Grow the child to grow the game - Kate Tempesta

Onto the second interview in the junior series. This time focusing on the very youngest golfers!

Engaging 3-8 year olds through age-appropriate coaching

My guest – Kate Tempesta (@PLAYgolfNYC, Kate Tempesta’s Urban Golf Academy). Kate is one of the few golf coaches that focus on the youngest golfers, working mainly with 3-8 year olds.

It is not about how to get more kids on the golf course playing golf. How can we make better human beings by bringing them this awesome sport? (…) Too much focus is on growing the game, and too little focus is on growing the child.

Kate Tempesta is Urban Golf Academy’s “Founder, Owner and President of Fun”. KTUGA is an extremely successful provider of junior golf activities in New York City, running weekly after-school programmes, summer camps, Central Park classes and much much more for kids aged 3 and up. As of early 2018, over 200 children attend their weekly sessions in downtown NYC, they offer golf activities in 25 schools and coach over 300 near-poverty children through their work with various non-profit organisations. Not to mention Kate’s multi-sport summer camps with over 1000 kids attending every summer…

In other words – Kate really knows what successful junior coaching looks like. Making an incredible use of her experience in early childhood education and movement, she is widely acknowledged to be one of the very best junior coaches in America.

In the conversation we discuss:

Kate’s story and how she started playing and coaching golf
The power of movement
Urban Golf Academy’s beginnings and results
Kate’s junior coaching philosophy
What’s a “birdieism” and how Kate uses them in coaching
Age-appropriate coaching and games
Growing the game
Example session
Importance of structure and connection
Parents and rules
Marketing strategies
Prop kits and opportunities to learn more about KTUGA’s curriculum, tools and approaches

Kate is rolling out new products for coaches very soon (Birdie Bundles, Birdie Boxes, Booster Packs, e-learning opportunities). Awesome prop kits to enhance your coaching for the youngest! Don’t miss out on a special offer for the first 25 coaches to get the products at the upcoming 2018 PGA Show – listen to the conversation to learn more about the offer and send Kate an e-mail if you’re interested in getting involved (kate [at] ktuga.com).