Meet & Greet with Dee Abrams

This month, we’re talking with Dee Abrams, mother to ACE-level participant and Howard High junior Alex Abrams. The Abrams family resides in Elkridge, and also includes Dee’s husband of 21 years, Clarence, and 20 year old daughter, Taylor. Read on to learn more about this First Tee parent’s perspective on how the program has impacted her daughter. If you missed last month’s interview with Alex Abrams, you can check it out here.
ACE-level participant Alex Abrams with her mother, Dee Abrams.
Q: How and when did you first hear about The First Tee? 
A: Our family first heard about The First Tee program in a school newsletter about 5 years ago at the time we were looking for extracurricular activities for our daughter.
Q: As a parent, what appealed to you about the program?
A: There were many things that were appealing about The First Tee program but what stood out the most was that the program provided an inexpensive way for our daughter to learn the game of golf as she advanced through each educational level of the program.
Q: What has been the most surprising impact of the program on your family? 
A: The biggest surprise is not only did our daughter fall in love with golf but now the entire family has some type of interest in the sport.  Alex wants to play golf in college and is working hard to earn a college scholarship, her sister has participated in the Allied Golf program and we all spend time watching golf on TV as a family.
Q: How have you seen The First Tee benefit Alex as she’s moved up levels? 
A: The First Tee program has benefited Alex by improving her golf game as she progressed up to the ACE level and strengthening her confidence in herself along the way.  First Tee has played a big role in Alex being able to make her High School Golf team as a freshman and her being a key member of the team that has won multiple county championships.
Q: What would you tell another parent considering enrolling their child in The First Tee? 
A: I would recommend The First Tee organization to other parents as not just a quality program that will teach their child the game of golf but also a place that will emphasize important values that will build their child’s character.
Q: How do you believe parents can be most effective in supporting The First Tee? 
A: The biggest support parents could give would be to make sure that their child takes full advantage of all of the different opportunities that The First Program provides.  There are quite a few different events and making sure that their children are active participates helps make each event a success.
Q: Any advice for the program staff or board about how the program can be improved? 
A: I would recommend adding more opportunities for parents to get involved in either volunteering or having more golf activities where parents who play golf could bond and create memories with their children.