When is the season?

Early December through early March

How long is the season?

12 weeks with 8 game weeks

How long are the games, when will they be played and where will the game be?

Each game takes approximately an hour.  Games will played mostly on Saturdays but we do have certain age groups that have a game on Friday nights a couple of time during the season.  Games will be played at Emmanuel UMC in the Family Life Center.  Our 5th/6th grade boys teams and older girls teams do play Fishers United Methodist Church and may have 1 to 2  games at FUMC.

When and how do we register?

Registration begins October 1.  You can do it in person from 8:30 to 3:30 Monday through Friday in the church office (door #5) or you can mail the form that can be printed from this website.

How old does my child have to be to participate?

We use the school age cut off date for entering kindergarten so children must be 5 by August 1st of the current year.  Children may participate through their 6th grade  year.

What is the basketball registration cost?  What does it include?  What do I need to buy?

Your registration fee of $70, includes a team jersey, t-shirt, shorts, music CD, wall decal, car magnet, and more.  All practice equipment such as balls, cones, and pinnies are provided.  Players will need to have their own athletic shoes.

What is the cheerleading registration cost?  What does it include?  What do I need to buy?

Your registration fee of $75, includes a cheer top, cheer skort, mock turtleneck, pom-poms, music CD, wall decal, car magnet and more.  Athletic shoes should be worn to all practices and games.

What are the game rules?

Rules unique to Upward Basketball are provided in the Parent’s Guide to Upward Basketball. This information sheet is provided when your player receives their uniform.  Most rules follow the National Federation of High School basketball guidelines but some are tailored to be age and skill level appropriate.

Do you keep standings?

We do not keep standings.  We do not have a tournament at the end of the season.  The league is designed to teach and emphasize fundamentally sound basketball and provide players with the opportunity to compete without the added pressure of standings and championships.

Can I coach?

Anyone is eligible to apply to coach in the league, however, we do complete background checks on all coaching applicants and reserve the right to accept or decline coaches on the basis of our discretion.

How can I help my child learn more about basketball?

Talk to your child’s coach, review take home drills found on the back of the Scripture Learning Cards, and watch the skills videos on www.TeamUpward.com with your child.

How do I apply stars to my child’s uniform?

To apply the stars onto the basketball uniforms, use these instructions to help avoid damaging the garment and to ensure laundering durability.
1. Use an iron set at medium high temperature.
2. Set the iron to no steam.
3. Press using both hands for 15-20 seconds.
4. Do not move the iron back and forth as in ironing, just press down firmly.

What size basketball should my child practice with?

At Emmanuel we use a 25 inch basketball for Kindergarten, a 27 inch basketball for 1st-2nd graders and a 28.5 inch basketball for 3rd-6th graders. 

Are there scholarship available?

We do provide assistance to those families who are unable to meet the full cost of the fee.  We ask that you fill out the attached form so our leadership can review these on a case by case basis.