The Young Men's Christian Association was founded in England in 1844 by Protestant clergyman George Williams to promote youth athletics. In 1851, the YMCA was established in the United States to attract urban youth to Christianity through athletics. Now, 169 years later, the YMCA is still promoting youth athletics and Christian principles. It has grown to be a prominent presence in over 120 countries and has expanded its mission beyond athletics to develop innovative and effective programs and services, which move people and communities forward. Today its mission statement is: "To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all" (YMCA).
             The YMCA defines its cause as: "We know that lasting personal and social change comes about when we all work together. That's why, at the YMCA, strengthening community is our cause. Every day, we work side-by-side with our neighbors to make sure that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive"(YMCA). The mission and cause statement laid the foundations for almost every program the YMCA creates and maintains, whether it is a youth sport, a fitness class, or a youth swim lesson. Programs run by the YMCA incorporate an aspect character development. The YMCA defined character as the demonstration of four core values: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. YMCA staff intentionally modeled the values with children, youth, and adult members and volunteers (YMCA).
             With these high expectations to fulfill the mission and cause statements, finding qualified staff can be a challenge. Not only does a staff person have to have the proper credentials for the position he or she fills, but also the character and personality to make it a proper fit. An example would be if a YMCA offered a weight loss class to members and community members that focused on clean, healthy...