With the 2025 Youth Basketball League (YBL) season having drawn to a close, we’d like to send our sincere thanks to everyone who helped to make this winter such a memorable experience for young athletes in our community. With the support of our volunteer coaches, generous league sponsors, and community partners, we welcomed more than 1,200 kids to basketball courts in Joliet, Plainfield, Morris, and Coal City this season.
At the Y, we know that our youth sports programs help to keep kids physically active. But, as we reflect on the past several months, we know that the impact YMCA programs can have on young athletes reaches way beyond what happens on the court during practices and games. In addition to staying active and healthy, kids who play sports develop higher self-esteem, perform better in school, and work better in groups. The YMCA’s YBL program teaches kids the fundamentals of the game of basketball while emphasizing the importance of learning to work together as a team. Most importantly, kids have a lot of fun!
YBL BY THE NUMBERS
1,253 – Athletes
115 – Teams
426 – Games Played
165 – Volunteer Coaches
More than 3,000 Volunteer Hours Served
We’d like to thank all of the athletes and their families, our volunteer coaches, and staff who participated in our YBL programs this year. We’d also like to thank our generous sponsors for helping to make this season possible:
C.W. Avery Family YMCA:
Associated Orthodontists
Backroads Burger & Bar
Contractors Association of Will & Grundy Counties
Edward Jones – Mike Pfaff
Edward Jones – Ryan Peterson
MJ Integrity Insurance
Plainfield Rotary
Gus P. Rousonelos
Stockton Wealth Management
Turk Furniture
Galowich Family YMCA:
Associated Orthodontists
Antione J. Edwards
Contractors Association of Will & Grundy Counties
ExxonMobil
Filotto Roofing
Gifted Elite Academy
Greg’s Body Shop
Hoopers 4 Life
Hustling Hawks
Jack Anderson Insurance Agency Inc.
MulticultuREAL
Pam Gant Sports Club
POSTNET
Rathbun Cservenyak & Kozol LLC
Ron Tirapelli Ford
Supermercado Casa Blanca
Turk Furniture
Unidos Marketing Network
We Finance E-Z Auto Joliet
Howard Wright State Farm
Morris Hospital YMCA:
Advantage Realty – Steve Barr
Associated Orthodontists LTD
Automotive Performance
Brandt Builders & Excavating, INC
Busey Bank
Crosstown Realtors – Dana Hathorn
Edward Jones – Grant Whybark
Edward Jones – Mike Pfaff
ExxonMobil Refinery
E-Z Auto Sales
Feeney’s
Findlay Real Estate Group
KJ McKeons
Midwest Realty
Painters Local 33
Ron Tirapelli Ford
Roth Jorstad Insurance Agency
TNT Construction Enterprises, LLC.
Turk Furniture
Vital Signs Solutions, Inc.
Village Christian Church
Weits Cafe
Zabel & Associates, PC
Zig’s Fairway Auto Repair and Towing
We can’t wait to see everyone on the court next season!
The Joliet Y JETS swim team offers a range of practice groups, from beginner to advanced, based on age, skill, speed and commitment. To be placed on the beginning level of the team, swimmers must be able to swim freestyle for one length of the pool (25 yards) without stopping while demonstrating the ability to comfortably swim at the surface with arms reaching forward over the water, their face in the water, and taking breaths to the side. They must also swim 25 yards of backstroke without stopping, showing they are comfortable floating on their back while maintaining a rhythmic, supportive kick.
The Greater Joliet Area YMCA is excited to offer new NFL FLAG Football Leagues this spring and now is the perfect time for families to save on registration!
The Greater Joliet Area YMCA is excited to offer new NFL FLAG Football Leagues this spring. NFL FLAG is the largest flag football league in the U.S., and the only league where players can wear official NFL gear. Kids of all ages and skill levels will participate in a safe, non-contact environment, allowing boys and girls the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of football. In this program everyone plays, and everyone has fun!
The Morris Hospital YMCA will host a Community Open House at its new Dupont Avenue location from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, January 11. Open to the community, this fun-filled event will provide YMCA members and area residents with the opportunity to explore the new Morris Hospital YMCA, meet the staff team, and learn more about all of the exciting programs and services the Y has to offer the community.