Healthy Living • Y Stories • YMCA Health and Fitness
Why Kelly’s committed to volunteering
24 August 2016 - by YMCA of Greater Toronto
Many people work out on their own for years, without discovering the variety of other ways they can cultivate their physical and mental health at the gym. Kelly’s eagerness to better herself and her community led her to discover those additional avenues early on in her fitness career. Today, she is a deeply committed volunteer who considers her Y friends and mentors members of her second family. Here’s Kelly’s story:
When I joined the Y years ago, I was really just looking for a place to work out that had a lap pool. The Scarborough Y fit the bill, and they had a student rate, so it was an easy decision to sign up. Little did I know, I’d soon be one of their fitness instructors!
I started making new friends as soon as I began taking group fitness classes. Before long, I couldn’t help but want to be more involved. The final push came when I attended a fitness fundraiser, and I saw how much fun all the instructors were having. I decided I wanted to be up at the front of the class too, so despite a few reservations, I signed up for the next instructor training course.
The Y was the perfect place to start that journey. It’s tough to get up in front of a group of strangers in spandex, but with the support of the staff I’d come to know at the Y, and the ongoing instruction and guidance I got even after the official training was over, I had the ideal environment in which to learn and grow. The best part was that I made a whole bunch of friends I otherwise never would have met, and I still get to see them all at the Y today, years later.
Since I took that first step and became certified as a fitness instructor, I’ve been given so many more opportunities: I’ve participated in leadership training; attended a YMCA volunteer conference in the U.S.; and been a member and chair of the Advisory Committee. I’m so thankful for all of these experiences, because they’ve taught me important communication and leadership skills that I’ve been able to take with me into my professional career.
I’ve also learned how to be a supportive and positive influence on the people around me. When you teach fitness classes, you meet a lot of people who don’t like something about themselves. No matter where they are in their fitness journey, I want everyone who takes my classes to feel great about themselves and the decision they’ve made to get or stay healthy. That’s why I take my commitment to volunteering at the Y so seriously: I want to make a difference in my community, just as the Y has made a difference in my life. My Y family — the countless staff, volunteers, and members I’ve grown to love over these past years — have supported me through all my ups and downs and helped shape who I am today.
When I joined the Y years ago, I was really just looking for a place to work out that had a lap pool. The Scarborough Y fit the bill, and they had a student rate, so it was an easy decision to sign up. Little did I know, I’d soon be one of their fitness instructors!
I started making new friends as soon as I began taking group fitness classes. Before long, I couldn’t help but want to be more involved. The final push came when I attended a fitness fundraiser, and I saw how much fun all the instructors were having. I decided I wanted to be up at the front of the class too, so despite a few reservations, I signed up for the next instructor training course.
The Y was the perfect place to start that journey. It’s tough to get up in front of a group of strangers in spandex, but with the support of the staff I’d come to know at the Y, and the ongoing instruction and guidance I got even after the official training was over, I had the ideal environment in which to learn and grow. The best part was that I made a whole bunch of friends I otherwise never would have met, and I still get to see them all at the Y today, years later.
Since I took that first step and became certified as a fitness instructor, I’ve been given so many more opportunities: I’ve participated in leadership training; attended a YMCA volunteer conference in the U.S.; and been a member and chair of the Advisory Committee. I’m so thankful for all of these experiences, because they’ve taught me important communication and leadership skills that I’ve been able to take with me into my professional career.
I’ve also learned how to be a supportive and positive influence on the people around me. When you teach fitness classes, you meet a lot of people who don’t like something about themselves. No matter where they are in their fitness journey, I want everyone who takes my classes to feel great about themselves and the decision they’ve made to get or stay healthy. That’s why I take my commitment to volunteering at the Y so seriously: I want to make a difference in my community, just as the Y has made a difference in my life. My Y family — the countless staff, volunteers, and members I’ve grown to love over these past years — have supported me through all my ups and downs and helped shape who I am today.
