Today’s YMCA—Sports and Much More
An Interview with Metro-YMCA CEO David Reeves
David Reeves, 46, has worked with the Jackson YMCA for 21 years. For the past four years, he has served as CEO of the Metropolitan YMCAs of Mississippi.
Q: How do sports play a role in the Metro-YMCA’s programs today?
When people think of the YMCA they often think of youth sports.
The Y has pioneered many successful youth sports in Jackson.
We do an array of sports, and many parents feel good about being involved in our sports programs because they know their child is going to be taken care of. Child first, sport second; rather than what the score of the game was.
We have a flag football program, along with baseball, basketball, futsal, soccer, softball, tennis, swimming and more. We really focus on the child learning the sport and having fun more than anything else. People feel comfortable knowing the Y is a safe place and a fair place.
At the same time, what’s the number one problem we have with youth in America today? It’s obesity. One goal of our sports programs is to keep the kids active. We don’t put too much pressure on kids; hopefully that keeps them involved longer, thus keeping them active.
Q: When the YMCA was formed in Jackson in 1907, it was an interdenominational
effort among Methodists, Presbyterians and Baptists. What role does spiritual
nurture now have at the Y?
A: Some people may think that if you aren’t preaching, you aren’t giving testament to
your faith—and that’s not true. If you come into our buildings, you’ll find Bible
verses displayed and prayer being said at games and other little differences that make
us stand out. What you want is a place where our staff and volunteers are showing
their spiritual fruits, where people say, “This just feels different.”
People recognize this Christian aspect of the Y and then we go from there, whether
that is a staffer talking personally with someone about a spiritual matter or us referring
a person to a trusted religious leader in the community.
We’re able to say a prayer at the beginning of a sports game. We’re able to talk about Christ. I like to think we’re a blend of the Upward Bound leagues and some other more-heavily competitive leagues—offering some level of competition plus Christian values.
Q: What are your aspirations for the coming years for the Metro-YMCA?
To continue to serve and grow where ever the community has a need. We have many programs and facilities, but not one will probably be just like the other. In essence we help people reach their God given potential. That might be through youth sports, parenting classes, fitness, or childcare. No “one size fits all,” therefore we try to be diverse enough to meet the needs of each individual community rather than asking a community to fit our needs.