Chris Shea Executive Director of Youth Development and 2021-22 Award Recipient Derek Galway. Submitted photo

AUBURN — The YMCA’s Outstanding Volunteer Award is named after William J. Hood who was an exemplary youth leader in the Auburn-Lewiston community. Mr. Hood played at the YMCA as a youngster in the church league through the 1940s. He continued to be committed to the YMCA’s basketball program as a coach, sponsor, donor, and mentor until he passed away in 1985. This award is given in honor of Mr. Hood for the positive impact he made and his commitment to the program and area youth. Derek, as all past recipients, understands the Y’s mission, embraces the philosophy of the Biddy Basketball program, has a good attitude, and is a positive teacher and role model for the kids in the program. Most importantly, Derek understands the responsibility of what it means to be a coach at the Y, and as it should be, that winning is secondary ~ What is most important is helping kids improve their skills, build self-confidence, achieve success, and help them build the positive relationships that lead to good sportsmanship and teamwork.

First-Year Player Basketballs

In conjunction with honoring William Hood, by presenting the Outstanding Volunteer Award in his name, his wife Jeanne Hood established a tradition that began in 1996 where she has provided basketballs to every First-Year Players in the YMCA’s Biddy Basketball Program [encompassing all 3 divisions, grades 1-6]. Annually, that donation has equated to an average of over 60 basketballs given to first-year players in the program. Sadly, Mrs. Hood passed a few years ago but Wanda Brown, her daughter, and family, continue to support the Biddy Basketball program through their overwhelming generosity.