Give me a Y! Y! Give me an M! M! Give me a C! C. Give me an A! A! What's that spell?! YMCA! Go Y!
The YMCA of McDonough County is now offering a new twist to a former program … YMCA Tumbling and Cheer, in collaboration with the Macomb High School Cheer Program. According to YMCA CEO Nick Knowles, the program, led by YMCA Tumbling and Cheer Director McKenzie Whitford and MHS Cheer Coach Ashley Katz, was created following the departure of the Y's former longtime gymnastics director.
'We looked at this as an opportunity try something new, and cheer seemed like a great fit as there is a middle school and high school cheer program in our community, and we have a tumbling program already in place,' Knowles explained. 'When I talked to Coach Whitford, who was already a part of our gymnastics and tumbling staff, she was very interested in starting a cheer program, so the pieces just fell into place.'
As the new director, Whitford said she's excited about the changes and the Y's collaboration with MHS Cheer. She explained the partnership is designed to give children the opportunity to develop their skills from a young age while creating a strong foundation for those who may want to cheer in middle school, high school and beyond.
'As someone who benefited from a similar program growing up, I know firsthand how valuable these early experiences can be,' she said. 'I'm thrilled to help provide that same opportunity for kids in our area.'
Cheer and tumbling classes will be offered on Monday and Wednesday evenings for kindergarteners-second graders, third and fourth graders and students in fifth grade and higher. Whitford explained that each class will focus on age-appropriate cheer fundamentals, including motions, jumps, stunting basics, flexibility and tumbling skills commonly used in cheerleading.
'The goal is to help athletes build confidence, improve coordination and develop teamwork while having fun in a positive environment,' Whitford pointed out. 'In addition to weekly classes, we plan to offer pop-up clinics throughout the year. These clinics will provide additional opportunities to learn new skills, prepare for school cheer tryouts, and continue developing throughout the year. Our vision is to create a pipeline that allows young athletes to grow within the program and feel prepared when they're ready to take the next step into school cheer.'
While the program is not launching a competitive cheer team at this time, it is certainly something Whitford said she'd explore in the future as the program grows and interest continues to build. The initial focus of the program is to create a strong recreational program that teaches proper technique, encourages personal growth and builds passion for the sport, she added.
'A program like this is an important addition to the Y because it provides children with the opportunity to begin learning the fundamentals of cheer at an early age, much like many other youth sports in our area,' she concluded. 'Beyond the physical skills, participants will develop discipline, leadership, communication and a strong work ethic— qualities that will benefit them both on and off the mat. Our goal is to create an encouraging environment where every child can learn, grow and discover a lifelong love for cheer.'
Katz, who has coached the MHS team since May 2026, said this provides an exciting opportunity for the MHS Cheerleading team to spread the love of the sport with local youth.
'We are looking forward to assisting the YMCA with upcoming cheer clinics so we can build the future of cheerleading in Macomb and local communities,' Katz added. 'Above all else, we are excited to spread the love of Bomber Nation to the kids participating in the YMCA cheerleading program.'
