Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

C.W. Avery, Central City, Galowich, Morris

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Capturing a Moment in Time: Greater Joliet Area YMCA Time Capsule

A Celebration 100 Years in the Making

As we celebrate the Greater Joliet Area YMCA’s Centennial Anniversary in 2026, we invite the community to be part of our history. Stop by any Greater Joliet Area YMCA branch to complete a special time capsule note card. Share a message, tell us your Y story, or reflect on what the Y means to you. Your words will become part of our Centennial Time Capsule, which will be opened 25 years from now.

Help us capture the people, memories, and moments that make the Y special – and leave a piece of your story for the generations who come next.

Submissions will be collected through November 20.

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Let Your Talent Shine: 2026 YMCA Holiday Card Design Contest

The YMCA’s Holiday Card Design Contest is back! Open to Y Members, ages 6-12, the contest is the perfect opportunity for kids to let their artistic talents shine and help spread a little cheer this upcoming holiday season.

Here’s how to enter:

1. Download an entry form and print it out. Entry forms are also available at the Y’s Front Desk.

2. Grab some crayons, markers and colored pencils and draw a picture that depicts your favorite things about the holidays and the winter season. From snowmen to Christmas trees, to candy canes and snowflakes, we can’t wait to see your original designs!

3. Complete the entry form and drop it off at the Y.

We will select our three favorite designs—one from each age group—to be featured on the Y’s holiday card.

Age Groups

  • Ages 6-7
  • Ages 8-9
  • Ages 10-12

Each of our winners will receive a YMCA Sweatshirt and other exciting prizes.

Download Entry Form

The deadline to enter is 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 5.

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100 Years Strong Because of You: September Member Appreciation

Happy 100th Birthday to the Greater Joliet Area YMCA! To celebrate this milestone, we’re giving our members a chance to score big! Facility Members who check in at any Greater Joliet Area YMCA branch on Tuesday, September 29 will be entered into a raffle for a $100 credit to our YMCA Centennial Store.

The Centennial Anniversary Store features an exclusive collection of limited-edition YMCA merchandise, available in both adult and youth sizes. With apparel and accessories for the whole family, everyone can take part in the celebration as we honor the Y’s long-standing commitment to strengthening our community and inspiring healthy living for all.

Stop by and see us!

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The Y is Hiring: Community Invited to Attend Upcoming YMCA Employment Open Houses

Our talented staff team is dedicated to the Y’s mission and works tirelessly to meet the needs of the communities we serve. Join us at an upcoming Employment Open House in Joliet, Morris, or Plainfield to learn how you can get involved. Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.

Morris Hospital YMCA
Hiring Lifeguards and Swim Lesson Instructors*
Date: Thursday, September 24
Time: 3:30-5:30 p.m.

C.W. Avery Family YMCA
Hiring Lifeguards and Swim Lesson Instructors*
Date: Sunday, October 11
Time: 1-3 p.m.

*Participants are required to bring the following items: bathing suit/swim trunks, towel, goggles, contact case (if applicable; applicants must be able to swim with contacts or take them out.) Participants must also pass prerequisite swim tests. Swim test details can be viewed here.

Joliet Community YMCA
Hiring Teen REACH Counselors and Before and After School Kid Zone Counselors
Date: Tuesday, October 6
Time: 4-6 p.m.

Please Note: This event will be held at the Salvation Army Joliet Corps Community Center located at 300 3rd Avenue in Joliet.

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Former JETS Swim Team Coach Tim Hill Inducted into American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA is proud to celebrate former JETS Swim Team coach Tim Hill, who was inducted into the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) Hall of Fame as a member of its 2026 class. Hill was honored during a special ceremony held in Orlando last weekend, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the sport of swimming and his lasting impact as a coach and mentor.

“I appreciate being recognized by my peers, but the bigger thing was getting to see many of the swimmers and coaches that I have worked with and getting to hear how they are doing. I really hope that I was able to impact them in a positive way,” he said.

A native of New York, Hill said he had an attachment to the Y from an early age. 

“I have been a Y person for as long as I can remember. Because both my parents worked, I basically lived at the Y until they got home. I’ve always believed in the Y tenants of mind, body, spirit. That is still part of my DNA and how I approach things.”

