Category: Blog

The very first game of basketball was played on December 21, 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The creator was James Naismith, a 30-year-old physical education faculty member at the YMCA International Training School (later to be named Springfield College.) He was tasked with creating a game that could focus young men and be played indoors in the winter. He was given two weeks to do so.

Naismith knew he wanted the game to be interesting to keep the attention of players and yet easy to play and safe. He drew upon his knowledge of a childhood game called duck-on-a-rock, a game involving throwing a small rock placed on top of a larger rock. He also combined his knowledge of rugby and football to come up with “Basket Ball,” a game with only 13 rules that Naismith wrote on a scratchpad in less than an hour. To help keep players safe from injuries, he allowed no contact.

At the first game, the height of the goals was placed at 10 feet, determined solely by the height of the Y’s indoor running track. The score of the first game was only 1-0 as Naismith hadn’t yet thought to cut out the bottoms of the peach baskets. Instead, someone had to climb a ladder to claim the ball, which was a soccer ball, from the basket.

The game was a success from the start and word spread. Within a few days, the class was attracting a crowd. Teachers from a nearby girl’s school asked the Y to organize a girl’s team. A newspaper reported it as “an uproarious game accompanied by much yelling.” In 1936, basketball became an Olympic sport.

Today, James Naismith would be amazed at what his “simple” game has become. Thanks to his imagination, terms like “March Madness,” and “Final Four” are part of America’s collective vocabulary.

Over the last 165 years, all of our gyms have seen many basketball games. We are proud of not only the history of those games but also our current PLAY Basketball Program, which provides hundreds of youth in the Erie Community with opportunities to develop their skills, build teamwork, and stay active. Through these programs, participants improve their athletic abilities, gain confidence, and foster a sense of community, making it an essential part of the YMCA’s commitment to strengthening individuals and families.

Learn More About the History of the YMCA of Greater Erie.

Part of great customer service is ensuring great communication with our members. We know your routine is important, and we want to make sure you have the latest information on any changes, closures or cancellations.

The YMCA of Greater Erie has been using a texting system that struggles to support our large membership list. We typically only have enough messages to send to the membership one time per month. This leads to inconsistent and unreliable alerts.

We have looked at other texting platforms, but have not found a suitable alternative. Fortunately, we already have a great solution in our tool box — the Y360 app!

Starting March 1, 2025, we will be using the Message Center on Y360 to send reminders, updates and facility notifications. (You may have already noticed them!) As of that day, we will no longer send text messages.

To be sure you’re getting these updates:

1. Download Y360 and log in. The Y360 Resource Page on our website will help you get started.
2. In the app, click on the Message icon (top right next to the magnifying glass) – this will show you all the messages we’ve sent in list form, kind of like email.
3. We strongly encourage you to turn on your push notifications so that you are updated in real time and you don’t miss an alert for a closure.

To turn on push notifications on an iPhone:
Go to Settings > Apps > Y360 > Notifications
On this screen, select Allow Notifications (toggle the button to the right so the circle turns green) and choose how you want them to appear by selecting the bubble under each option.

In addition to push notifications, you can continue to find updates on the “Facility Update” page on our website, ymcaerie.org.

This page can be found several ways:

1. Click the tile on the home page, about halfway down the page.
2. Click the shortcut on the banner above the main photo slider.

Please also ensure you have a good email address on file with us. Stop by the front desk at any of our locations to update your email.

Thank you, as always, for being part of the YMCA!

The history of the YMCA – like the history of the United States – is a story of incremental progress toward greater inclusion and equity for all. As we celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth, we are honoring the stories of Black leaders who helped move the Y – and America – forward, as well as recognizing that history continues to be created each and every day.

Anthony Bowen

A former enslaved man and the first Black American to become a clerk in the U.S. Patent Office, Anthony Bowen founded the first YMCA for the Black community in Washington, D.C., in 1853, eight years before the Civil War. Additional Black Ys and college chapters were established in the following decades, with membership reaching 28,000 nationwide by the mid-1920s.

William Hunton

The son a freed enslaved person from Canada, William Hunton began his Y work in 1888 as the first employed YMCA secretary at a “Colored YMCA” in Norfolk, VA. Hunton worked among the soldiers in the Army camps during the Spanish-American War and in developing Student YMCAs on Black campuses throughout the South. He helped communities meet Julius Rosenwald’s challenge grant to build YMCAs for Black communities, and then helped recruit and train the staff and volunteers to lead those associations.

Carter Woodson

In 1915, at the Wabash Avenue YMCA in Chicago, Carter Woodson organized the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, which researched and celebrated the achievements of Black Americans. This led to his starting Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month.

Madam C.J. Walker

An entrepreneur, philanthropist and social activist, Madam C.J. Walker was one of the first self-made female American millionaires. She escaped poverty and built a company selling hair care products, which also gave her sales agents an income of their own. Walker was a philanthropic supporter of the YMCA and participated in and financially supported the NAACP’s anti-lynching movement.

Jackie Robinson

In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and became the first Black major league baseball player. This same year he also became a volunteer boys coach at the Harlem YMCA with fellow coach and teammate Roy Campanella.

Leo B. Marsh

In 1954, Dr. Leo B. Marsh became the first Black president of the Association of YMCA Secretaries. In 1971, Marsh brought the Black Achievers program (created by Quentin R. Mease

at the South Central YMCA of Houston) to the Harlem YMCA. With the help of volunteer adult mentors, the Achievers program helps youth of color succeed in school and develop a positive sense of self.

Jesse Alexander

After starting his YMCA career an outreach worker with youth, in 1969, Jesse Alexander joined the National Council of YMCAs as where he helped organize the National Conference of Black and Non-White Laymen and Staff, which dealt with supporting efforts to overcome racism in the YMCA and ensuring that YMCA organizations existed where communities of color wanted them.

