September 2026 Mission Monday
A newsletter for volunteers, employees, and friends of the YMCA of Wichita Falls
Greetings from the Y!
As we begin registering kids for another season of YMCA basketball, I thought it was worth taking a minute to remember just how connected basketball is to the history of the YMCA.
In 1891, a young YMCA instructor named James Naismith was given a pretty simple challenge. He needed to find an activity that would keep young men active and engaged during the winter months. His solution was to hang two peach baskets at opposite ends of a gym, develop 13 basic rules, and introduce a new game.
Basketball was born.
What I appreciate most about that story is that the YMCA wasn’t setting out to create one of the most popular sports in the world. The goal was much simpler. They were trying to find another way to reach young people, keep them active, give them somewhere to belong, and help them grow.
More than 130 years later, that is still a big part of why youth sports matter so much at the YMCA.
Of course, kids learn how to dribble, pass, shoot, defend, and compete. But anyone who has spent time around youth sports knows that some of the most important lessons have very little to do with the scoreboard. Kids learn how to be part of a team, how to listen to a coach, how to handle disappointment, how to win the right way, and how to keep going when something doesn’t come easily.
Sometimes a coach becomes another trusted adult in a child’s life. A teammate becomes a close friend. A gym becomes a place where a young person feels like they belong or discovers confidence they didn’t know they had.
That’s the real power of youth sports.
As basketball registration continues here at the YMCA of Wichita Falls, hundreds of young people will soon walk into our gyms. Every registration represents much more than another name on a roster. It represents a child and another opportunity to make a positive difference in that child’s life.
For more than 130 years, YMCAs have used basketball and other youth sports to bring people together and strengthen communities. That work continues right here in Wichita Falls, and it is possible because of the families who choose the Y, the volunteers who give their time, the coaches who invest in kids, and the donors and community partners who believe every young person deserves the opportunity to participate and belong.
Basketball looks quite a bit different today than it did when James Naismith hung those first peach baskets, but the purpose behind the work hasn’t changed all that much.
We’re not simply building basketball players. We’re helping young people grow in confidence, character, relationships, and belonging.
That’s a legacy worth continuing.
With gratitude,
Jon Dearolf
President and CEO
IT’S GAME TIME!
YMCA Youth Basketball Registration is now OPEN!
Get ready to dribble, shoot, score, and have fun on the court this season!
Whether your child is new to the game or ready to take their skills to the next level, our Youth Basketball program is the perfect place to learn, grow, and be part of a team.
Register today and get in the game!
5th ANNUAL
GOBBLE WOBBLE!
Start your Thanksgiving morning with a little movement, plenty of fun, and a whole lot of community spirit! Join us for the Gobble Wobble 5K and 1-Mile Family Fun Run, an event the whole family can enjoy.
Whether you’re racing for a personal best, walking with friends, or making new Thanksgiving traditions, there’s a place for everyone at the Gobble Wobble!
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26th
REGISTRATION: September 1st - November 22nd
LATE REGISTRATION: November 23rd - November 26th
CLIMB TO
REMEMBER
We came together to remember, honor, and never forget the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and to recognize the courage and sacrifice of the first responders and heroes who served that day.
A special thank you to everyone who participated in our Climb to Remember. Your strength, determination, and willingness to take part helped us honor the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Together, we climbed with purpose.
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IT'S TIME FOR
KIDS NEWS!
Present by OSTC!
Our newest reporters are ready to bring you the latest happenings around the YMCA! From weather updates and upcoming events to fun activities and important YMCA news, our kids are taking center stage.
Get ready for smiles, laughs, and plenty of kid-sized news!
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