This First Tee Week, we’re celebrating game-changing coaches like Libby Chamberlin.
The youngest of three siblings, Libby watched her older brother and sister take classes at First Tee – Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky for as long as she can remember. She wanted in. The moment she turned 7 and was old enough to join, she was ready.
“I was ecstatic,” she said.
Her siblings eventually found passions elsewhere, but Libby kept coming back, through middle school, high school and eventually into a coaching role she’s now held for six years. What started as a little sister tagging along has become a career shaped by First Tee’s values and the coaches who modeled them.
Ask Libby what kept her coming back year after year before she even fell in love with golf, and she’ll tell you: the coaches.
Tom and Mellisa Briner helped found First Tee – Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky and helped shape Libby’s path. Swing instructor Bill Donaldson has been a constant presence throughout both her years as a participant and now as a fellow coach.
“I want to give kids the same great experience with the program that I had,” she said.
Game-planning for the future with Ace
During her time as a participant, Libby was selected for two First Tee participant events: Game Changers Academy and Drive Your Future Academy. At both, she connected with participants from across the country and first learned about Ace.
The seed was planted.
In the spring of her junior year, Libby and her friend Abigail Laake decided to go for it together. They became the first participants at their chapter to complete Ace, meeting regularly with then-executive director Alicia Lawrence to work through it side by side.
Libby remembers those meetings vividly — not just for the work, but for what they meant during a stressful stretch of senior year.
“It was so helpful to have a mentor to consistently check in with,” she said. “I loved the way that the Ace experience encouraged me to create a game plan for life after graduation in all aspects of my life, like exploring ways to invest in my community and deciding how golf will fit into my life after I stop playing on a team. It provided me with an opportunity to explore who I am, what I want and what my long-term goals are.”
A coach is born
It was through volunteering in First Tee classes and serving as a role model for younger participants that Libby discovered her love for coaching.
Alicia encouraged her to pursue it, and six years later, she’s still at it. Coaching part-time through college deepened her passion for working with young people and pointed her toward a career in youth development and education.
She graduated from Transylvania University where she played golf while studying education and social change, developing a particular passion for literacy and learning outside traditional classroom settings. She’s currently pursuing a master’s degree in library sciences with a focus on public libraries and youth services.
The thread running through all of it traces back her First Tee chapter and the coaches who showed up for her. Now a Level 3 coach herself, Libby is certified to teach the Ace curriculum.
For any First Tee alumni thinking about getting involved again, Libby has a simple message: Reach out to your local chapter.
“I know it can be hard to meet people post-grad,” she says. “Helping out with a First Tee class is a great way to dip your toes back in while also giving back to the community — and it’s a fun way to get back into golf yourself.”
According to research from The Harris Poll and First Tee, 90% of parents believe coaches are the “unsung” heroes of youth development. But most parents also agree there’s a shortage of high-caliber coaches today. That’s why we’re honoring impactful coaches during First Tee Week, May 23-30, 2026. Learn more.
