The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas has welcomed a new local partnership with Scottish Rite for Children for the Y’s basketball teams during the 2023-2024 seasons.
Scottish Rite, a leading national pediatric orthopedic center, will provide the YMCA volunteer coaches with resources and tools about hydration, stretching and injury prevention tips. By providing free information from world-renowned experts, volunteer coaches can better support these growing athletes.
Melis Jones, the director of corporate relations at the YMCA, said the idea for partnership began through a member of Scottish Rite’s agency team also being a volunteer soccer coach at the White Rock YMCA and Lake Highlands Family YMCA. Jones said after witnessing soccer fields full of kiddos in colorful YMCA jerseys, the interest to develop a connection and collaboration between the two organizations was then born.
“Scottish Rite for Children has been providing excellent pediatric orthopedic care in the Dallas community and beyond for more than a century,” said Jones. “From the chief of staff to the security guard and everyone in between, Scottish Rite is continuously dedicated to finding ways to support the community and help give children back their childhood.”
Partnership Details and Benefits
Jones said with supporters like Scottish Rite, the YMCA can provide basketball scholarships that allow families, who could not otherwise afford it, to participate.
“The Y’s youth basketball league has no tryouts, and everyone is welcome,” said Jones. “Players can participate in every game and receive equal court time, regardless of skill level. Youth Basketball at the Y develops fundamental basketball skills, teaches teamwork and promotes physical activity in a team environment.”
Players will receive new custom jerseys as they enter the summer season, in addition to the health information given by the leading experts at Scottish Rite.
“Both organizations have been pivotal in improving the lives of young people in the Dallas area for more than 100 years,” said Jones. “Scottish Rite is No. 1 in the Southwest for pediatric orthopedics. They are focused on providing the one-of-a-kind care to families regardless of their ability to pay. There’s so much synergy and overlap in our missions. They are focused on giving children back their childhood, and the YMCA is focused on providing programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.”
Participating YMCA locations in the partnership include:
- White Rock YMCA
- Plano Family YMCA
- Frisco Family YMCA
- McKinney Family YMCA
- Moorland Family YMCA at Oak Cliff
- Semones Family YMCA
Advice for Building Partnerships
Jones said identifying like-minded partners with a community focus and additional resources is a major key in creating a beneficial partnership. “At the YMCA, we look for authentic, win-win partnerships,” she said. “Scottish Rite, like the YMCA, is dedicated to the health of children. Working together, we can help strengthen our communities. The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas serves more than 200,000 people from youth, adults and seniors in North Texas and offers more than 40 programs.”
At Scottish Rite, a wide range of orthopedic conditions are treated, including sports injuries and fractures, as well as certain arthritic, neurological and learning disorders, such as dyslexia. Patients receive treatment regardless of the family’s ability to pay. For more information about services available at the Dallas or Frisco campus, volunteering or donating, visit scottishriteforchildren.org.
“Scottish Rite for Children’s remarkable mission is all about giving children back their childhood,” said Robert Walker, the President and CEO of Scottish Rite for Children in a press release. “The longstanding role of the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas helps children stay active and included and sparks a love of team sports. Scottish Rite is excited to join up with the Dallas YMCA in support of the community.”
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