First Tee – Coach of the Year
Anthony Rodriguez | First Tee – Met New York

At FTMNY, our mission is built on people: young participants discovering who they are through the game of golf, and coaches who guide them with patience, care, and tools for success. Among these dedicated mentors stands one extraordinary leader — Anthony “A-Rod” Rodriguez, our Senior Program Director.

Anthony’s journey began right here in New York, where he first picked up a golf club at just sixteen after watching a young Tiger Woods win the U.S. Amateur Championship. The game transformed him, teaching him discipline, confidence, and possibility — lessons he carries into every program he leads. After college, Anthony pursued a prestigious internship with the PGA Tour, then spent nearly a decade learning every corner of the golf industry — from public courses to private clubs and world-class resorts across the Southeast. He worked tirelessly through the PGA Program to achieve Class A status, eventually earning his first Head Professional role in Maryland. But when the opportunity arose to return home and serve First Tee – Met NY, he did not hesitate. He came back to give young people the same gift that changed his own life.

Today, Anthony is a mentor, teacher, and role model to hundreds of young people who walk onto the course not just to play golf, but to learn about honesty, resilience, and believing in themselves. He shows them that the skills built on the fairways echo far beyond them — shaping who they become as students, friends, and future leaders. His recognition as National Coach of the Year is not only a celebration of his excellence — it is a celebration of every young person whose life he has touched. Congratulations Coach Arod!