Daughter of former PGA great ready to begin coaching career at Hilliard Bradley
HILLIARD, Ohio (BVM) — Aleya Peete was always destined for a life in golf.聽
Her father, Calvin Peete, was a former PGA Tour player who had a lot of success on the pro golf circuit. After learning the game from her dad, Aleya found her own success golfing in high school and college. But now, she will take on a new role within the sport.
Aleya grew up in Jacksonville, Fla., and has been around golf her entire life, formally beginning lessons around age 6. Predictably, she was introduced to the game along with her sister, Aisha, by both of her parents.聽
Calvin Peete was a native of Detroit who was a special golfer during his time on the PGA Tour. He taught himself how to play the sport when he was 24, and would quickly rise up to the professional golf ranks, where he won 12 times in his career. His first victory would come at the Greater Milwaukee Open in 1979, and his most notable win occurred years later at the 1985 Players Championship.聽
Known for his accuracy, particularly off the tee, Calvin also was part of two Ryder Cup teams in 1983 and 1985. By the time he finished his professional golf career in 2001, Calvin had made $3.2 million in earnings across his time on both the PGA and Champions Tours.
But perhaps Calvin鈥檚 biggest contribution to the game of golf was being a pioneer in the sport for the African American community. When he joined the PGA Tour in the 1970s, Calvin became just the fourth Black player on the circuit. He helped pave the way for successful African American players we see compete today like Tiger Woods, Tony Finau and Harold Varner III.聽
鈥淗e really was able to put a foot in the door for the Black community but also be proof that anyone can play golf,鈥� Aleya said. 鈥淗im coming from the inner-city of Detroit and making it as far as he did showed people that it is possible and he was and still is a role model for other young Black kids that grow up in the inner-city.鈥�
But even with all his past success and the impact he had on the sport, Calvin was simply seen as dad to Aleya while she was growing up.
鈥淓veryone always talks about how he was a special golfer but to me he was just my dad,鈥� Aleya said. 鈥淏ut once I got older I realized his past and all the work that he did on the PGA Tour which showed me more of the value of being coached by him.鈥�
Both Aleya and Aisha have taken away several parts of their father鈥檚 game and translated them to their own. Specifically, Aleya takes away the calm and professional demeanor Calvin always had on the course. When it comes to swing mechanics, she places a great deal of focus on hand position, something her father always put emphasis on.
In 2015, Calvin passed away at the age of 71. It created a difficult time for Aleya, who was in the midst of finals week during her freshman year of college. However, both Aleya and Aisha continue to keep their father鈥檚 legacy going, and remember him whenever they are on the course.
鈥淢e and my sister played in the National Minority Collegiate Championship that year in memory of him, and we knew that he would鈥檝e wanted us to play in that tournament,鈥� Aleya said. 鈥淧laying and coaching now is in some sense in remembrance of him as well.鈥�
Before Calvin passed, Aleya attended Ponte Vedra High School in Florida, where she had a successful prep golf career. The 23-year-old helped lead her team to state in both her junior and senior seasons, the latter of which her team was undefeated until regionals.
By 2014, Aleya was ready to play collegiately where she would join forces with her sister at Delaware State University. Aleya was a captain for the Hornets in both her junior and senior seasons, and holds fond memories of traveling to different tournaments while forming close-knit bonds with many of her teammates.
But perhaps the most special part of her four years as a Hornet was the opportunity to play alongside Aisha.
鈥淢y sister is my absolute best friend,鈥� Aleya said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been best friends since we were little and even though I鈥檓 in Ohio and she鈥檚 in Florida we still talk often. We鈥檙e competitive a little bit but it鈥檚 always been nice because I have been able to practice golf with her as my friend, my sister, and my teammate.鈥�
After graduating from Delaware State, Aleya moved on to grad school at Ohio State University, seeking a master鈥檚 degree in art education. The golfer has always been a star in the classroom, maintaining a 4.0 GPA all four years at Delaware State. She has enjoyed the arts since high school, but also loved leading and teaching, and combining the two into a career was the perfect situation.
Obtaining her master鈥檚 degree, Aleya was quickly hired as an art teacher at Alton Darby Elementary School where she will begin her teaching career in just over a month. But she will also begin another job this fall, which she has long aspired to have.
At a recent get-together with some present and former teachers from Alton Darby, it was mentioned that the head girls golf coaching position at nearby Hilliard Bradley High School was available. Aleya expressed her interest in the job, interviewed a day later, and accepted the offered position shortly after.
We are excited to introduce Aleya Peete as our head girls golf coach for the upcoming season, pending board approval. A huge thank you to Coach Burkhart for his time with our young ladies and what he鈥檚 done for the program.
— Hilliard Bradley Athletics (@HBHSathletics)
Although she has never coached formally before, Aleya does have past leadership experience. In addition to being a team captain in her playing days, the 23-year-old has gained valuable experience from her time with the First Tee program.聽
Aleya鈥檚 mother was an executive director for First Tee of Jacksonville for over a decade, and she grew up in the program while learning life lessons to take with her on and off the course.
鈥淚鈥檝e always been in that program and went there every single Saturday for my entire life,鈥� Aleya said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just such a wonderful youth development program and even the life skills and leadership skills I learned in that program I still work on today. I don鈥檛 only use them on the golf course but also my everyday life and it was and still is a wonderful program.鈥�
Aleya also became a junior coach during her time with the First Tee, and believes that informal coaching along with her past playing leadership will lead her to a successful coaching career.
鈥淚 have that informal coaching experience but I played in high school and played in college so I know what it鈥檚 like to be on the other side and know what players are looking for in their coach,鈥� Aleya said.
The newly-hired coach had always thought about a role in this position and is excited for her first opportunity to officially mentor younger players. Although COVID-19 continues to impact high school sports, Aleya was able to meet with her players and parents recently through a Zoom chat to officially break the ice on her coaching tenure.
Aleya will continue her impressive golf life and will keep the family legacy going in the sport. She knows her dad would be proud of her for taking this coaching job, and hopes to again make him proud come fall.
鈥淚 know he鈥檇 want to come to all my team鈥檚 matches and probably would get a real kick out of coaching me how to coach,鈥� Aleya said. 鈥淚 think he鈥檇 be incredibly proud and happy that I have stuck with golf for this long and that I want to continue to be in the golf world.鈥�
