YMCA News Archive

YMCA CEO Glen Gunderson’s Perspective on Youth Development through Sports

jeffrey.needham — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 20:14:46 +0000

YMCA CEO Glen Gunderson’s Perspective on Youth Development through Sports jeffrey.needham Mon, 04/25/2016 - 15:14

Youth sports has a dynamic place in our culture and even our economy.

The incredible amount of time and resources invested in youth sports would beg the question: What are we doing?

Are we over-indexing? Are we too focused on winning? On specialization through year-round training and development?

In my own experience, the answer is yes to the above questions.

I’ve watched coaches at young levels – K through 7^th grades – actually spending time in practice preparing for an opponent, versus developing each individual player’s skillset and developing a cohesive team.

I’ve watched one individual, for three straight years, control the entire environment around a youth girl’s basketball team. He didn’t want any help, and he didn’t want any other outside influence. The development of the team and many of the players suffered as a result.

I’ve watched youth coaches breaking clipboards, kicking chairs, and screaming and yelling. Just remarkable behavior that doesn’t reflect our objective as stewards of these young athletes.

But striking the right balance and prioritizing the right points of emphasis is always a challenge.

I love to coach. If you looked at my calendar, you’d see how important coaching is to me. Sports have helped shape my children, build their confidence. I’ve heard my daughter and son both reference when they have to present in front of an audience, “Well, we’re in front of people all the time in sports, so it’s not that big a deal.”

My philosophy as a coach is to surround a team with as many capable resources as possible, so I’ve had as many as five or six coaches supporting the development of one youth basketball team. A coach for every couple of players. May sound like overkill, but I contend we are far more effective developing individual skills and more importantly, conveying life skills.

This past basketball season, with my son’s team, we committed to platooning and everyone getting equal playing time. We won the first couple of games during a tournament in January. I believed we could go on to win the tournament if we provided most of the playing time to six or seven kids. I mentioned this thought to one of my assistant coaches.

“That isn’t our goal,” the assistant reminded me. “Remember, our goal is to develop all of the kids so they’re all positioned to contribute.”

He was right, of course.

We stuck with our process, and we did not win that tournament. But it was a good dose of perspective for me. Yet as the season went on, sure enough, all of our team members were able to contribute in meaningful ways.

I see some fantastic organizations that do some great work with coaches; the Positive Coaching Alliance and Fellowship of Christian Athletes come to mind.

It’s important that coaches have the proper perspective. At the Y, we’re not in it to build Division 1 athletes. We focus on instilling life skills and values in a way that kids take away something they will use for a lifetime.

We’re seeking to put systems in place that hold us accountable to a very high values-driven bar. We must hire the right coaches and invest in them. Be clear about expectations and give them the tools to focus on the right things.

At the same time, we teach kids that competition is good and that not everyone is entitled to a medal. There are winners and losers, and you may or may not get the job, you may or may not make the team, and you may or may not earn that first chair.

Disappointment comes early and often, and we have to teach our children how to deal with disappointment.

In one of our videos, a father named Kevin sums it up perfectly.

“It’s not just about sports,” he said. “It’s about building friendships, working with teams and learning life lessons.”

In the other video, Chris said playing basketball at the Y has given his six-year-old daughter Brooklyn confidence.

We’re fortunate that Kevin and Chris have entrusted the Y to help provide their kids the opportunity to learn basketball, have fun and make friends, and we do not take that responsibility lightly. It is not about how these youth perform on the field that matters, rather how they will perform in life that will make all the difference.

YMCA Provides Opportunities for Youth and Their Families to Develop Health and Wellness Habits

jeffrey.needham — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:31:35 +0000

YMCA Provides Opportunities for Youth and Their Families to Develop Health and Wellness Habits jeffrey.needham Thu, 04/21/2016 - 09:31

According to the Institute of Medicine, nearly one in three children in the United States are overweight or obese.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the state’s obesity rate was 27.6 percent in 2014 compared to just 15.3 percent in 1995.
Studies show that people who are obese face an increased risk for chronic illnesses such as heart disease or diabetes, and children who are obese have poorer school attendance and academic outcomes than their peers.
The financial burden of obesity in Minnesota was estimated to be $2.8 billion and growing in 2006.

The YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, strives to improve the health and well-being of all in the community by offering opportunities for youth and families to develop healthy habits.

Studies show that obesity rates are increasing and chronic disease is also on the rise. Obesity is one of the most serious public health concerns facing Minnesota. To help encourage healthy habits and fight chronic disease, the Y offers programs to engage the youngest members of the community and their families in health and well-being.

“At the Y, we introduce whole-life well-being at a young age to empower young people to continue practicing healthy habits throughout their lives,” said Jennifer Menk, senior director of fitness for the Y. “Developing healthy lifestyles around fitness and movement, eating right and getting the right amount of sleep when they’re younger translates throughout their whole lives.”

