If I were honest, I would have to confess that my most enjoyable moments in seminary were not those hours spent parsing Greek verbs or memorizing important dates in church history–though of course, both are worthwhile endeavors. No, the most enjoyable and most memorable times of my seminary experience were spent on the intramural field. It was that time of shared experience, coming together as a team whose members spanned many denominational and theological divides, and getting to know each other on an entirely different level than the classroom allowed that made my seminary experience.
Yes, on the surface it might seem trivial–though we took it quite seriously. Flag football is hardly serious business in the grand scheme of things, but it provided an excuse for a group of diverse individuals to get to know each other better through the shared task and time spent together in pursuit of that task.
It is just such an experience that Upward Unlimited seeks to provide through its sports ministry for kindergarten through sixth grade boys and girls. Upward is, in a sense, a church sports ministry in a box–just add kids and volunteers and you are ready to go. Basketball, cheerleading, soccer, and flag football are all part of the Upward mix. The program even comes complete with logos, uniforms, coach, and referee guidelines as well as devotional materials for each of the 11 weeks of the season.
Upward started as the vision of Caz McCaslin, a recreation minister in Spartanburg, S. C. What began as a sports ministry at one church quickly expanded to seven churches and now encompasses 1,800 church partners across the U.S. It is estimated that more than 530,000 kids will participate in Upward sports programs this year.
The goal of Upward is to promote “salvation, character, and self-esteem in every child.”1 This is accomplished through a structured method of determining playing time and substitutions. Every child is given equal playing time based on this rotation, regardless of ability. In the younger grades the games are not scored and in all ages no league standings are kept in order to foster a healthy, but not excessive sense of competition. The time commitment for Upward is limited to one hour of practice per week and one game per week. This is another attempt to allow kids and families to be involved in sports without the sports coming to dominate their schedules.
Crestwood Church in Richmond, Va., is beginning its second year of offering basketball and cheerleading using the Upward program. Last year in basketball alone 716 kids participated. This season they are partnering with two other churches to accommodate a larger number of kids and families. More kids shouldn’t be a problem. Crestwood Recreation Director Amanda Ritter says that though they do put out a banner in front of the church and pass out registration forms at a community festival, “about 85% of the kids come to the program by word of mouth–It’s amazing how word gets around!”
“Through Upward sports, we get the opportunity to share the love of God with kids every week for 11 weeks,” Ritter continued. “Then, on top of that, every Saturday we have an audience of parents and grandparents, over 1,000 people each week, that come through our gym and hear about God’s love for them.” Ritter’s passion when describing the program is contagious. “Sports is a very easy entrance point for families into the church. When you love on their kids, parents notice and appreciate it. Lots of new families visit Crestwood after their child starts Upward with us.”
As powerful an experience as it can be for the kids and families participating in the sports leagues, Upward does more than reach out to the community. It has proven to be a powerful way of reaching out within a church’s community. Ritter admits that it does take a lot of volunteers to run the various Upward programs, but it also provides people with unique ways to serve. “Men who wouldn’t get involved in other areas jump at the chance to referee or coach,” she points out. “Older folks who love sports can volunteer to run the clock. Computer whizzes help put all of the registrations in the computer. And anyone can pray for the programs. New people in the church find that these programs are an easy way to jump in and get involved.”
It doesn’t stop there. Based on the popularity of its church sports programs, Upward has recently piloted a new program called Upward Mission Camps. In this new pilot program, churches that have run Upward sports leagues for their own children and community are now taking that ministry to the world.
According to Upward Global Development Associate Mark Quillen, in this first year of the pilot program 17 churches have conducted 20 mission camps here in the U.S. and around the world. Columbia Church, a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, took a team of volunteers from Columbia, Md., to Kobe, Japan, to conduct two mission camps this past summer. Working with a Japanese pastor this team of eight from Columbia Church helped to put on the first Upward basketball program in Japan.
How does an interested church (possibly yours?) find out more about Upward? The first thing to do, according to Maria Maddin, director of communication for Upward, is to think:
Does your church have a gym (basketball leagues) or a field (flag football and soccer leagues)? If not, are there churches you might partner with in your area that do? Crestwood Church is currently partnering with St. Mark’s United Methodist Church and Woolridge Road Baptist Church for their Upward program.
Does your church have a volunteer base? Upward is an admittedly volunteer-intensive activity needing coaches, referees, and other support staff to run the leagues. But keep in mind, this is part of the intent and intentional consequence of the Upward program–to involve these volunteers in kids’ lives in an easy, non-threatening way that may end up making an impact on the volunteers as well as the kids.
Once you’ve successfully navigated the issues of space and volunteers the next step is to attend a two-day Upward leadership training conference. This conference is designed to give your church representatives a feel for the vision and history of Upward, as well as to educate you on the specifics of running an Upward league. It really is a sports ministry in a box–if you can add the space, the kids, and the volunteers, Upward takes care of everything else–brochures and posters to advertise your program, playbooks, and coaches training are only the beginning. This is all before your church has had to invest a single dollar, other than the conference fees.
In an attempt to provide churches with the flexibility they need for their specific environment, Upward charges a flat rate per child, no matter the size of your league or program, and suggests that church partners research the charge for comparable programs in their area when determining the fees for the program.
From children’s ministry to community outreach to engaging volunteers to ecumenical partnerships to mission, Upward seems to have it all. In the words of Recreation Director Amanda Ritter, “Some people sing, some teach, and some referee and coach!”
Let the games begin.
1 Upward.com Web site–Overview.
Erin Dunigan is waiting to see where God’s call leads next. She is a writer, photographer, and website developer who lives in Newport Beach, Calif.
