The First Tee of Chicago and Illinois Junior Golf Association are newest partners
CHICAGO, June 18, 2008 – Wilson Golf, a division of Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods, today announced its sponsorship of The First Tee of Chicago and the Illinois Junior Golf Association (IJGA), locally based organizations that have championed the youth golf movement in the Chicago area and throughout the state of Illinois. The newly formed alliances build on Wilson Golf’s history as a steward of junior golf development and growth of the game.
“Wilson Golf is proud to support these vital developmental golf initiatives,” said Tom Gruger, global marketing director of Wilson Golf. “It is our goal to enhance the experience of The First Tee of Chicago participants and IJGA members throughout the 2008 season and beyond. We look forward to continuing to positively impact the lives of Chicago-area children on and off the golf course.”
The mission of The First Tee of Chicago, the local chapter of The First Tee program, is to introduce the game of golf and the life skills the game embodies to inner city youth and provide ongoing golf instruction to interested juniors free of charge. In its eighth year of operation, The First Tee of Chicago continues to rank among the most successful chapters in the nation, annually producing more than 18,000 interactions with youth participants and offering approximately 250 junior golf clinics and programs in 2007 alone across three city-based learning centers at Douglas Park, Marquette Park and South Shore.
As part of its partnership with The First Tee of Chicago, Wilson Golf is sponsoring the Crosstown Shotgun, a golf fundraiser benefiting the Chicago chapter on June 20 at the Chicago Park District’s Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course. In its third year, the tournament coincides with the series between the Chicago Cubs and the White Sox. Following the morning shotgun event, participants will attend the game at nearby Wrigley Field to cheer on their favorite team.
“We believe it is time to take The First Tee of Chicago to the next level,” said Josh Lesnik, president of KemperSports, which has operated The First Tee of Chicago since its inception in 2000. “With allies like Wilson Golf, a true ambassador of junior golf, we can continue to grow our Chapter, its programs, and ultimately the number of children who benefit from learning the core values associated with the game of golf.”
The Illinois Junior Golf Association (IJGA), the second largest not-for-profit state-based junior golf association in the nation, has been conducting junior tournaments for more than 40 years throughout the state of Illinois. The IJGA annually provides more than 12,000 playing opportunities to its 2,500-plus members, conducts educational clinics and events and acts as a junior golf informational clearinghouse. The association’s annual lineup includes more than 40 Regional tournaments, six Junior Opens, the Illinois State Junior Amateur Championship, Team Championships, the Tournament of Champions and 33 Youth Development Program events throughout Chicagoland.
Wilson Golf is taking a vested interest in the IJGA as title sponsor of the Youth Development Program (YDP), in which members ages 6-13 focus on the fundamentals, rules, etiquette and overall fun within the game of golf as well as compete in Parent-Junior tournaments and YDP playing events. Throughout the course of the 2008 YDP event season, which began in May and runs through mid-August, Wilson Golf will contribute age and gender-specific junior golf equipment and accessories to YDP participants as well as provide on-site fitting opportunities at the competitions.
“We are pleased to count Wilson Golf among the supporters of our longstanding commitment to junior golf in the state of Illinois,” said Carrie Holub, executive director of the IJGA. “This partnership will help advance the Association’s ongoing efforts to enhance the playing and educational opportunities for our growing membership.”
Wilson Golf offers a premier collection of junior golf equipment, including the Wilson Staff Junior Boys and Girls, Wilson Staff Youth, Wilson Prostaff Junior and Wilson Hope Girl Junior lines. Just last month, the Wilson Staff Junior irons were ranked among Golf Digest’s 2008 “Junior Hot List.” Club companies were evaluated on the quality and options available in their junior lines.
About The First Tee of Chicago
The First Tee of Chicago, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is one of the most successful chapters comprising The First Tee network. In 2000, KemperSports joined forces with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Chicago Park District to found The First Tee of Chicago and carry out its mission to impact the lives of Chicago’s youth by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Three dynamic learning centers, located on-site or near a Chicago Park District golf course, service The First Tee of Chicago: Douglas Park, Marquette Park and South Shore. For more information, visit www.thefirstteechicago.org.
About the Illinois Junior Golf Association
The Illinois Junior Golf Association (IJGA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to providing playing opportunities for its members as well as conducting educational clinics and events while acting as a junior golf informational clearinghouse. One of the largest and most comprehensive junior associations in the United States, the IJGA has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 6-18) of approximately 2,500. For more information, visit www.ijga.org.
About Wilson Golf
For more than 90 years, Wilson Golf has designed, manufactured and distributed premium and recreational golf equipment throughout the world. The Wilson Staff, ProStaff, Ultra and Hope consumer brands continue that tradition today by delivering the highest quality golf equipment to enhance performance on the golf course and overall enjoyment of the game for all golfers.
Wilson Golf is a division of Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sporting equipment by Amer Sports. Visit www.wilsonstaff.com or call 773.714.6400 for more information.
Editor’s note
Press materials, including high-resolution images of Wilson Staff premium golf equipment, are available upon request.
Contact:
Kristin Schaner
847.480.4850, kristin.schaner@kemperlesnik.com
Susie Chang
847.850.2471, susan.chang@kemperlesnik.com
