Taking the YMCA to the kids: Y on the Fly's next stop is Friday

Suzanne Nolan Wisler, The Monroe News
·4 min read
Children and Monroe Family YMCA staff play with a big parachute at a previous Y on the Fly stop.
Children and Monroe Family YMCA staff play with a big parachute at a previous Y on the Fly stop.

A recently renewed program is bringing the Monroe Family YMCA to kids all over the county.

Y on the Fly Mobile Sports is run by the Y's Jay Heinzerling and is a van filled with sports equipment and games that visits county locations, both outdoors and indoors.

Its next stop is Friday.

Y on the Fly will be at the “Día de Reyes” (Three Kings Day) event from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Monroe City Church, located at the Mall of Monroe, 2121 N. Monroe St., Unit 420.

Heinzerling
Heinzerling

“Día de Reyes” is a cultural holiday celebrated in the Latino community. The Monroe County Library System’s bookmobile also will be present. The public is welcome.

Heinzerling is bringing items for kids of all ages. The activities are free.

“I normally bring games that work for younger kids. I bring a big parachute; the kids like to play with that. I bring a bean bag toss game; it’s something that little kids can do. For older kids, I bring an indoor soccer ball with a portable net. We’ll play a little soccer inside the building,” Heinzerling said.

The items in the Y on the Fly van represent a variety of traditional sports, such as baseball, basketball, football, soccer, volleyball and hockey, but also some newer sports.

“It also introduces coming-of-age sports and games, such as disc golf, relays, jump rope, dodgeball, obstacle courses, lacrosse, etc.,” Amanda Schmitz, social responsibility and community outreach director for the Y, said.

Dodgeball and kickball, Heinzerling said, are the most popular.

“Wiffle Ball also has been big. Little kids love the parachute,” he said. “I really want to encourage people to come out. Let (kids) try as many sports as possible.”

Children play games during a Y on the Fly stop at St. Mary's Park.
Children play games during a Y on the Fly stop at St. Mary's Park.

The goal is to get kids moving.

“We’re trying to get out there a little more and get the kids active. It’s good for the kids. With COVID and technology, they don’t play (as much). We’re trying to get them back into youth sports at the Y or anywhere in the city,” Heinzerling said.

Heinzerling was a coach in the Monroe First Downers junior football league for 20 years. He’s also coached his own children’s teams. Last winter, when the Y entered a partnership with the city of Monroe, he was hired to oversee the youth ball program. He still coaches in the program, but in August he also took over Y on the Fly.

Now, he travels the county making various stops. While most stops vary from week to week, there are a couple standing visits, like 4 p.m. Tuesdays at Ellis Library & Reference Center. In the summer, he frequently visited the Navarre Branch Library.

“We did the Ducky Dash, Downtown Monroe Tree Lighting, Christmas in Ida. We’ve done about 14 events since I started. We go all over,” Heinzerling said. "We try to do a lot in the community."

Y on the Fly also set up last summer at the city of Monroe’s Concerts in the Park series at St. Mary’s Park.

“We were there an hour before the concerts," Heinzerling said.

The Y on the Fly van brings games and sports to area children.
The Y on the Fly van brings games and sports to area children.

Y on the Fly began in 2018 as a pilot program.

“We received a generous multiyear grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation. The foundation was pleased with the success of the pilot program. As a result, we received a grant renewal in 2022 to continue the program,” Schmitz said. “We are incredibly proud of this initiative, as its purpose is to expand our reach throughout the community, providing sports sampling opportunities to youth ages 5-12.”

Y on the Fly’s stops are about 60 to 90 minutes. Most are unannounced.

“Because the program is ever-evolving to serve the needs of the community, we typically don’t publish the schedule,” Schmitz said.

Anyone who's interested may contact Heinzerling for locations and also to suggest stops. Y on the Fly goes to parties, special events, school activities and more.

“People can contact me. If it’s free on my calendar, nine times out of 10, we’re going,” Heinzerling said.

Heinzerling can be reached at 734-241-2606, ext. 220, or at jay@monroefamilyymca.org.

On the Net: www.monroefamilyymca.org/youthsports1/youth-sports-outreach-y-on-the-fly/

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Taking the YMCA to the kids: Y on the Fly's next stop is Friday