Leadership doesn’t always come naturally to Jessica Kent.

The Newport senior and three-time state qualifier in golf is mostly reserved and rather quiet, a far cry from the in-your-face leaders sports are accustomed to.

But after spending time with peers from around the country through a summit organized by The First Tee, a youth golf program aimed at making golf accessible to all populations and using it to instill social lessons, Kent is looking at herself in a different light.

After being nominated by the Seattle Chapter of The First Tee, which Kent has been part of since 2006, she rushed through the application process in only two days, gathering recommendations and responding to essay questions about leadership and its relationship to golf. To her surprise, the late push was enough to earn one of only 32 spots at the Outstanding Participant Summit, which brought together members from across the country to talk about leadership, the mission of The First Tee and meet Annika Sorenstam, one of the most accomplished golfers in history.

For Kent, it was an opportunity to take a risk on herself as a leader.

“I might be quiet at times, or I might mumble,” she said. “For me, it is about being more assertive.”

The participants spent the four-days in Nashville meeting with one another and leadership from The First Tee to speak about the ways golf can help build their communities and pass on life lessons. Kent said the experience was sometimes challenging, especially as the only participant from Washington, but quickly became another example of how golf, social interaction and networking can come together.

“I learned I’m a better speaker than I thought,” Kent said. “I have the resources to make change in my community.”

Newport golf coach Frank Nimmo said while she is not one of his more outspoken players, Kent is a consistent force on the team and has become the classic model of, “lead by example.” That was one of the reasons he named her a captain of this year’s team, a testament to her increased growth as a leader.

“She just comes here, does her job and has all the traits,” Nimmo said. “She’s respectful, reliable, plays with integrity, that is The First Tee’s foundation.”

Already a volunteer on the youth advisory board of her chapter, helping with fundraising, Kent said she has plans to become more involved in helping with youth classes and being on the front lines as a First Tee coach and mentor.

“I learned I could make a change,” she said. “It was all worth it.”