Healthy Living — Greater Joliet Area YMCA

Registration Underway for 2026 YMCA Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge

October 13, 2026

Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge Starting November 16

Our 8-week Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge will help you get in shape and keep the weight off during the holiday season. We have a great plan to help you adopt healthy eating and exercise habits while saying ‘No’ to those tempting holiday cravings.

Are you up for the challenge?

If you can maintain your weight within 2 pounds for 8 weeks, you will receive a $20 YMCA credit that can be used towards any fitness program, including personal training. If you gain more than 2 pounds during this eight-week challenge, your fee will be donated in your name to the Y’s Mission Strong Fund.

There will be two mandatory weigh-ins:
Week 1 (some time between November 16 and November 22)
Week 8 (some time between January 4 and January 10)

There will also be optional weigh-in:
Week 4 (some time between December 7 and December 13)

As part of this fun-filled Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge, you will receive:

A one-of-a-kind YMCA Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge T-shirt
Weekly emails with workout tips, healthy holiday recipes and special fitness challenges, designed specifically for challenge participants

Let’s have a little fun this holiday season. Together, we will help you celebrate the holiday season happy and healthy!

Registration is now open. Select your branch below and sign up today!

C.W. Avery Family YMCA

Morris Hospital YMCA

Village of Shorewood YMCA

Cost: $30

PLEASE NOTE: Registration closes on November 22.

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Meet Endeavor Health Physical Therapist Maddie Robbins

October 5, 2026

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 the newest addition to the Endeavor staff team in physical therapist Maddie Robbins! Maddie is a Shorewood native and a graduate of St. Louis University, and said that she has found the Y to be a welcoming environment since joining the team earlier this summer.

“When I was younger, I remember coming to the Y to work out as a guest with my friends who were members. And so far everyone that I’ve met is very nice, open, and willing to get to know me, which is amazing,” Robbins said.

Maddie said her passion for physical therapy came from her background in athletics and past experience navigating injuries.

“I was a gymnast and a competitive cheerleader. With that came a lot of injuries, and with those injuries came a lot of physical therapy. I saw how much it benefitted me and how much better it made me feel. I wanted to be able to do that for other people,” she said.

Maddie said that one of the keys to helping patients is getting ahead of any potential injury concerns.

“A lot of people don’t know that physical therapy can be preventative. If you’re working out a lot and don’t have the correct form that would be something we can look into with movement analysis and performing different types of exercise. We know the proper form to help make sure we prevent injuries from happening,” she said.

She said this process is made easier through the partnership between Endeavor and the Y.

“We’re allowed to take patients out into the wellness center and if someone does work out here a lot that’s a better way to analyze their form. It’s especially effective for higher level athletes,” Maddie said.

But whether you’re an athlete looking to rehab an injury sustained on the field, or looking to rehab following back surgery, members of all ages and health backgrounds are encouraged to learn more about Endeavor services.

“Your therapy will be based on your needs, and throughout your sessions, you’ll receive flexibility and strength training based on what’s needed. We want to see all patients progress and feel better,” Maddie said.

On behalf of the Y, we are so happy to welcome Maddie to 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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Save During the YMCA’s 2026 Fall Membership and Youth Basketball League Sales

October 1, 2026

Fall Membership Sale

New and alumni members who join the Y anytime between October 2-5 will pay a $0 Joiner’s Fee – a savings of up to $120.

OUR FACILITY MEMBERS ENJOY ACCESS TO THREE BRANCHES
Your membership gives you unlimited use of the Greater Joliet Area YMCA’s three YMCA locations, including:

Three indoor pools and our family aquatic center, all fully programmed with activities for the entire family, including family swim time, swim lessons, aquatic fitness programs and lap lane access.
Three wellness centers, all equipped with state-of-the-art cardio and strength equipment.
Free fitness orientations and daily group exercise classes (programs vary by location).

Quality Programming
In addition to our free group exercise classes, the Y offers year-round swim lessons, sports programs and personal training, among a slew of other options.

Child Care
If you have a Family Membership, you can drop your child(ren) off at our supervised playroom while you exercise.

Free Basic Access to the YMCA On the Go App
The YMCA On the Go App provides Y members with access to the YMCA 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This new interactive tool is loaded with free workouts, on-demand videos, and nutrition tips.

Free Access to the My Y Rewards Program
Upon enrolling in the My Y Rewards Program, you’ll earn points each time you check-in, take a class, or refer a friend to the Y. In fact, you’ll earn your first 50 points for simply enrolling in the program. You can then redeem your points for fun Y swag and program and membership credits.

So Much More
A complete list of member benefits can be found here.

THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS

C.W. Avery Family YMCA
15120 Wallin Drive
Plainfield, IL 60544

Morris Hospital YMCA
2200 W. Dupont Avenue
Morris, IL 60450

Village of Shorewood YMCA
1801 W. Jefferson Street
Shorewood, IL 60404

JOIN THE Y

Youth Basketball League Sale

Families can also save when registering for the upcoming YBL season between October 2-5! Use promo code YBLSALE2026 when registering online and save $10 per player.

To learn more about YBL in your area, or to register online, please click below.

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

September 17, 2026

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

September 16, 2026

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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