$35K donation continues free soccer, middle school sports program at Newton YMCA

More than 480 kids participated in the Newton YMCA soccer league this past year, and not a single one of them had to pay for registration. The generous donation from Monsignor McCann Community Fund is what allowed those kids to play free of charge, and the group’s support only continues to grow.

Monsignor McCann Community Fund on April 22 awarded a $35,000 grant to the YMCA to not only offer free soccer league for the third year in a row, but to also provide a free middle school sports program for 2023. The youth in Newton are “blessed,” says Newton YMCA CEO Lucas Hughes.

“The youth in Newton are blessed to have Monsignor McCann Community Fund in their community,” Hughes said. “And the YMCA is grateful.”

YMCA has 60 teams — led by volunteer coaches — participating in its soccer league. The grant will cover the costs of 2023 spring soccer for all children in Jasper County. But now, Hughes said, the grant will also help the middle school sports program.

The YMCA’s middle school sports program runs throughout the year for fifth and sixth graders, and it consists of four different sports: track and field, basketball, volleyball and soccer. Monsignor McCann Community Fund’s previous donation in 2022 allowed 130 players to participate in the program for free.

“(Monsignor McCann Community Fund) saw the vision as far as bridging that gap between the fifth and sixth graders who aren’t able to afford that travel ball or travel sport and those who just want to continue participating,” Hughes said, noting the community fund’s board of directors were on board from the start.

Mark Thayer, president of Monsignor McCann Community Fund, said the fund was formed after the sale of McCann Village in 2018. The volunteer-driven non-profit regularly distributes money to local organizations who perform charitable work or serve the needs of poor and disadvantaged persons in Jasper County.

In addition to the $35,000 grant awarded to the YMCA, the fund provided $1,800 to the Pregnancy Center of Central Iowa and $6,000 to the DMACC Newton Campus to focus on student mental health. Typically, the group distributes $50,000 to $70,000 every year.

Thayer said some families encounter financial barriers when registering their children for sports. Some parents just cannot afford the fees. Since the introduction of free youth soccer, the YMCA has seen a huge increase in participation. In 2019, 181 kids were registered; by 2021, 444 kids signed up for the program.

“It’s really awesome, for me, to see the growth of that program — almost 500 kids this spring,” Thayer said. “I live by that neighborhood and it really just warms my warm to see games going on until 3:30 on a Saturday afternoon. It’s neat to see that knowing the kids get to do this at no cost to their parents.”

Hughes has noticed that growth, too. And he suggested it is spilling over into other areas. For instance, registrations for flag football — a sport that is not offered for free — have grown from about 53 kids to 96 kids in the span of a year, or about 81 percent.

“If you provide an opportunity to explore the activities at the Y, they start participating in more than just what’s given for free,” Hughes said. “…Monsignor McCann opened up a gateway to allowing people that may not have the funds now to view what the Y is able to give to the community.”

From 2021 to 2023 the community fund has consecutively awarded grants to the YMCA for free youth soccer. Thayer said the fund recognizes the YMCA as “one of Newton’s best assets.” The fund’s board of directors also know families are facing several economic factors, but they do not want their kids to be affected.

“I can’t think of a better organization in Newton that addresses those economic uncertainties and challenges for families than the YMCA,” Thayer said. “They do everything they can to try and accommodate as many people as possible. It’s an organization we feel good about supporting on an annual basis.”

Hughes said the community fund has shown it is all about the youth and developing the county’s up-and-coming students.

“What it tells me is here’s Monsignor McCann looking out for youth development and just making sure they’re sponsoring healthy living in accordance with the mission of the Y,” Hughes said. “You have advocates on both sides not only supporting the Y but supporting the youth.”

For more information about the Monsignor McCann Community Fund, visit www.mmcfund.org. In past years, the fund gave $20,000 for the splash pad project in Newton and $10,000 to the Salvation Army for its Red Kettle Campaign.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com