About
The North Rutherford Family YMCA, situated at 2001 Motlow College Blvd, Smyrna, TN 37167, USA, is a comprehensive community wellness center. It offers a diverse array of facilities and programs including fitness equipment, group exercise classes, sports leagues, youth development initiatives, and aquatic activities, serving as a hub for health and community engagement for families and individuals in the Smyrna area.
The facility includes two heated indoor pools. While exact temperatures can vary and are not always publicly listed, YMCAs typically maintain their main lap pools around 80-82°F (26.7-27.8°C) for general swimming and fitness. A second, often shallower or instructional, pool might be maintained at a warmer temperature, sometimes around 88-90°F (31.1-32.2°C), to provide comfort for children, swimming lessons, and therapeutic use.
What are people saying (AI review summary)? Overall, the reviews for the YMCA present a mixed picture, with some members expressing strong satisfaction while others voice significant concerns. Positive feedback highlights a great atmosphere, friendly and personable staff, and fun, energetic, knowledgeable, and patient instructors. Many members appreciate the facility for promoting consistency in their fitness journey and enabling significant personal progress. However, a substantial number of critical issues are raised. Recurring complaints include the facility being too small and crowded during peak times, leading to difficulties in accessing equipment and navigating the gym. There's a notable lack of organization, with towels frequently unavailable and staff sometimes appearing disengaged or inattentive. Communication is a consistent problem, with members experiencing long delays or no responses to inquiries about services like personal training and swim lessons. Inconsistent rule enforcement, particularly regarding safety (e.g., shoe policy), is also mentioned. More seriously, several reviews point to significant safety concerns. There are instances of small children running unsupervised on the track and in free weight areas, and a deeply alarming report of a child almost drowning during a swim lesson due to distracted instructors. Some members also reported unfair treatment, disrespect, and feeling targeted by staff, particularly families and children. Many reviewers feel this specific location falls short in terms of resources, equipment, and even the core values expected from a YMCA, leading some to leave or strongly advise against recommending this branch unless significant improvements in facility, communication, staff accountability, and safety protocols are implemented.
Location
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Amenities
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Accessible Entrance
Reviews
Listing Reviews
July 25th, 2025Allyson Lowe
Great atmosphere. Friendly staff. Fun, energetic instructors. I’ve had a great experience here. Only concern is when small children run on the track especially during peak times. Parents let them run all over without much redirection or consideration of the runners. It can be very distracting and impacts my runs.
July 16th, 2025Kia Davis
The Y will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s where I first started taking fitness seriously, and I’ve made major progress because of the consistency and routine I built there. The environment is welcoming, and many of the staff members are kind and personable. I genuinely appreciate what this gym gave me during a very important chapter of my journey. That being said there are a few honest reasons why I’ve chosen to move on to another gym. The facility is far too small for the number of members it serves. During peak times, it’s difficult to get a full workout in without waiting on machines or navigating through crowded areas. A lot of the equipment that’s most frequently used only has one available, which can slow everything down. There’s also a noticeable lack of organization. Towels for wiping down equipment are often unavailable, and I’ve watched staff at the front desk chatting while unsupervised kids run around the free weight area which is both dangerous and distracting. The staff may be friendly, but they don’t always seem engaged or attentive to what’s going on in the facility. Communication has been another ongoing issue. I personally inquired about personal training and didn’t get a response until six months later. My mom (who also left a review) had the same problem. We both asked about swim lessons and never got a follow-up. It left us feeling ignored as paying members. Lastly, I’ve been corrected before for lifting without shoes on, which I respected but then consistently saw teens working out in Crocs and slides with no issue. If rules are going to be enforced, they need to apply to all members fairly. Overall, I’m still thankful for the Y and proud of the progress I made there. But unless the gym expands, improves member communication, and increases accountability among staff, it’s not the right fit for me anymore. If those changes ever happen, I’d gladly return.
June 4th, 2025Henok Tessema
Review: ⭐☆☆☆☆ (1 star) Our experience at the YMCA Smyrna location has been extremely disappointing. This facility is supposed to be family- and kid-friendly, but that hasn’t been the case at all. My children were treated unfairly and made to feel uncomfortable, and my wife was disrespected by staff. I’ve also been personally targeted by certain employees without cause, which is unacceptable in a place that’s supposed to promote community and inclusivity. In addition to the poor treatment, the facility itself falls short. Compared to other YMCA locations we’ve visited, Smyrna has fewer gym supplies, very limited equipment, and no towels available for members — something other branches provide as a basic service. It’s clear this location is lacking not only in resources, but also in the values the YMCA is supposed to stand for. I would not recommend this branch to families or anyone expecting fair, respectful treatment and decent facilities.
August 12th, 2025Yvette Lucas
The instructors were very knowledgeable, patient, and kind. While four lessons were not enough for me to learn to swim, I learned things I didn't know about swimming while gaining new techniques. More importantly, I learned things about myself and my relationship with water that will help me in the future. I will definitely continue taking lessons.
June 28th, 2025Jennifer Jinghpaw
I am extremely disappointed and deeply concerned about the safety standards at YMCA Smyrna . During a recent swim lesson stages 1&2 , my daughter almost drowned while in the pool.The two instructors who were supposed to be supervising were distracted and talking to each other instead of watching the children.This kind of negligence is unacceptable, especially in a class meant for very young children who require constant and close supervision. This facility was chosen for a daughter's swimming lessons to ensure her safety in the water. Witnessing a near-drowning incident was incredibly distressing and unacceptable. I hope this review serves as a wake-up call for the management to improve training, supervision, and overall safety.
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Opening Hours
| Sunday | 12:00 – 5:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Monday | 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM |
| Thursday | 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM |
| Friday | 5:00 AM – 9:00 PM |
| Saturday | 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM |