Dr. Glen Albaugh, a retired sports psychologist who taught at UOP, celebrated his 80th birthday, 9 years ago, by hosting a golf tournament at Stockton Golf & Country Club and inviting his friends and family from all over. Some special guests were PGA stars Charlie Wi and Scott McCarron. There were well over 150 people in attendance. All proceeds were donated to First Tee – San Joaquin, specifically to help cover costs of training and certification for coaches – Glen’s passion.
The event raised over $40,000 and we are forever grateful to Glen and his unwavering support for First Tee!!
—Ever get caught up in someone else’s passion so much that it becomes your own? This happened to me more than 9 years ago when an acquaintance asked me to help organize and work at a golf tournament. Dr. Glen Albaugh wanted to celebrate his 80th birthday gathering his closest friends to raise money for his favorite charity – First Tee – San Joaquin. What is First Tee, I asked? He explained its format of presenting core values and life skills to children 6 to 17 through the game of golf. Spending time with Dr. Albaugh, I couldn’t help but be curious about this wonderful program. Needless to say, after my first Saturday, I was hooked.
Dr. Albaugh has become a treasured friend and peer to me over the years. I admire that he continues to learn. Learning new ways to communicate and get his message out is not easy for folks that were not raised on computers or with internet. He has become proficient in both so that he and his message will remain relevant for years to come. A few other things to love and admire – he has a lovely singing voice and sits tall in the saddle, however he is not singing or riding much anymore. He is adored by his family, friends and peers. Our chapter is lucky to have him as an advisor.
Debbie Bond, Coach
—Glen is a close friend and inspiration. He has taught me to explore areas of golf and life, I would have never done on my own. Through our journey I have made great strides in my game as well as been introduced to many wonderful people around the world. His understanding of human performance and his willingness to share this information has made this game so much more fun for me and for every student willing to open themselves up to trying new ways to improve their game.
What Dr. Albaugh has meant to First Tee has been unbelievable. His commitment to helping young people build character and life skills are completely in concert with his teachings. He speaks to proper preparation to increase performance is no different than preparing for the challenges we meet in life. The information he shares also helps every golfer reach personal goals, which are usually, far beyond their expectations. First Tee is so lucky to have him be part of the program.
Jeff Tokunaga, Board Member