YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo

08/31/2026

𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐋𝐘 𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐍: What's Happening at the Y! 📣 Missed our Friday member newsletter? We've got you covered! Here is your snapshot of everything coming up at the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo.

𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐀𝐑:

🏊 Maple Y Aquatics Closed — pools & hot tub closed through Sept 7 for deep cleaning and repairs (locker rooms remain open)
🎆 Labor Day Hours (Mon, Sept 7) — 7-10am, Portage Pool open, Kids Zone closed at both locations. Join Sara's outdoor fitness class at Upjohn Park, 9-9:50am!
💪 Portage Strength Room Update — closed Tuesdays & Thursdays 1-2pm during the school year starting Sept 1 for special programming
🏊 Preschool Swim Lessons (Level 1/2) — new evening slots added at Portage! Fall 1 session runs Sept 8-Oct 24, ages 3-5
🏀 YBall 2026-2027 Season — registration is open for PreK through 6th grade, season starts Nov 9
🥁 Aqua Cardio Drumming — Thursdays, Sept 10-Oct 22 at Portage. Drop-in option available, no full session required!
💃 Adult Tap & Ballet — beginner & intermediate sessions at Portage this fall, ages 14+
🤸 Pilates at Maple — Fall 1 session starts Sept 9, with Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday class options
💪 WOW: Women on Weights — build strength with expert guidance, September-October at Maple & Portage
🧘 Restorative Yoga — Fall 1 session starts Sept 9, Wednesdays 6-7:15pm at Maple. Deep rest for body and mind
🎾 Fall I Tennis — programs are underway, but it's not too late to join! Pro-rated registration available for ages 4+

Head to the comments below for all registration links!

08/28/2026

After years of hard work, heart, and dedication to our facilities team, Linda is officially stepping into retirement! 🎉 Thank you for always showing up, keeping our doors open, and making every day brighter. Enjoy every single moment of your next chapter—you've more than earned it!

Help us send her off in style by dropping your favorite memories or well wishes below. 🥳

08/27/2026

𝐀𝐃𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇 𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐒: Our 7-week Adaptive Health Seekers program at the Maple branch is designed to tailor exercise to unique needs, ensuring traditional workouts are accessible, supportive, and effective for everyone.

Whether you're looking to build strength, boost overall well-being, or find a welcoming community, this program focuses on inclusivity and modified movement every step of the way.

𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬:
Dates: Wednesdays, September 9 – October 21, 2026
Time: 3 PM – 3:45 PM
Location: Maple YMCA

Registration is open! Stop by the front desk or register online today to secure your spot: shorturl.at/0FjCD

08/26/2026

USTA NATIONALS KIDS DAY 🎾

What an incredible afternoon! On Thursday, August 13, the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo Tennis Staff welcomed families and youth from around the region to Stowe Stadium for the 2026 Kids Day — and the energy was off the charts. Kids laced up their sneakers, grabbed a racquet (or borrowed one of ours — no player was turned away!), and hit the courts for an afternoon packed with games, music, food, and prizes.

Over 75 families came out to soak up the excitement of the USTA Boys 16s and 18s National Tennis Championships, and the smiles said it all. This beloved annual event, presented in collaboration with USTA Nationals and Kalamazoo College, continues to introduce a new generation of kids to the game they'll love for life.

A huge thank-you to everyone who came out, played hard, and made this year's Kids Day one to remember! 🙌

08/25/2026

ANNOUNCING WINNERS! Every single person who stepped onto the court, cheered from the sidelines, or supported behind the scenes made the 2026 Gina Rickman Open a wonderful victory! 🏆 🎾

Winning isn’t just about bringing home a trophy—it’s about coming together as a community to move our mission forward. Because of every participant, donor, and supporter who showed up with passion and energy, we're ensuring that tennis remains accessible to everyone in our community through the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo's financial assistance programs in the spirit of Rickman.

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible sponsors for making this event possible:

✨ Presenting Sponsor: The Bridges Family

✨ Supporting Sponsors:

• Marshall Gerstein

• The Glen Family

• Ven Johnson Law

Congratulations to our tournament champions, runner-ups, and every player who poured their heart into the matches! Together, you helped open doors and create opportunities for future players in the Greater Kalamazoo area.

