The Botetourt Family YMCA recently celebrated six successful months of being open to the community. The new YMCA currently has over 1,800 membership accounts, representing over 4,800 members. In addition to membership, over 4,000 people have already experienced at least one program since it’s opening on January 1, 2019.
Among the most popular programs are swim lessons, kids’ night out, and chair-based exercise classes indicating that the Botetourt Y is impacting community members of all ages.
“We have been humbled by how supportive the Botetourt community has been,” said Tricia Reynolds, Regional Director of the YMCA of Virginia’s Blue Ridge. “Our goal is to continually listen to what the community needs are and then find ways the Y can program or partner with other organizations to meet those needs,” said Reynolds.
One program that has been a focus well before the Y’s opening is the formulation of a swim team. This fall the new team will have its inaugural year under the leadership of Kevin Franceschini, who has been named head coach.
Franceschini retired to Fincastle two years ago after serving as a health and physical education teacher in New Jersey for 29 years. There he also coached swim team for 12 years at the high school level. Since moving to Fincastle, Franceschini has stayed in close touch with his love of coaching. He is currently the head swim coach for the James River High School team and is an assistant coach for Ashley Plantation swim team.
“This is an exciting time for the Botetourt Y and the community,” said Franceschini. “I’m excited and honored to coach in the development and training of swimmers of all ages and abilities at the new Y.”
The Botetourt Y swim team will offer swim opportunities for children ages 4 to 18 years old and will be a member of the Piedmont YMCA Swim Association comprised of other YMCA swim teams in the region.
“Y swim teams are centered on character development, competitive swimming, and most of all fun,” said Reynolds. “We strive to ingrain a love and passion for the sport of swimming and Coach Franceschini is the perfect person to make this happen for our swimmers.”
The Botetourt Y swim team will be holding assessment sessions in August for group placement and the season will officially kick-off in late August. For more information visit www.ymcavbr.org.