Menk added that the Y offers many programs to provide young people with opportunities to learn healthy habits, grow stronger and thrive in each stage of life, including:

CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health), a nationwide curriculum that the Y has implemented through a grant from UnitedHealth Foundation into its before and after school programs, both at branches and in schools, as well as into its early childhood learning centers. CATCH features games and physical activities that keep kids active as well as nutrition education to teach kids to choose foods that will give them energy and help them grow.
Personal training, which gives young people the option to engage in personalized workouts tailored to their fitness goals, whether that includes making the varsity squad on their school sports team, losing weight, gaining muscle or learning new skills.

See how the Y engages preschoolers in activities that promote making good nutrition choices and staying active – Healthy CATCH Kids.

Discover how participating in an after school program with the Y helped Quinn learn about eating healthy and getting active – Quinn’s Story.

Learn how working with Ronnie, a personal trainer at the Y, has helped teenage siblings Kelly and Jack build strength and make good health and fitness choices – Kelly and Jack’s Story.

Find out how the Jones family has gotten active at the Y, from kids Sam and Henry in child care to parents Sarah and Brandon after work – Henry and Sam’s Story.

When the Y engages young people in health, nutrition and well-being, it prepares them to make better choices throughout their lives and connects families to healthy living opportunities. These include group exercise classes for youth, adults, families and seniors; personal or group training to achieve specific fitness goals; and programs to combat chronic disease, like the Diabetes Prevention Program. The Y builds healthier communities by offering programs to help everyone meet their well-being goals.

Because the Y is a leading nonprofit committed to helping all learn, grow and thrive, financial assistance is available based on need.

YMCA Teaches Life Lessons Through Sports

jeffrey.needham — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:19:58 +0000

YMCA Teaches Life Lessons Through Sports jeffrey.needham Thu, 04/21/2016 - 09:19

Studies show that organized sports help kids develop and improve cognitive skills. More physical activity is associated with higher academic achievement and enhanced classroom behavior.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, high school athletes are more likely than non-athletes to attend college and earn degrees.
Studies by organizations like the Sports & Fitness Industry Association show that fewer kids than ever are not participating in sports. Nearly 20 percent of kids were inactive in 2014.
By some estimates, as many as 70 percent of youth sports participants drop out before high school – team sport participation peaks at age 11.

The YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, is committed to giving all youth the opportunity to thrive in sports programs that build character and teach life lessons, both on and off the court or field.

Studies show that youth in sports are more likely to succeed in school and develop important social-emotional skills like goal-setting, self-esteem and leadership. Today’s market has multiple options for kids and teens to participate in their favorite activities. The Y’s programs focus on giving everyone, regardless of skill level, a safe place to play, grow and thrive. At the Y, sports are an opportunity to improve their skills in an environment that emphasizes relationships and values over trophies and accolades.

“We want to use sports as a vehicle for broader life lessons,” said Thomas Chatman, association athletic director for the Y. “We want to be able to teach positive competition, we also want kids to understand it’s about having fun, it’s about social relationships, it’s about coming in and participating with community members.”

Chatman added that Y sports programs are built on seven pillars:

Everyone plays – everyone is assigned to a team and has opportunity for equal playing time in games, keeping players active and helping them develop skills as part of a team.
Safety first – sports are taught at age appropriate levels and supervised by well-trained coaches and staff
Character development – participants work together as a team while developing skills like communication, trust, respect and good sportsmanship.
Positive competition – players learn how to set individual and team goals, but victory is kept in perspective and does not always mean the numbers on the scoreboard.
Family involvement – parents and other family members are encouraged to get involved and volunteer during practice and competition, creating an environment conducive to open communication and positive role modeling.
Sports for all – the Y’s programs welcome all participants and they teach players to respect and appreciate all their teammates and competitors.
Sports for fun – participants will enjoy learning and mastering skills, participating with friends, and competing.

See how the Y’s youth sports model prepares all kids to thrive by building character and emphasizing teamwork – YMCA Youth Sports.

Discover how participating in Y sports has taught Brooklyn lessons both on and off the court – Brooklyn’s Story.

Learn how playing basketball at the Y helped Cooper make friends and gain confidence after his family moved to a new city – Cooper’s Story.

Currently the Y is focusing on five sports: basketball, flag football, track and field, soccer and swimming. The Y’s program offerings include skill classes, in-house leagues, all Y leagues, camps, clinics and sports training to meet the needs of all players at every skill level. The Y also offers adaptive sports programs, fostering growth and independence with adapted physical activity programs that, like all sports programs, provide positive and inviting recreational experiences, build social skills and help develop a healthy mind, body and spirit.

Because the Y is a leading nonprofit committed to helping all learn, grow and thrive, financial assistance is available based on need.