TRAVERSE CITY -- The family that plays together stays together.
The Van Deinse family cheerfully lives that cliche daily.
Tom and Betsy Van Deinse and their five children are indispensable to the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA, where Tom heads up the organization as chief executive officer and Betsy leads a thriving gymnastics program.
Sons Joseph, 20, and James, 18, both teach in the tennis program while daughters Gina, 19, Jennifer, 16 and Kelly, 14, serve as gymnastics teachers and coaches.
As a homeschooling family with the three oldest now at Northwestern Michigan College, during the school year they log hours of togetherness daily. Spending so much time with each other provides an enriching, not stifling, life.
"It's fun, just being with them all the time," said Jennifer. "This is basically what I want to do and it's awesome having my sisters with me."
Added Gina: "I love working with my sisters, they're great."
Smoothing the process is that each Van Deinse offspring has a defined role. Filling in wherever needed -- including at the tennis courts -- Kelly both teaches and coaches gymnastics, guiding the recreational classes. Both brothers are also trained and able to lend at hand in gymnastics if needed, but mainly focus on tennis.
Jennifer, a Level 10 competitive gymnast, coaches the Y's competitive team program with characteristic high expectations for herself and the 50 or so members. Her sister, Gina, also coaches the competitive team where her patient manner balances Jennifer's intensity.
"It's a lot of responsibility," said Betsy Van Deinse. "The funny thing is that girls took over a year ago June when I needed a coach and the team girls have improved so quickly since that we knew it was working."
Quickly is an understatement. The Level 5 gymnasts ended the competitive season with five state champions and the team placed third in the state -- unexpected achievements for a program that began about six years ago in a garage with few students and minimal equipment.
These days, competitive team members are at the gym year-round for at least 16 hours a week. The Van Deinse team leadership there sets a family atmosphere that encompasses everyone.
"Our team girls are exceptional," said Van Deinse. "The competitions start in January and these girls train year-round to do maybe 6-8 weeks a year."
The YMCA gymnastics program grew from the day it opened and now has nearly 600 students of all ages, from one-year-old children to high schoolers. After moving to the roomy Woodmere Avenue facility in Traverse City, the program needed a few years to build up the full range of equipment and classes now available.
The YMCA competitive gymnastics team and individual member's successes boost the program as a whole.
"It makes a huge difference for your program to have that kind of success, it gives credibility," noted Van Deinse, adding of the unexpected statewide placement: "For all practical purposes, (third place) was as good as first to us."
The tight-knit Van Deinses moved to the area in 1999 when Tom accepted the post at the YMCA. Prior to that, he had managed a tennis and fitness center in Minnesota.
The family began homeschooling after spending time on the national Taekwondo competitive circuit. Juggling martial arts events, tennis and Jennifer's gymnastics was much easier when academics were taught at home on the family's schedule.
With their children heading to independence after all these years together, there is a seamless transition between the Van Deinse family's values and those of the YMCA: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
"I have the greatest kids in the world," said Betsy Van Deinse. "Our expectations are very, very high but they're super kids and they get to do what they love to do."
"This is absolutely fun, we're blessed," she added.
For information on the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA and its programs, call 933-9622 or see gtbayymca.org.
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