This is a paid piece from the Sioux Falls Family YMCA.

Simplified: The Sioux Falls Family YMCA has been a part of the Sioux Falls community in one way or another since 1886. Here's how their mission to make strong kids, strong families and strong communities has evolved to fit the needs of today.

Why it matters

  • It's hard to find a person in Sioux Falls who hasn't been impacted by the YMCA in one way or another – whether they went to Camp Lief Ericson, played youth basketball or benefited from after-school programming. The Y's various programs impact more than 10,000 kids each year.
  • Though it started with summer camps and youth basketball, the YMCA has evolved to include a variety of youth sports, accessible gym memberships, camps for kids of all ages and abilities, and after-school programming.
    • (Youth, Membership, Camps and After-school – if only CEO James Oppenheimer had a cool acronym for that...)
  • One thing that sets the YMCA apart from other local organizations is its commitment to putting kids first regardless of their family's ability to pay. The nonprofit offers financial assistance to make sure all kids can participate.
"At the end of the day, it's all about that kid and getting them access to the experience," Director of Development Kadyn Wittman said. "That has been a guiding principle for our team even when finances are tough."

Tell me more

Few embody the generational impact of the YMCA more than Board Member John Archer, who started going to what was then called Camp Teepeetonka at age 5.

  • He went on to work as a camp counselor, and as an adult served as board president for years, coached youth basketball, saw his own kids through YMCA programming. Archer attributes the Y's success to its ability to change over time and be flexible to the community's needs.
"We're always asking, what can we do to make our community stronger," Archer said, "and that may not be the same thing you did 50 years ago."

Archer shared examples of various roles the Y has played over the years, from supporting the USO during World War II to offering low-income housing.

What exactly does the YMCA do?

We'll go ahead and break it down by category.

Youth athletics

The Sioux Falls Family YMCA hosts the annual Tri-State Basketball Tournament the longest-running youth basketball tournament in the country, in addition to running Hi-Y basketball, Junior Skyforce, and Her Time to Play (sponsored by the Women's National Basketball Association).

  • In addition to basketball, the YMCA also offers youth lacrosse and flag football. This year, the Y's youth flag football team is one of only 10 in the country to receive a sponsorship from Gatorade. Find all the details on youth athletics here.

Gym memberships

Memberships start at $39 per month, and members have access to the downtown facility's locker rooms (including a sauna), fitness equipment, and courts for basketball, racquetball and pickleball. Learn more here.

Camp

Camp Lief Ericson serves an average of 3,200 kids each summer with five different camp sessions. There's still space to sign up your kids for the 2025 camp sessions.

This year, the YMCA is also hosting two specialty camps to bring the Lief Ericson experience to an even broader audience:

  • Big Vikes gives grown-ups a chance to channel their inner kid for a day at camp. That'll take place Aug. 23 (more details here).
  • There's also a brand new "Give Kids the Woods" camp Aug. 18-19 that will give kids with disabilities a safe, accessible way to experience camp. Learn more about that camp here.

After-school programs

The YMCA also offers after-school programming at five Sioux Falls Elementary Schools (Renberg, Pettigrew, JFK, Oscar Howe and Hayward) as well as Baltic and Hartford Elementary Schools. About 500 kids are served through these programs.

"With everything we do, we're thinking about how can we make Sioux Falls stronger," Oppenheimer said. "We know how important it is to connect kids with safe, healthy extracurricular opportunities, and we're working daily to meet them where they are to make that happen."

How can I support the YMCA?

The Sioux Falls Family YMCA relies on donors to keep their doors open, and donors have the option to be very specific about where their money goes. It also doesn't take much to make an impact in helping a kid attend camp or participate in a sport.

"It is easy to make a difference with a donation," Wittman said.

The Y also has a number of volunteer opportunities, which you can learn about here.