Our programs emphasize fun, character development, positive competition, and family involvement. Coaches lead players through drills and games that build skills, develop coordination and enhance a love of the game.

YMCA Youth Sports philosophy is simple: Everyone Plays, Everyone Wins.

7 Pillars of YMCA Youth Sports

Everyone Plays
The Y does not conduct tryouts to select the best players, nor do we cut kids from YMCA Youth Sports. Everyone who registers is assigned to a team. During the season everyone receives equal practice time and plays at least half of every game.

Safety First
Although children may get hurt playing sports, we do everything we can to prevent injuries. We’ve modified each sport to make it safer and more enjoyable to play. We make sure the equipment and facilities are safe and teach the sport so the skills are appropriate for children’s developmental level. We gradually develop your player’s fitness levels so they are conditioned for the sport. We constantly supervise our young players and stop any unsafe activities.

Character Development
Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility are about playing by the rules and more. It’s about you and your players showing respect for all that are involved in YMCA Youth Sports. It’s about you being a role model of sporting behavior and guiding your players to do the same. Remember, we’re more interested in developing children’s character through sports than in developing a few highly skilled players.

Positive Competition
We believe competition is a positive process when we put the best interests of the children first. Learning to compete is important for children, and learning to cooperate in a competitive world is an essential lesson of life. 

Family Involvement
We encourage parents or guardians to support their child’s participation in YMCA Youth Sports. We invite you to help as a volunteer coach, official, or timekeeper and encourage you to attend practices and games. YMCA Youth Sports offers orientation programs, a code of conduct to support fair and inclusive sports practices and games, and a set of guidelines to help encourage positive skills development and increase your child’s self-image and self-confidence.

Sport for All
YMCA Youth Sports is an inclusive sports program. We offer sports programs for children who differ in physical abilities by matching them with children of similar abilities and modifying the sport. We ask our adult leaders to encourage and appreciate the diversity of children in our society and to encourage the children and their parents to do the same.

Sport for Fun
Children love the challenge of mastering skills, playing with their friends, and competing with their peers. Sometimes when adults become involved in children’s sports, they focus on the outcome rather than the process. If we take the fun out of sports for our children, we are in danger of the kids taking themselves out of sports. Remember the sports are for the kids; let them have fun.