Impacting Young Lives Through Upward Basketball

September 20th, 2022

Player registration for the January 2023 season of Upward Basketball is in full swing. This ministry is so desired by our community that we have been completely full for the last several years, and we expect another full league as people enjoy more traditional activities again.

The Upward organization describes their purpose:

For over twenty years, our purpose has remained the same: to use the power of sports to share the gospel and promote the discovery of Jesus in every community. We view sport through the lens of a greater purpose – which means the impact can extend far beyond the game. Sports break down barriers and create a powerful catalyst for churches to build relationships and serve others.”

The heart of our Upward league is our coaches and volunteers. We have an opportunity for 32 individuals from our church to step up and ensure we have an FBCC impact on each team. This is more than just coaching. It’s an opportunity to connect with families from around Corpus Christi and to present the gospel.

Ideally, each team should have a pair of volunteer leaders:

A skills coach who understands basketball and can help develop gamesmanship; and
A heart coach who pours encouragement and love into these players during practice and at games.

These two roles work hand in hand to engage the whole athlete – mind, body, spirit, and soul.
The time commitment for team leaders/coaches will be one hour per week from November 28 until the week of February 13. Plus, an hour on Saturdays for games beginning January 7 through February 18.

Coaching shouldn’t feel overwhelming or scary. We will have a training for all coaches to help you prepare and understand the league rules, expectations, and processes. To our church, this is much bigger than coaching basketball – it is about presenting the gospel each week to kids and families around Corpus Christi. 