Dave’s Story

99 Stories of Community Series

Meet Dave, a volunteer basketball coach, a former Y kid, and YMCA storyteller! While Dave can be seen on the court coaching kids from the community, his connection to the Y goes back to his own childhood. Check out Dave’s story below!

“I started playing here as a kid, the same age as my kids are now. Fast forward 30-years later, it’s fun to be on this side of the court, coach them and pass on the knowledge that I have.”

Coach Dave has led several seasons as a volunteer basketball coach at the Santa Monica Family YMCA. Dave shared that he loves that the Y serves as a place for community to come together. Seeing families and friends show up on Saturdays to cheer on their Junior Lakers is a special thing to witness, he shared. “We have so many families, parents, kids, week-in and week-out. I just watch them grow and build their relationships with families, and friendships just keep on going from there.” The relationships built on and around the court are unique as people come together to support these young athletes, not only build their skills, but their character and friendships too. Youth sports at the Santa Monica Family YMCA is a family affair, where relationships are fostered between the families as much as between teammates. Some families started their basketball players in our Junior Lakers Youth Basketball program when they were 5 and have participated for nearly 10 years. Seeing those community connections develop around the court is what makes the Y such a special environment for youth sports.

“I just love the sound of the ball hitting the ground, the sound of the gym, the noise. Just having your family and people here to cheer you on!”

Coach Dave, who grew up playing basketball on the very court he is coaching his own kids on, reflected on what makes basketball at the Y so special. From the family-centered atmosphere to athletes developing a stronger sense of the game, to sportsmanship and fun, basketball at the Y helps youth grow to their fullest potential. “I love hearing stories when I bump into parents, kids, off the court at the grocery store. We want to teach them how to play basketball, learn the game, learn the sport,…but most importantly, make sure they are having fun because when they have fun, they end up coming back – and that’s a win.”

“It’s, again, full-circle to see my age people come back and still do the Men’s League, but then again, come back here coaching.”

Coach Dave’s love for basketball is something he not only gets to instill in his athletes, but gets to live out in our Men’s League. The friendly but competitive environment is what basketball is all about!

Thank you to Dave for sharing your story, your passion for basketball & supporting youth, and for being a part of our YMCA community! Your story of finding belonging, connection, and community at The Y is inspiring.

This year, we will be sharing ninety-nine stories of impact this year through our Anchored in Community celebration, lifting up stories of our community members as we celebrate the Santa Monica Family YMCA’s 99th year of consistent service. Collected from our volunteers, members, program participants, to our community partners, we will be sharing stories that remind us what is possible when you anchor yourself in community, something you can always find at the Y. If you are interested in sharing your YMCA story and being a part of the 99 Stories of Community series, please fill out this form!

We invite you to follow along as we share these stories of impact, belonging, and purpose. Thank you for being a part of our community!