Sports
Welcome to YMCA Youth Sports. Y sports nurture the potential of our kids by emphasizing fun, skill development, sportsmanship, and teamwork in a positive environment. Children learn skills and build character while staying active, having fun, and making friends! Our programs progress with your child’s needs and abilities, from introductory to competitive.
YMCA Youth Sports Philosophy
The YMCA stresses child-oriented attitudes by keeping winning in perspective, having fun, improving physical fitness, and working with the whole child. The YMCA wants the quality of play to improve in order to meet the needs of all participants whatever their ability and skills.
The YMCA accomplishes this by training adult volunteers in clinics and workshops that the child comes first and winning comes second. The key for coaches and parents is to keep winning in perspective. Competition will happen in youth sports without any external pressures. It is important to keep competition at a level appropriate for the athlete.
The goal of the Youth Sports program is to help the child grow to his/her fullest potential in mind, body, and spirit. Activity helps the body grow; thinking advances the mind; and belief makes our spirit grow.
Youth Sports
YMCA youth sports encourage and promote healthy kids, families and communities by placing a priority on family involvement, healthy competition rather than rivalry, the value of participation over winning, team-building as well as individual development, a positive self-image, a sense of fair play and mutual respect for others. Parents are encouraged to be more than mere spectators, by contributing their time as volunteer coaches – as well as being their kid’s greatest fan.
Basketball
Recreation Basketball League
New! Winter Basketball Clinics
Work on your basketball skills in a fun and supportive environment. Together we’ll work on fundamental basketball skills that will make you a better player and teammate. These clinics are made possible by a partnership between the YMCA and Catch Spokane. Dinner will be provided for clinic participants from 5:45-6:30pm. Click to register.
K – 2 League
The YMCA Recreational Youth Basketball program allows your child to play without the pressure of competition while focusing on building skills and teamwork. We offer separate divisions for boys and girls. League play consists of 6 games taking place on Monday & Friday nights and/or Saturdays. Games are played at City & Valley Schools, and the Warehouse. Coaches schedule their practices at the coaches’ meeting which is January 10, 2019 and will contact their teams following its conclusion. Guaranteed Registrations ends on January 10th. Non-Guaranteed Registration ends on January 18th.
Grades 2 – 6
The YMCA Recreational Youth Basketball program allows your child to play without the pressure of competition so they can focus on building skills and teamwork. We offer separate divisions for boys and girls. League play consists of 4 games taking place on Saturdays at our YMCA Branches. The YMCA forms teams by grade and school. (Coaches will contact their players with practice days, times and locations following coaches’ meeting). Volunteer coaches are needed. Coaches meeting will be on March 3rd. End of guaranteed registration is on March 3rd. End of Non-Guaranteed registration is on March 15th.
Spring Competitive Basketball League
Team Registration Only. This league is designed to be more competitive than the YMCA recreational league, yet still provides a positive experience for all. Coaches register their team, schedule their own practices and teams provide their own uniforms. Teams will play 8 games during the season (unless forces out of our control occur) and end in a seeded, single elimination tournament. Regular season games are played on Wednesdays and depending on the size of the league, Tuesdays. Tournament games can be played on Tue/Wed.
Register for Competitive Basketball
Basketball was invented in 1891 when James Naismith wanted a sport that was less prone to injury than other sports at the time and could be played indoors during the cold winter months. Hanging simple peach baskets on the wall and using a soccer ball, Naismith created the game of basketball and wrote the first 13 rules of the game. It was seven years later before they cut the bottom out of the peach baskets! That was seven long years of climbing ladders to retrieve the ball! Volunteer Coaches: All YMCA sports leagues are coached by volunteers; the YMCA does not provide paid coaches. We are always looking for great coaches for all sports. If you are interested in joining our team as a volunteer coach, please contact us at 509 777 9622.
