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From: The First Tee of Pittsburgh
THE JOURNEY TO AMERICA WAS ONLY THE "FIRST" STEP
| | As an only child of Chinese immigrants, Eddie Zhang journeyed with his parents to America at the young age of 4 in 2001. Today, that little boy serves the United States of America as a Lieutenant Junior Grade/O-2 in the United States Navy. For Zhang, the growth he experienced over the next two decades was more than what could be measured in inches. As a student in the Franklin Regional School District where he attended Kindergarten through Grade 12, Zhang described his childhood self as immature and overweight. His parents encouraged him to be active, so he tried sports. Baseball and hockey. But couldn't maintain interest. With his parents' help, he found First Tee – Pittsburgh (FTP) about the time he was 8 years old. "I was super, super young and my parents wanted me to get out of the house and find something to do," he said. But what he found was so much more. | |  | "First Tee taught me many life skills such as perseverance, discipline, goal setting, and friendly competition," said Zhang.
| | | | The opportunity was much more than learning how to golf. "First Tee not only improved my golf skills, but it helped to build my confidence, resilience and develop myself as a leader," Zhang proclaimed. After graduating from the participant portion of the program, Zhang continued to be a part of FTP as a volunteer serving on the Junior Advisory Board and the Leadership Team. He was so grateful for his experience and wanted to pay it forward. He attributes his success to many key people who were then, and who some are still, a part of FTP, including coaches Leslie Russell, Marc Field, and Eric Amato, who now serves as the Chapter's President and CEO. "I was kind of a little brat growing up and they helped keep me straight. They were great mentors in my life, and I love letting them know how much they helped me," said Zhang. | | Zhang attributes his ability to blossom in high school – the only Chinese American in a mostly Caucasian school – to the skills learned at FTP. Those same skills prepared him for what was to come after graduation when he went on to attend the United States Naval Academy from 2015-2019. Currently, he is attending the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC), located at Naval Support Activity in Panama City, FL. Upon graduation, Zhang will be fully qualified as a Navy Diving Officer and responsible for a specialized team of Navy underwater technicians. While he has made a 5-year commitment to the military, he is open to extending his duty. "It's an honor to lead men and women in the service. I'm going to keep doing it as long as I like it." While home over Memorial Day 2021, Zhang was thrilled to see the growth of First Tee – Pittsburgh, including the new Arnold Palmer Learning Center – the only one of its kind in the country. He was also pleasantly surprised by many young Asian kids participating in the programs. Zhang considers himself very fortunate to be where he is today. "I am living an unbelievably blessed life and thankful for everyone who helped me along the way.
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