Upward Sports
 | This article reads like a press release or a news article and may be largely based on routine coverage. (February 2010) |
| Founder | Caz McCaslin |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Christian sports league for youth |
Upward Sports is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission of "promoting the discovery of Jesus through sports". Upward Sports partners with churches in the US and Canada to bring youth sports ministry in their local communities. Upwards Sports was founded in 1995 by Caz McCaslin.[1]
Structure
[edit]There are over 2,800 Upward Sports programs across the US serving hundreds of thousands of young athletes playing recreational basketball, soccer, cheerleading, flag football, and volleyball. Upward Sports equips local churches that represent various evangelical denominations with training, playbooks, sports apparel, ministry resources, and online player registration systems to run their own leagues.
The main Upward complex is located in Spartanburg, South Carolina and is separated into three buildings. The corporate offices, the distribution/warehouse, and the star center, which is a sports complex containing six basketball courts, four grass fields, and two turf fields.
History
[edit]Timeline
[edit]1986 – Caz McCaslin developed a basketball program that incorporated athletic skills and Biblical values
1995 – Launched first nationwide season of Upward Sports; seven churches hosted Upward basketball leagues with several hundred players
2000 – Expanded to include soccer and basketball cheerleading
2003 – The 1,000th church hosted an Upward Sports League
2005 – Added flag football and flag football cheerleading. Launched first Upward Sports international league in Cape Town, South Africa
2006 – More than 400,000 children participated in Upward Sports for the first time. Launched the first Upward Sports League in Canada
2007 – International expansion continued as a league launched in Ukraine
2007 – Military scholarship instituted for children of military men and women deployed overseas[2]
2008 – First South American league launched in Brazil
2009 – Approximately 2,600 churches worldwide host Upward Sports leagues with 520,000 children and 480,000 volunteers, coaches and referees in 46 states and four countries (Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Ukraine)
2015 - LeBron James endorses the organization via Instagram
2020 - Kevin Drake named Executive Director of Upward Sports
2021 - Expanded to include volleyball
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ McCaslin, Caz and Bobb Biehl. Every Child Is a Winner. B&H Publishers, 2002, p. 1-6.
- ^ Bennett, Michelle (November 1, 2010). "Military Kids 'Have a Ball' on Upward Sports". Upward Sports. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
Further reading
[edit]- "Upward Sports: everyone is a winner at faith-based basketball camp". AnnArbor.com.
- "New River Baptist Association offers sports ministry". jdnews.com. Archived from the original on 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- "Upward Sports teaches Christian values through basketball, cheerleading". Lodi News-Sentinel. 7 March 2015.
- "Upward Sports welcomes crowds to $20M complex". GoUpstate.com. Archived from the original on 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- "Basketball program teaches kids skills, positivity". The Medina County Gazette.
- Capital Gazette (2 March 2015). "Glen Burnie East: Upward Sports at takes a swing at baseball for first time since 2011". capitalgazette.com.
- "Upward Sports breaks ground on complex off Highway 29". GoUpstate.com. Archived from the original on 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- "Q&A: Get to know Auburn's Upward Basketball - Auburn Journal". auburnjournal.com. Archived from the original on 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- "Sports league teaches kids about God, jumping higher". Tri-County Times. 21 February 2015.
- "Upward Sports Program proves popular". Columbia Basin Herald. [dead link]
- Savannah Morning News - At Upward Basketball and Cheerleading every child is a winner Archived 2010-03-08 at the Wayback Machine
- Lancaster Eagle Gazette - Upward and onward: Christian-based sports program promotes positive reinforcement Archived 2015-06-17 at the Wayback Machine
- Cabarrus News - Christian League Leads Kids Upward [dead link]