Upward

2023 Basketball & Cheer  -  Important Info & Dates

Emmanuel Community Church, in cooperation with Upward Sports, is offering Basketball/Cheerleading for children ages 5 years old through 5^th grade. Our league is designed to help teach the sport, support one another in a Christian environment, and give each participant the opportunity to play or cheer without the pressure of winning or losing. Please carefully read through the information as it may answer most of your questions.

NEW for the 2023 Season

• Extra Week of Practice: Practices will start the week of January 2; however, the games will not start until Friday, January 13 & Saturday, January 14.
• 3^rd to 5^th Grade Girls: On Friday, January 6, practice will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. The coaches will be on the court running drills and leading the practice time. This will give the coaches a better feel for the players’ abilities which they will use to draft teams at the end of the evening.
• 4^th & 5^th Grade Boys: On Tuesday, December 6, ALL 4^th & 5^th Grade Boys are strongly encouraged to attend a night of practice. The coaches will be on the court running drills and leading the practice time. This will give the coaches a better feel for the players’ abilities which they will use to draft teams at the end of the evening.
• 2^nd & 3^rd Grade Boys Competitive League & Non-Competitive League: Players are going to have a choice to play in a competitive league where “normal rules” of basketball will be used (i.e. stealing of the basketball & tracking fouls). Scores will be kept but no official win/lose records will be recorded. This league will be limited to 32 players, and 3^rd graders will have the first option of choosing to participate in this league. The league director has the final decision on which league a participant plays in based upon the numbers of players and the players’ abilities.  

PRACTICES:

Practices start the week of January 2. Teams will practice one night per week, for one hour. Practice nights for basketball and cheer are Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday. Participants cannot choose which night they practice but can indicate one night that they CANNOT practice.

* 3^rd to 5^th Grade Girls Basketball: This league will practice and play on Friday nights. Practice starts at 6:00 pm with the game starting at approximately 7:15 pm.

GAMES:

Games run from the weekend of January 13/14 through March 17/18. A new game starts every hour on the hour between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm every Saturday.

* 3^rd to 5^th Grade Girls Basketball: This league will practice and play on Friday nights. Practice starts at 6:00 pm with the game starting at approximately 7:15 pm.

Cheerleaders typically cheer for an entire game. They cheer at a variety of game times during the season based on the number of cheerleaders registered. Once registrations are completed, a schedule of cheer times will be made.

CHEER PRACTICE SCHEDULE AND GAME SCHEDULE

• Kindergarten and/or 5 years old through 5^th grade: 9 Practices & 8 Games
  • 9 Week Practice Schedule: Practices will begin the week of Monday, January 2. Cheer teams will practice either on a Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday night (once a week). Practices last for one hour. Typical practice times are 6:00 pm or 7:00 pm.
• • 8 Week Game Schedule: All games will be on Saturday mornings. Cheer times will be determined based on the number of cheer teams.

 BASKETBALL PRACTICE SCHEDULE AND GAME SCHEDULE:

• Kindergarten and/or 5 years old (Boys & Girls): 9 Practices & 8 Games
  • 9 Week Practice Schedule: Practices will begin the week of Monday, January 2. Teams will practice on a Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday night (once a week). Practices last for one hour. Typical practice time is 6:00 to 7:00 pm.
• • 8 Week Game Schedule: All games will be on Saturday mornings. Game times will be determined based on the number of players in the league. Typical games times are 8:00 am or 9:00 am.

• 1st Grade (Boys & Girls) & 2nd Grade Girls: 9 Practices & 8 Games
  • 9 Week Practice Schedule: Practices will begin the week of Monday, January 2. Teams will practice on a Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday night (once a week). Practices last for one hour. Typical practice times are 6:00 to 7:00 pm or 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
• • 8 Week Game Schedule: All games will be on Saturday mornings. Game times will be determined based on the number of players in the league. Typical games times are 10:00 am or 11:00 am.

• 2nd & 3rd Grade Boys: 11 Practices & 10 Games
  • 11 Week Practice Schedule: Practices will begin the week of Monday, January 2. Teams will practice on a Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday night (once a week). Practices last for one hour. Typical practice time is 7:00 pm or 8:00 pm.
• • 10 Week Game Schedule: All games will be on Saturday mornings. Game times will be determined based on the number of players in the league. Typical games times are 12:00 pm or 1:00 pm.

• 4th & 5th Grade Boys: (11 Practices & 10 Games)
  • 11 Week Practice Schedule: Practices will begin the week of Monday, January 2. Teams will practice on a Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday night (once a week). Practices last for one hour. Typical practice time is 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
• • 10 Week Game Schedule: All games will be on Saturday mornings. Game times will be determined based on the number of players in the league. Typical games times are 2:00 pm or 3:00 pm.

• 3rd to 5th Grade Girls: Friday Night (10 Practices & 9 Games)
  • 10 Week Practice Schedule: Practices begin on Friday, January 6. Teams will practice for one hour before their game. Practice will start at 6 pm.
• • 9 Week Game Schedule: Games begin on Friday, January 13 at 7:15 pm.
  • **There will be NO practice/games on Friday, February 10th due to the Night to Shine event at our church.**

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Evaluation/Orientation Dates: (Each participate must attend one of the following dates)

- Sunday, November 20: 1:00 to 3:00 pm - All Ages

- Monday, November 21: 6:00 to 8:00 pm - All Ages

- Sunday, December 4: 1:00 to 3:00 pm - All Ages

- Monday, December 5: 6:00 to 8:00 pm - All Ages

* Tuesday, December 6: ALL 4th and 5th Grade Boys – 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

All evaluations are held at the church (12222 US 24 W, Fort Wayne, IN 46814). Please enter through Door #3.

• Practices Start: Week of January 2
• First Game:
  • Friday, January 13: 3^rd to 5^th grade girls
  • Saturday, January 14: All other leagues
• Pictures: Friday, January 20 and Saturday, January 21
• Last Game:
  • Saturday, March 4: Kindergarten and/or 5 years old, 1^st Grade and 2^nd Grade girls
  • Friday, March 17: 3^rd to 5^th Grade girls
  • Saturday, March 18: 2^nd to 5^th Grade boys
• Closing Ceremony: Friday, March 24

Please note almost every age group has already been filled, but a waitlist is available through the Upward registration link.
 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER*

Volunteers are needed for evaluations, coaching, referees, concessions, and timekeepers.  Contact Pastor Craig Mickey at cmickey@eccfw.org if interested.