Violet P. Henry

After holding various executive leadership roles in the Newark and Chicago YMCAs, in 1976, Violet P. Henry became the first woman to be named to a top management position at the Y’s national office. She provided leadership for numerous national and international commissions and committees that worked for the rights of women and people of color.

Kevin Washington

In 2015, Kevin Washington became the first African American – and the first person of color – to serve as CEO of the YMCA of the USA. Besides reimagining a new service delivery system across the Y movement, Washington was a leading national voice for relief from federal government for nonprofits devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. He spearheaded the highly successful #Relief4Charities effort, put Y-USA on a path to become an anti-racist, multicultural organization and engaged young people as changemakers in their communities.

Visit the YMCA Archives to learn more about the history of Black leadership in the YMCA.

We’ve all been there. It’s January 1st, and we’re filled with excitement about our New Year’s resolutions. Whether it’s getting fit, learning a new skill, or achieving a career goal, the beginning of the year is full of hope and fresh determination.

But by January 10th, the story often changes.

Enter Quitter’s Day – the day when most New Year’s resolutions begin to slip away. Studies show that around 80% of people give up on their resolutions by the second Friday of the year. This day is a reminder that starting strong isn’t enough; maintaining consistency is what truly makes the difference.

Why do resolutions fail?

1. Unrealistic Expectations – Many of us set lofty goals that are hard to maintain long-term. We may want to lose 30 pounds in a month or work out every single day without fail. These kinds of goals are not only hard to achieve, but they also set us up for disappointment.
2. Lack of Clear Plans – Without a clear roadmap, it’s easy to get lost or lose motivation. Vague goals like “get in shape” or “be more productive” are difficult to track, and without specific actions to take, progress feels elusive.
3. The All-or-Nothing Mentality – A single slip-up often leads people to abandon their goals altogether. Missing a day at the gym or eating an unhealthy meal doesn’t mean the whole year is a failure. But for many, that one setback can trigger a sense of defeat, causing them to give up entirely.

So, what can we do about it?

Rather than seeing Quitter’s Day as the end of the road, why not turn it into an opportunity for growth?

1. Reassess Your Goals – If you’re already struggling, take a step back and ask yourself: Are your goals realistic and meaningful? Instead of trying to achieve everything at once, break them down into smaller, manageable steps. Focus on one thing at a time and gradually build momentum.
2. Adjust Your Plan – If you’ve fallen off track, don’t be discouraged. Instead of abandoning your goal, make adjustments. Is your schedule too packed to work out every day? Try three times a week instead. Is your goal to read more books? Set a small target of 10 pages a day instead of aiming to read an entire novel in a week.
3. Practice Self-Compassion – Progress isn’t linear, and setbacks are part of the process. If you’ve missed a day or two of working towards your goal, forgive yourself and get back to it. Resilience is not about avoiding failure but learning how to get back up after it.
4. Celebrate Small Wins – Every step forward counts. Whether you’ve stuck to your resolution for a week or made incremental progress, take a moment to celebrate those wins. Recognizing your achievements—no matter how small—will keep you motivated and focused.
5. Build a Support System – Find friends, family, or mentors who encourage and inspire you. Positive reinforcement and accountability partners are key.  Let your support network know what you’re working toward. Not only will this create a sense of accountability, but it can also open the door for advice, ideas, and resources.  Schedule check-ins with your support team to celebrate small wins, reassess goals, and make adjustments if needed.

Quitter’s Day doesn’t have to be a day of failure; it can be the day you recommit to your goals with a fresh perspective. Success isn’t about making it through January without faltering. It’s about embracing setbacks as part of the journey and finding the resilience to keep going, even when things don’t go as planned.

Remember, it’s not about perfection. It’s about progress. The road to achieving your goals is often full of twists and turns, but it’s the determination to keep moving forward that ultimately leads to success. So, if you’re feeling discouraged today, take a deep breath, reassess your goals, and keep going. You’ve got this!

Please be aware of our upcoming Holiday Hours:

CHRISTMAS EVE: Closed

CHRISTMAS DAY: Closed

NEW YEARS EVE: Closing at 5pm

NEW YEARS DAY: Closed

YMCA360 is always available to members for all your at-home workout needs: https://ymca360.org/home

While we celebrated with gratitude last Thursday, the epic winter storm in the days that followed left many of us feeling stuck — both literally and figuratively. Whether you’ve finished off the pumpkin pie while watching your driveway fill with snow; are going a little stir crazy from being stuck in the house; or are feeling certain muscles for the first time after all the shoveling, the Y can help!

Members always have access to the Y’s mobile app as part of their membership. Y360 has thousands of videos to help you and your family get moving, get centered or get creative. In honor of the Black Friday Storm of 2024, here are a few of our favorites:

Meditation Guidance: https://ymca360.org/search?q=meditation
Use when: Out-of-town guests are stuck at your house.

Stretching Techniques: https://ymca360.org/collections/38147/videos/16471
Use when: You’ve lifted and tossed ice chunks from the edge of your driveway for the third time in two days.

Children’s Activities: https://ymca360.org/categories/203
Use when: Your kids have played with every toy in the house and they’re bored now.

Lower Back Care: https://ymca360.org/categories/151/videos/4070
Use when: You’ve been sleeping on the couch since last Wednesday because your out-of-town guests have the big bedroom (See #1)

New Releases (Recipes, Crafts & Workouts): https://ymca360.org/categories/85/videos/39457
Use when: The leftovers are gone.

Literary Arts: https://ymca360.org/categories/213/videos/10950
Use when: It’s time to snuggle up with some hot chocolate and enjoy the extra time together.

On behalf of all of us at the YMCA of Greater Erie, stay safe, stay warm and we’ll see you in person soon!