The Cortland County Family YMCA is pleased to welcome Michael (Mike) Assmann to the Y family as the new wellness and program director. Mike was hired late April.

At the Y Mike will be responsible for all areas of wellness and programs, including aerobics, personal training, youth and adult sports and other wellness activities. Mike is a SUNY Cortland graduate, with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology: Fitness Development. While at SUNY he also was a member of the Red Dragon Baseball Team, as a pitcher. Beyond his baseball prowess, Mike has been actively involved with many sports including: basketball, football, and bicycling. Mike was a YMCA personal trainer, working with all ages, at the Skaneateles Y for the past two years before coming to the Cortland YMCA.

Mike is an outdoor enthusiast and looks forward to improving many programs here at the Y. He is planning a Summer Youth Sports Camp, with the intent to get the kids outside. He said, “I believe it is tremendously important to get children active at a young age and instill in them a love for physical activity and the outdoors; to show them how to enjoy life outside of cell phones, computers, and television.”

Mike is also very involved in the wellness programs here at the Y, already teaching and subbing in for different aerobics classes and creating new wellness offerings. He is introducing a new “senior fit” class, a low intensity class focused on improving mobility and movement strategies. The class will focus on form, mind-body connection, muscular balance, joint stability through the use of chair, light weights and resistance band training. He encourages seniors to attend, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. to “get active and stay active.”

“Mike’s been a great addition to the YMCA already,” said Matthew Kemak, membership director. “He has already added new programs and fitness offerings, helping to add value to our membership.”

Kemak adds that having a program director helps the Y continue its mission and charge, by being able to offer programs to help build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

Assmann hopes to improve YMCA program offerings and has many ideas to advance. He looks forward to creating a result driven personal training regime, from the average person looking to lose a few pounds to the experienced fitness athlete.

In addition, Mike said he wants to create a trainer led wellness program that utilizes a group dynamic to help inspire, motivate, and hold members accountable to their fitness goals. He said, “A team dynamic helps keep exercise fresh and introduces healthy competition, and with sound physiological exercise principles, results are inevitable.”

For more information, please contact the Cortland County Family YMCA at 607-756-2893, or visit us online at www.cortlandymca.org

The Cortland County Family YMCA has been proudly serving Cortland and the surrounding community for the past 146 years.