Valley Forge Sports Hosts YMCA National Championship

The YMCA National Gymnastics Championship & Invitational, hosted this past June in Oaks, was the largest indoor event ever held in Montgomery County, PA with over 1,900 gymnasts and 200+ coaches traveling to the area from 81 YMCAs across the country.  This new-to-the-area event brought in an estimated 6,000 room nights and an estimated $7 million in economic impact.

This event was produced by the Willow Grove YMCA in cooperation with Valley Forge Sports, The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, and Villanova University.

“This event was a beautiful example of how sports bring the community together. With this event, we were able to bring impact to different parts of the county, partner with local businesses, and create broad economic impact. The Willow Grove Y came to us with this opportunity, and we were thrilled to jump on board and help make it the best event it could be.” Said Rachel Dailey, Associate Director of Sports for Valley Forge Sports, “That’s our job.”

The event utilized two exceptional venues that significantly enhanced the overall experience:

• Villanova University: The Dream Dance Party at Villanova Stadium and the Grand March-In to the Opening Ceremony at Finneran Pavilion provided a picturesque and dynamic setting that elevated the excitement and grandeur of the event. Gaining access to these premier on-campus venues was made possible thanks to existing relationships between Villanova Athletics, Valley Forge Sports and the Greater Philadelphia YMCA.
• Greater Philadelphia Expo Center: Serving as the competition venue, the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center offered unparalleled accessibility, ample parking, and a family-friendly environment. Three full competition gyms with spectator seating, a vendor area, warmup space and awards stages were housed throughout three adjacent halls, totaling roughly 100,000 sq ft. Surrounding amenities, including restaurants and entertainment options, further enriched the experience for athletes, coaches, and spectators alike.

Besides athletes and coaches, the event drew a record 10,000 spectators, which was a 147% increase in attendance from the 2023 Championships.

Thanks to community support, the Y was also able to raise $44,000 in sponsorships, which was a 29% increase year over year.

“There was a lot of excitement for this event” said Dailey, “it wasn’t too difficult to get people on board once they understood the scope of what was coming.”

The Valley Forge Sports team coordinated a partnership with the King of Prussia Mall, promoting “YMCA Day” with branded signage throughout the shopping hub. The newly opened Little Words Project offered a special deal on custom friendship bracelets, which was a huge hit with the group, and the mall noted a general uptick in traffic over the event dates, according to the Director of Marketing.

For the first time, our marketing team built a custom-built landing page specifically for the YMCA National Gymnastics Championship & Invitational (https://www.valleyforge.org/ymca-2024-gymnastics-nationals/). The landing page highlighted special offers for county businesses and itinerary-based content, as well as the YMCA housing portal for attendee accommodations. This allowed participants to have access to all resources and information ahead of and during the event.

Due to SEO, this landing page was in the top five Google results for the Google search, ‘YMCA Nationals’, benefitting both the Valley Forge Sports organization, as well as YMCA and the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. Overall, the YMCA landing page saw 9,246 visits during the event timeframe and was the organization’s #26 top-viewed page for the year.

“The 2024 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships & Invitational is not just an event; it’s a culmination of hard work, dedication, and the spirit of community. This championship highlighted the incredible talents of young gymnasts from across the nation. Hosting this significant event in Montgomery County and working alongside Valley Forge Sports has been a remarkable experience. Their support has been instrumental in bringing this event to life, and we were thrilled to showcase the athletic excellence and supportive community that defines the YMCA in such a dynamic setting,” said Mubarak “Mo” Simmons, Gymnastics Director at Willow Grove YMCA.

Valley Forge Sports hopes to be an inspiration for other local organizations to set their sights on hosting national events.