This week’s Staff Spotlight is on JT Updegraff, our Recreation Director, and Adventure Camp Director.
JT Updegraff
Resides: Keene, NH
Hometown: Holland, Michigan.
Age: 35
Likes: All things sports, his wife and son, his dog and cat, and did we mention sports?
JT Updegraff is our Recreation Director, and if you didn’t already know, he loves all things sports. He’s been the Recreation Director for a few months now, after being our Camp and Afterschool Program Director.
JT holds a whole-hearted love for all things sports, and the ability to take his love of sports to work gives him a great way to share his enthusiasm with the Y community. He wants the kids of our community to know that it’s a great thing to go out there and learn new things.
“I think my sharing enthusiasm for trying things is contagious, at least I hope it is, to a lot of kids. I’ve noticed that, even doing after school stuff, that showing enthusiasm for trying things and instilling that creativity and curiosity in kids is super important,” he said.
In his free time, JT helps coach a Keene Crush lacrosse team and plays in a co-ed indoor soccer league in Swanzey.
“I coach a ton, anything I can get my hands on. I play as much as I can; soccer leagues, lacrosse, basketball, anything! Outside or inside, I’m down,” he said.
Even though his previous lacrosse experience might have him swayed, JT would love to see lacrosse grow even more in and around the Y community.
“Having coached [lacrosse] in the area, in the Keene and Swanzey area… Having it come back to the area in full force would be fantastic.”
When asked what his favorite part of being Recreation Director is, JT said that it’s the growth he gets to see from the kids he works with as they figure out new skills and games.
“Watching them get visibly better at something and watching what that does to confidence… it’s awesome… Watching a kids face change from ‘I’m not getting it’ to ‘This is great’ is one of the coolest things ever,” he said.
Going forward, JT hopes that he can help crack the code into keeping teenagers involved in their community, and creating opportunities that will be exciting to engage in.
“There’s a lot of teenagers here and they show up but we need to figure out how to get them involved in things… and how to get them to invite their friends,” he said
Although the Recreation Director is fairly new to the Keene Family YMCA, JT said that he wants to be able to provide access to as many programs as possible to the kids in our community.
“Some groups… don’t know they like sports because they’ve never been introduced to them, then they’re missing out on team things,” he said. “Those sorts of social skills, I think, are fundamental in how people are formed.”
Voicing your thoughts at the Y is imperative to our community’s growth. JT wants everyone to know that if you want something to happen at the Y, to just tell someone what you’re thinking.
“If the Y hears that people want something, the Y is in the business of trying to get that to happen,” he said. “We want to be a part of building of community, not just a building that opens and checks you in.”
JT said that he hopes people in our community see that the Y is just a hub for what the community wants to happen.
“The core of this Y is wanting to make a difference, whole heartedly, and the people here try [to make a difference] all the time. It’s contagious and it’s awesome to be a part of,” he said.