Upward Sports Ministry
Kids from kindergarten through sixth grade learn the fundamentals of competitive sports paired with the fundamentals of Christian faith. The organization started by offering Upward Basketball, and has now expanded to flag football, soccer, and cheerleading.
Enterprise First United Methodist Church held its second Upward Basketball camp June 26 – 30. EFUMC Recreation Director Ryan Deaton said 75 boys and girls participated in this year’s camp. Deaton had worked with Upward Basketball at another church before coming to Enterprise and convincing EFUMC to partner with Upward.
Deaton reported that the scripture Upward chose for this summer’s camp was 2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” [NKJV]. The purpose of Upward Sports Ministries, detailed online at Upward.org, is salvation, character, and self-esteem for each child. Campers learned fundamental basketball skills of defense, dribbling, passing, shooting, rules, violations, fouls, and terminology. In addition, each age group held daily devotionals and studied the scripture verse for the week. Upward stresses the principle that every child is a winner, and volunteers strive to fulfill the mission of “equipping believers to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with unlimited children through sports ministry.”
Deaton also reported that EFUMC participated in the Upward Basketball league for the first time last year. The church opened the doors of its brand new Family Life Center in September 2005. The facility houses a basketball gymnasium, weight room, walking track, concession area, and meeting rooms. Deaton was pleased that 320 boys and girls participated in the Upward Basketball league, and expects similar or larger numbers for this coming season. He stressed the fact that the Upward league takes the competition out of the game so the kids are not pressured to win. The kids learn the same skills taught in the recreation department leagues and YMCA leagues, but there are no parents yelling at referees, no coaches yelling at players, and every child, win or lose, leaves the gym with a smile. Deaton also said that almost all of the volunteers have either previously coached or played the sport, and they even have one volunteer who coached on the high school and collegiate level and played on the semi-professional level.
Upward provides the support for the directors and volunteers, teaching materials, scripture verses, uniforms, and literature while keeping the cost affordable for every child. This summer’s camp fee of $35.00 per child included T-shirts, water bottles and basketballs, all with the Upward logo, for each participant. On the last day of camp, a cookout was held for the campers and their families. Deaton stated that the church makes no profit from the program. Their first year, two EFUMC members sponsored the program and participation was free. Although there was a fee for participation this year, the church is currently trying to set up a scholarship fund for those families who cannot afford the cost of enrollment.
Although EFUMC has so far participated only in Upward Basketball, the church is gearing up to begin Upward Cheerleading also. “My goal is to have a year-round sport ministry through Upward,” said Deaton.
Churches interested in participating in Upward can get more information at www.upward.org. You can learn more about the program at EFUMC by contacting Recreation Director Ryan Deaton at (334) 347-3467.
