YMCA Offers Program for New Year

By Ron Caldwell
– The Collierville Herald –

The YMCA at Schilling Farms will offer a wide range of programs to help people keep their New Year’s resolutions to get in shape.

"Get Real" is a program about real life weight management by learning the essential elements of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight with a focus on attitude, self-image, self-empowerment, exercises, and a balanced diet. The program begins with an orientation on Monday, January 24 with the classes starting on Monday, Jan 31. The hours will be on Mondays for 10 weeks from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the cost is $12 per session or $120 per class.

A Yoga class will also be offered to teach people to relax through breathing and other techniques. Orientation is on Monday with classes beginning on Wednesday at 5 p.m. The classes will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5 p.m. and the course is free to YMCA members.

The YMCA at Schilling Farms will also offer Tai Chi, the ancient Chinese exercise consisting of slow, relaxed movements for total self-development. Classes start on Monday and beginners start with a 10-week session costing $35 while advance classes are no cost for members.

For the more advanced athletes, the YMCA is offering a 10-week program to prepare those attending for indoor and outdoor short course triathlons. The program will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. from Monday, January 10 through March 15. The $100 cost includes the class as well as the YMCA Indoor Triathlon registration fee.

The growth of the new YMCA in Collierville since opening in May has led the organization to plan a $1.3 million second phase that should break ground early I the new year.

The YMCA at Schilling Farms in Collierville had daily attendance of approximately 1,200 people during the summer and has sold more than 8,000 memberships since opening.

After opening the first phase with 28,000 square feet, the YMCA at Schilling Farms is now making plans and raising the money to construct the 12,400-square-foot second phase.

The second phase will feature a gymnasium with six basketball goals, a climbing wall, locker rooms, a sand volleyball court, a multi-purpose room, more parking, an outdoor walking track, offices, and a youth fitness center.

The first phase, which included an indoor and outdoor pool, a 5,000-square-foot wellness center, an aerobics room, two racquetball courts, a nursery room, meeting rooms, a hot tub, and locker room facilities was a $3.7 million project and the second phase will push the grand total for the Schilling Farms YMCA to approximately $5 million when completed.