YMCA of Waycross — Local services in Waycross

I believe reviews have become the suggestion box and I'm hoping these issues will put suggestions into place. We are not members here, and now we don't really want to be. We enrolled our 2 kids into swimming lessons. We are not from here and just moved about a year ago. We are not familiar with thunder and lightening policies for indoor pools, but swimming lessons were cancelled for numerous classes on numerous dates this season. I asked a lifeguard how we would know if lessons were cancelled, after showing up right after the class before ours was cancelled, and he said we'd receive a call. Well, a few weeks later we were signing our oldest up for soccer and witnessed the front desk answering numerous calls about the weather and if swimming would be cancelled. So we called when we heard thunder before one of our classes. We were told it was cancelled. We were never given any info on a make up class, nor were we called to be informed of makeup. We assumed it would be on our next scheduled day, but when we called that day we were told it had probably been the very next day after the cancelled day, or it would be the coming Friday.... We've still received no info. We were also told that the front desk should have told us when we called about it being cancelled, or a lifeguard should have called us to inform us. We missed the last lesson that we paid for because no one knows what to do or just isn't doing their job... Disorganized. On another note, these lessons aren't worth it if your kids are very familiar with water and swim on their own with life vests. We thought these classes would teach them to swim, but they don't. We have a pool and wanted to take measures to make sure they knew what to do if they fell in. It's more of a water familiarization class, but they do learn to kick their feet and stroke their arms, they try to float, and they make them jump in to put their heads under water (all of which my kids already do). They base it on age instead of level of knowledge which makes it a waste for many kids. We won't sign our kids up next year. Also, there was only 1 or 2 instructors of the 5 or 6 we saw, that actually seemed like they held authority and knew what they were doing. There were 4 lifeguards to this class and a child was playing around and fell in the pool and the parents had to get the attention of EVERY lifeguard in the water to get the child. They don't pay attention and it's left to one person to try to get 3 teenagers to do their jobs and take them seriously. Also, none of them have any consistency. Some made the kids put their arms out, some let them put their arms anywhere... It felt disorganized and lacked discipline. I hope we don't have these issues with soccer.

Update: we had worse issues with soccer. So much so that I wrote to the director of this YMCA. We paid for our son to play a sport that he had never played and was just showing interest in. This YMCA killed his desire to ever play a sport again. My son wanted to learn and have fun, but the adults (parents and coaches) treat this like a professional league. I can't even begin to go into the outrageous things that happened, but...

I am 61 and our family has been going to the "Y" since I was a little girl...basically as long as I can remember!! My baby sister went to pre school there, I took my daughter there for swimming lessons and she took her boys there for swimming lessons and one day I can guarantee that they will take their kids to the Y. I will always remember that familiar smell when you descend down the metal stairs the pool area. I loved going swimming there as a kid and then buying a snack from the snack bar while my sisters and I waited for our Mom to return to pick us up. I can't say enough good things Abt the "Y" from their swim programs to their sports programs... To their exercise classes and work out programs, to all the community activities they have as well as the help that they provide ppl in the Waycross Ga area. The YMCA is a great place that provides good, safe family values and lots of fun for all!! Heck the "Y" is so amazing that it even has a song Abt it...need I say more. I recommend the family package it makes a great gift for yr loved ones!!! Check with yr health insurance company most of them provide memberships to the "Y" as ways to encourage good healthy living!! And then enjoy spending family time at the...

This locations locker rooms and bathrooms are very very old and out dated needs to be renovated. Also, work out area is in disarray with free weights all over the place at 9am as if no one clean up from day before. Weight machines and cardio machines are very close together with absolutely no personal space on some machines. Beware that if you are coming from a major city with a YMCA this location may give you a culture shock looks like it is from the 1970's. But you can work out here just know you will be stepping back in time. Gym is open 24 hours with a $5 pass. JUST AT THIS LOCATION FOR...