Q&A with Jay Sutton, Executive Director of YMCA Sports for the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina, with locations in Forsyth, Stokes, Davie, Yadkin, Iredell, Wilkes and Alexander Counties.

Tell us about YMCA Sports.
YMCA Youth Sports provide young athletes with the opportunity to learn new skills, stay active, build confidence and discover what they can achieve. Sports at the Y are about more than winning or losing. It’s about making friends and developing a lifelong passion for sports. YMCA Sports are neighborhood-based with convenient locations throughout Winston-Salem and the greater region.

What sets YMCA Sports apart?
On the field or on the court, the YMCA fosters an environment of teamwork, fair play and good sportsmanship. We depend on volunteer role models to coach our youth sports teams and guide young players by modeling the Y’s core values of honest, caring, respect, responsibility and faith. Each sports program focuses on developing character, community and skills in an environment of healthy competition and fun.

What sports does the Y offer?
Youth can participate from age 3-18 in soccer, basketball, volleyball, t-ball/baseball, softball, flag football, lacrosse, field hockey, golf and summer sports camps. Last year, the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina had almost 10,000 youth sport participants and 800 volunteer coaches. 

What else should I know about Y sports?
The YMCA offers a family-friendly registration process where families can choose the best practice day, location and time for their child. Feedback on the registration system has been outstanding. One family with four children was able to schedule practices for all the kids on the same day and time at their local Y.

To register or learn more, visit www.ymcanwnc.org/sports.

The Chamber’s Keep it Local initiative promotes community support for local business ventures. Spending locally creates a strong economy and a sense of place which gives our town its unique lifestyle. The Keep it Local campaign will feature a different segment of businesses each month in 2018. March is Sports Month.