Connecting youth, sports and education
Pro Kids serves as a welcoming home to kids across San Diego with primary program locations in City Heights and Oceanside. We believe that all kids deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential – to become Pro Kids. 54% of our enrolled youth receive income-based or military status scholarships covering program membership fees, strengthening our promise to provide impactful educational and enrichment services to San Diego’s most vulnerable and challenged youth.
Pro Kids History
Pro Kids was founded in 1994 by former AFL/NFL player Ernest H. Wright, Sr. and a group of community leaders, who saw the game of golf as a way to help underserved youth develop the character and life skills required to find success in school and in life. In 2012, a second location was opened in Oceanside. Ernie passed in 2007, but his passion for helping kids succeed in life continues. Since 1994, we have seen more than 25,000 kids’ lives transformed through values intrinsic to the game of golf – honesty, confidence, and respect.
Pro Kids is part of First Tee, an international youth development organization founded by the PGA and other associations to advance the game of golf. First Tee modeled much of the founding programming after Pro Kids and in 1998, Pro Kids became a charter member therefore adopting the name Pro Kids, First Tee – San Diego.
For more than 30 years, Pro Kids has been providing opportunities and opening doors to youth in underserved communities. Since its inception in 1999, more than $3 million in scholarships has been awarded to Pro Kids Scholars, many of whom are the first in their family to pursue higher education.