Football
Tackle
Spring Grid Kids USA Heads Up Tackle Football League
Heads Up Football® is USA football’s national initiative to help make the sport of football better and safer. Y tackle football leagues are designed to teach children fundamental football skills, rules of the game, teamwork, strategy and sportsmanship. Skills taught include catching, passing, offensive and defensive skills. Our tackle football is for boys and girls 7-14 years of age, grades 3-4 and 5-8.
Registration fees include game jerseys, league t-shirt, mouth guard, chin strap, helmet and pads. Participants must wear YMCA equipment at all times. No personal gear will be allowed.
Flag
NFL Flag Football
Our NFL Flag Football teams are geared toward kids who want to play flag football in a less physical environment but still gain the fundamentals of the sport – and most importantly – HAVE FUN!
Our flag football is for boys and girls 6-12 years of age, grades 1-2 and 3-8. Football players should anticipate a challenging program that focuses on fundamentals and good sportsmanship.
Volunteer Coaches: All YMCA sports leagues are coached by volunteers; the YMCA does not provide paid coaches. We are always looking for great coaches for all sports. If you are interested in joining our team as a volunteer coach, please contact us at 509 777 9622.
League Coming Fall 2019
Football Combine
YMCA’s football combine lets players show off their natural athletic ability with specifically timed/measured events such as the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, shuttle, etc. One of the main reasons to attend a football combine is to get measurable information about your skills. Combines can provide good, quantifiable information about your athletic ability, which can help you see how you measure up against other players. Knowing what you need to improve on can help you when competing against other athletes. Open to players ages 6-15.
We’ll see you Fall 2019!
Volleyball
Ready. Set. Spike!
New! Winter Basketball Clinics
Build skills on the basics of volleyball by attending one or all of our unique clinics. They are designed for 7th – 10th graders looking to play in junior high and high school. Each clinic is an hour in length (7pm to 8pm) and are formatted to cover 1 fundamental skill per clinic. A free dinner will be served from 5:45 to 6:30. Click to register.
Hit the court with the folks who invented the game – the Y! The first volleyball game was played at Springfield College in 1896. The philosophy of YMCA youth sports programs is to use sports as a tool to develop each participant physically, mentally and spiritually.
Emphasis is on teaching the values of good sportsmanship, teamwork, goal setting and skill development in a fun, esteem-promoting atmosphere. Children will have the opportunity to learn the basic volleyball fundamentals such as underhand serving, setting, hitting, and digging in a non-competitive environment.
Volunteer Coaches: All YMCA sports leagues are coached by volunteers; the YMCA does not provide paid coaches. We are always looking for great coaches for all sports. If you are interested in joining our team as a volunteer coach, please contact us at 509 777 9622.
Parents
YMCA youth sports encourage and promote healthy kids, families and communities by placing a priority on family involvement, healthy competition rather than rivalry, the value of participation over winning, team-building as well as individual development, a positive self-image, a sense of fair play and mutual respect for others. As parents, we encourage you to become more than just spectators but to consider being a volunteer coach – as well as being your child’s greatest fan!
There’s a lot to know as a youth sports participant parent and we want you to have all the information you need. This information is just for YOU so please spend some time reviewing this material.
| Positive Parenting | Parent General Information |
| Parent & Player Code of Ethics | Healthy Snacks |
| Top 10 Tips for Sports Parents | Program & Insurance Information |
| YMCA League Picture Forms |
Parent Information For Football
Grid Kids USA Heads Up Tackle Football Grades 3-4
Grid Kids USA Heads Up Tackle Football Grades 5-8
NFL Flag Football Grades 1-2
NFL Flag Football Grades 3-8
Parent Information For Volleyball
Fall 2018 (Sept – Oct)
Coaches
Rewarding commitment
Give a little get A LOT!
Lifetime of impact
BE A YOUTH SPORTS COACH TODAY.
Volunteers needed for basketball, flag & tackle football, and volleyball.
Coaches Information – All Leagues
Giving you the tools and information you need for success is crucial to having happy kids, parents and coaches. Part of being a coach includes having all background checks and paperwork returned to Program Director prior to approval and the start of practice. Bold content is required paperwork and the rest is information we strongly suggest you review in preparation for a great experience for everyone.
