also love golf as much as I do!

Coach Thomas

Life long Detroiter and class of 1982 Evans Scholar. As an Evans Scholar, we live by the creed of “Learn, Earn. Return.” And to always give back to the game that gave us our opportunity to succeed. I

This will be my 5th campaign with First Tee -Greater Detroit and I look forward to helping young adults learn to compete and develop the tools to become competent in life’s many challenges.