Hill attended George Williams College in Chicago and held positions at YMCAs in Oak Lawn and Sarasota, Florida before serving as JETS coach from 1977 to 1980.

“It was a very diverse community and the parents group always wanted to do what was best for the overall program. I remember the parents bought an old school bus and fixed it up. They made it into the Joliet JETS bus. Whenever we made trips, we jumped in the bus and we kind of became the talk of the Midwest at swim meets. The kids loved it,” he said.

Hill helped former JETS swimmer David Sims qualify for the Olympics in 1980, and he would later have coaching stops at Southern Illinois University and Arizona State University. In total, more than 140 swimmers earned All-American honors under Hill’s leadership. Beyond guiding individuals to success, Hill said he has always emphasized the importance of teamwork.

“Coaching is our vehicle to help people go through the process of growing and learning. We’re first and foremost mentors and teachers. And being part of a team matters. No one is successful on their own,” he said.

Though he now lives and coaches in Texas, Hill says he has remained connected to the current JETS coaching staff, led by Dave Hedden and Manny Arriola. And, with the Greater Joliet Area YMCA celebrating its centennial in 2026, Hill said the Y continues to shine as an example of building strong teams and strong kids. 

“Kids want to be a part of something, and know that somebody cares about them and wants them. The Y is a place for fellowship,” he said. “Technology is good – phones, computers, and the like – but we spend less time in community today, and I think the Y provides a very necessary tangible component to community.” 

We once again congratulate Coach Hill on this well-deserved recognition from the ASCA, and we thank him for his many years of service to the Y and his incredible contributions to the sport of swimming. Through his passion for the sport, he has helped foster a lifelong love of swimming among young athletes in our community and swimmers from across the nation. We are grateful for the lasting legacy he has built throughout his Hall of Fame career!

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Meet Endeavor Health Physical Therapist Will Thompson

Located within the C.W. Avery Family YMCA, the Endeavor Health Physical Therapy Clinic has been an invaluable resource for the Y community since 2022. And now we are excited to highlight Endeavor staff member Will Thompson! Will has more than two decades of experience in healthcare, including the last three and a half years assisting physical therapy patients at the Endeavor clinic. He said that the community building aspect of the Y has offered one of the more unique work experiences of his career. 

“I’ve worked with a lot of patients that are members of the Y. Even after their therapy has ended, it’s nice to be able to see them in the wellness center, say hi, and have conversations with them. Everyone with the Y staff is amazing as well,” Will said.

Will maintains a passion for physical therapy driven in large part by the day-to-day improvements he sees with his patients. 

“The most rewarding thing is seeing the journey patients go on. They come in with an impairment, likely in a lot of pain, and to see them progress as we go on through therapy is amazing. We try to have them face less frequent pain, eventually incorporating regular activities back into their life that they want to do,” he said.

Will said that regular exercise, incorporating enough warm up time, and using proper form are the most important ways to prevent injuries, and that in many cases physical therapy comes down to getting back to basics. 

“People sometimes think ‘Well, that’s an easy exercise, why are you making them do that?’ It’s because the exercises are often the fundamental thing that can get someone back to doing what they want to do. It’s a situation about being able to crawl before you can walk,” he said. 

And because Y members have convenient access to healthcare resources while completing their therapy at the Y clinic, Will said the impact extends well beyond physical wellness.

“When you feel a little better and your motivation goes up, you start to feel good in general with a better attitude and higher self esteem,” he said.

On behalf of the Y, we are so happy to have Will in our community and remain thankful for the amazing services provided by the Endeavor Health team to support healthy living in our community.

To make an appointment to see a physical therapist at the Endeavor Health Physical Therapy Clinic at the C.W. Avery Family YMCA, please call (630) 527-3375. The Endeavor team will obtain insurance approval, provide you with the number of visits allowed, and give you an estimate of your out-of-pocket cost per visit.

Hours are available by appointment on weekdays during the following times:
Mondays and Wednesdays: 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Endeavor also offers free injury screenings. To schedule your screening, visit the Physical Therapy front desk during normal operating hours or call to set up a screening time.

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United Way