What to Expect

Basketball continues to be America’s most popular team sport having nearly 40 million players nationwide.

• More than 7.5 million 6-11 year old children participate in basketball nationally
• Cheerleading continues to grow at nearly a 50% rate each year nationally
• Nearly 3.6 million students participate in cheerleading annually
• 1.4 million cheerleaders are in the 6 to 11 year old age group

*source: Sports Participation in America Report, Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association

Upward is an evangelistic sports ministry specifically designed for kindergarten through sixth grade boys and girls that promotes salvation, character, and self-esteem in every child. In addition to basketball, Upward offers cheerleading, and flag football programs to complete the FB Sports Ministry for children. Upward provides opportunities for all believers, no matter what denomination, to become meaningfully involved in the ministries of our church. Members and parents have the opportunity to pray for our program, coach a team, referee a game, share a devotion, and develop relationships in order to open avenues of ministry to the people of our community. By keeping this goal in mind, Upward Sports programs at FB are able to build leagues that promote salvation, character, and self-esteem in all who participate.

League Information

We offer leagues for boys and girls in Kindergarten through Grade 6. The leagues are divided as follows:

• Kindergarten (co-ed)
• 1st-2nd Grade Boys and 1st-2nd Grade Girls
• 3rd-4th Grade Boys and 3-4th Grade Girls
• 5th-6th Grade Boys and 5th-6th Grade Girls

Cheerleading is for girls in Kindergarten through 6th grade.

2025-2026 Registration

Every player and cheerleader must be registered ONLINE before attending evaluations. No new registrations will be accepted at evaluations.

Registration will be open from October 1 to noon on November 8, 2025, or until a division is full. Some leagues fill up quickly, so register early!

The price is $100 per participant, which includes a jersey, t-shirt, shorts, and an end-of-year award for basketball players and a cheer top, skort, megaphone, pompoms, and an end-of-year award for cheerleaders.

Practice and Game Schedules

Practices - Your child will practice once a week on either Sunday, Monday, or Thursday at the First Baptist Fitness Center, 1003 College Street. (Some age divisions may practice on Tuesday Nights.) Practices will begin in early December.

Games - We will have seven weeks of games beginning Jan. 16-17. Games are played on Friday evenings and all day Saturday at the First Baptist Fitness Center.

Coaches will provide practice and game schedules once teams are set.

End of Year Celebration

Sunday, Mar. 1, 2026 or Monday, March 2, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the Worship Center for all players, cheerleaders, coaches, and parents.

Contact Information

Contact your child's head coach (once assigned) for information specific to your team.

Staff

For more information regarding the league or First Baptist, contact Greg Childress, Sports and Recreation Minister at gchildress@fbcforney.org or call 972.564.3357