08/25/2026

08/25/2026

A SPLASH OF A SEASON FOR THE SWYS SHARKS! 🦈

The SWYS Summer Swim Team just wrapped an incredible season, and Coach Natalie Reamer couldn't be prouder of what these 17 swimmers accomplished across FIVE championship meets. State records, national qualifying times, and even a little pool-deck guitar — this one's going in the books!

🏆 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
🔹 Speedo Sectionals (Columbus, OH): 8 swimmers competed, 5 as first-time qualifiers! Claire Patrick punched her ticket to TYR Futures Championships, and Josh Martin placed top 10 in TWO events.
🔹 MI Age Group Championships (Holland, MI): 28 lifetime bests + 15 top-16 finishes. Our 200 free relay team took 1st AND set a new Michigan state record — top 3 in the state in all four relays!
🔹 Ultra Championships (Holland, MI): 14 lifetime bests out of 16 swims. Ian Wesselhoff placed 7th in the 400 free.
🔹 TYR Futures & Central Zones: 4 Sharks helped Team Michigan win Central Zones for the first time in 20 YEARS. Josh Martin tied a pool record and earned a U.S. National cut!

🎸 Special shoutout to Oliver Pierce, who performed the national anthem on electric guitar at THREE meets this season — talent doesn't stay in one lane!

Join us in congratulating the Sharks on an outstanding summer. Go SWYS! 🦈🌊

08/24/2026

𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐋𝐘 𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐍: What's Happening at the Y! 📣 Missed our Friday member newsletter? We've got you covered! Here is your snapshot of everything coming up at the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo.

𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐀𝐑:

🔧 Maple Branch Annual Maintenance — full facility closed Mon, Aug 24 (5am-3pm) and Aquatics Center closed Aug 24-Sept 7 for deep cleaning
🏀 YBall 2026-2027 Season — registration is open for PreK through 6th grade, season starts Nov 9
🧘 Restorative Yoga — Fall 1 session starts Sept 9, Wednesdays 6-7:15pm at Maple. Deep rest for body and mind
💪 WOW: Women on Weights — build strength with expert guidance, September-October at Maple & Portage
🤸 Pilates at Maple — Fall 1 session starts Sept 9, with Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday class options
🎾 Fall I Tennis — programs have begun, but it's not too late to join! Pro-rated registration available for ages 4+
🍽️ Lunch 'n Learn: Medicare — Sep 14 (Maple) & Oct 13 (Portage), 12:30-2pm. Understand Parts A, B, C & D!

Head to the comments below for all registration links!

08/24/2026

𝐌𝐀𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐒: With the fall season quickly approaching, we’re preparing for a fresh start! To keep our facility safe, clean, and welcoming for everyone, the Maple Branch will undergo its annual deep cleaning and maintenance during the transition between summer and fall programming.

Please take note of these upcoming facility adjustments:

- 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟒 (𝟓 𝐀𝐌 – 𝟑 𝐏𝐌): 𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄:
City of Kalamazoo water main servicing (reopening at 3 PM).

- 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟒 – 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟕: 𝐀𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐀 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃:
Annual deep cleaning, draining, and maintenance of pools and hot tub.

- 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟒: 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐎𝐓 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃: Resealing and striping in sections (overflow parking available across the street behind the church).

We intentionally schedule this work now to minimize the impact on your daily routines. For all the details on how this affects your visit, check out our full update here: shorturl.at/oqYD4

08/21/2026

LET'S PLAY SOME FOOTBALL! DEADLINE TO SIGN UP IS FRIDAY, AUGUST 21 (late fees apply for registration after 8/21)

The YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo is proud to offer an NFL FLAG Football league! NFL FLAG leagues are no contact, giving boys and girls of all abilities a chance to develop their fundamental football skills in a positive, inclusive environment. Under the guidance of NFL FLAG, the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo is hosting a flag football league that will support the NFL FLAG mission statement to empower youth athletes and instill a lifelong passion for flag football through leagues that are engaging, fun, and accessible for everyone.

This league exists for the youth of our community, providing them with the opportunity to experience and develop flag football skills. The primary objective of the YMCA is to develop people, not professional athletes. Coaches are dedicated to developing youth and will emphasize the values of integrity, health, diversity, and collaboration.

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗡𝗙𝗟 𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗚 𝗷𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗡𝗙𝗟 𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗚 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀.

https://www.kzooymca.org/youth-development/youth-leagues/youth-flag-football-leagues