“I didn’t come here looking for a career. I started because I needed something productive to do and a way to earn income during a difficult period in my life. I needed stability, and what I found was community.” - Daniel Weber
For Daniel Weber, volunteering as an assistant coach for his child’s YMCA soccer team in 2022 was simply a way to get involved and support his family. He never expected that first season on the sidelines would lead to a career helping hundreds of local kids build confidence, learn new skills, and find a place to belong.
After the soccer season ended, Daniel joined the YMCA as a day camp counselor while pursuing a degree in elementary education. From there, he continued to find new ways to serve the Y, teaching culinary classes for youth, and eventually coordinating summer day camp.
Although he spent about a year working in nature-based preschool education, the YMCA never stopped feeling like home.
“I often came back just to say hi to everyone,” Daniel said. “The Y remained an important part of my life and community.”
When the opportunity arose to return to the Y, Daniel did just that. Today, he serves as the Youth Sports Director at the Bremerton Family YMCA, creating the same kinds of experiences that first welcomed his own family.
“My child, now 13, has a safe and welcoming space to spend time with friends, and they’re becoming a Counselor in Training (CIT) this summer,” he said. “It’s a regular place for my family, and I’ve found more family along the way.”
For Daniel, youth sports are about much more than learning a game. Every practice and every season is an opportunity to help young people build confidence, develop new skills, and discover where they belong.
“Every program and every interaction is an opportunity to help a child build confidence, learn a new skill, or feel like they belong. Daniel said. “Being trusted with that responsibility is something I never take for granted.”
What began as volunteering to support his child has become a career dedicated to supporting hundreds of local families. Along the way, Daniel found something he never expected: a community that helped his own family grow and gave him the opportunity to help others do the same.