Team Forms
Roster Waiver
Coaching Material
Code of Conduct
Coaching & Core Values
7 Pillars of YMCA Youth Sports
Teaching Character Development
Team Information
General Information
Concussion Training
Concussion Information Sheet
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Training
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Pamphlet
YMCA League Picture Forms
*please click the above link and then scroll to the bottom of the page
FAQ
How do I get a refund?
Refunds will be granted minus a $10 administrative fee for requests made prior to practice beginning or football equipment is issued. A 50% refund will be granted prior to the first game. Once games begin, no refunds will be granted.
Is financial assistance available?
Thanks to the generous donors of our Annual Giving Campaign, and our commitment to strengthen our community, financial assistance is available to those who need it. As a mission-driven, nonprofit organization we strive to ensure everyone can learn, grow, and thrive through YMCA programs.
Processing financial assistance applications takes 5-10 business days. Participants will be able to participate or register for the league AFTER the Financial Assistance Application has been processed. To apply, please complete the Financial Assistance Application and either email Mike Williams or send to:
YMCA
Mike Williams
1126 N Monroe
Spokane, WA 99201
I can I register for any team?
Registrations are accepted on an individual basis. We build teams by grade and school only.
What happens when I sign up during guaranteed registration?
Guaranteed Registration: You will be placed on the school to which your child attends or played on last year. You will get your shirt/jersey before the game. If there’s not enough participants on the team you were placed on, then you will be contacted and placed on another team of your choosing.
What if I register late?
Non-Guaranteed Registration: To register after the program deadline we cannot guarantee your registration. Call the Program Director about team availability. After choosing a team with availability, you may register for the program. Shirt or jersey may not be available prior to the 1st game but will be supplied as soon as possible.
Does the YMCA provide insurance?
No. Program participants must have their own insurance.
Sponsors
Thank you to Bulldog Rooter
Financial Assistance
Accessibility for all
Thanks to the generous donors of our Annual Giving Campaign, and our commitment to strengthen our community, financial assistance is available to those who need it.
As a mission-driven, nonprofit organization we strive to ensure everyone can learn, grow, and thrive through YMCA programs.
Processing financial assistance applications takes 5-10 business days. Participants will be able to participate or register for the league AFTER the financial assistance application has been processed. To apply please call 509 777 9622 or stop by our corporate offices at 1126 N Monroe.
Adult Sports
Adult Basketball
Not ready to hang up your basketball shoes quite yet? Join out recreational league for those 35 and older. It’s a great place to meet other players, improve skills and stay active. League play consists of two (2) 40 minute games per night, with six (6) weeks of league play. Will your team make it to the single elimination tournament? Separate leagues for men and women are available. This is a C-level league for recreational play. League season is Sept – Oct, Games Sundays 6 – 10pm. For more information and to register, please contact Michael Williams, 509 720 5614.
Pickleball
Pickleball was created with one thing in mind: fun. It was designed to be easy to learn and play whether you’re five, eighty-five or somewhere in between. It is traditionally played on a badminton-sized court with special paddles. The ball used is similar to a wiffle ball, but slightly smaller. The lower net and wiffle ball allow the game to be accessible to people of all ages and abilities, while still allowing more competitive players to test their mettle. Pickleball is a racquet sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. Played with two, three, or four players, the ball must bounce once on each side before volleys are allowed. This opens the game to more players and extends play for added fun. We invite you to drop in and join a game.
Currently offered at the North and Valley YMCAs. Check Gym Schedules for days and times.
Financial Assistance
Accessibility for all
Thanks to the generous donors of our Annual Giving Campaign, and our commitment to strengthen our community, financial assistance is available to those who need it.
As a mission-driven, nonprofit organization we strive to ensure everyone can learn, grow, and thrive through YMCA programs.
Processing financial assistance applications takes 5-10 business days. Participants will be able to participate or register for the league AFTER the financial assistance application has been processed. To apply please call 509 777 9622 or stop by our corporate offices at 1126 N Monroe.