FAYETTEVILLE, N.Y. -- Runners at the YMCA in Fayetteville are demanding that running coach Kevin Collins be reinstated.

Collins was dismissed Friday as the director of the Syracuse-area YMCA Running Program. And his supporters demanded to know why.

Once Collins was dismissed word quickly spread on the runners Facebook group and they felt they had to do something -- so they held a protest. 

YMCA officials say due to restructuring, there is now a combined running and triathlon program called "the Multisport Department." 

"We believe that the YMCA running program is important to the people. And we want to maintain that strength going forward. So we've made a decision that affects the leadership only. Everything else is the same," said Chris Iven, the YMCA Fayetteville executive director. 

The department will now be headed by someone else.