By Sarah Whitman
Senior Staff Writer
LAND O’ LAKES—Twelve-year-old Jodye Bracey jumps up and down in the hall at Myrtle Lake Baptist Church. Bracey is excited about starting her first season as a cheerleader for Upward, a Christian youth sports league through the church. The program, which combines athletics and Sunday school teachings, is now enrolling children grades K-6.
“I can’t wait because I’ll be cheering for my friends on the basketball team and I’ll be cheering for God,” Bracey said. “I love Upward.”
Myrtle Lake brought Upward, a national ministry, to Land O’ Lakes in 2008. The pre-made sports program is available to all churches. Host sites are supplied with uniforms, equipment, practice items and teaching tools by the main organization.
Myrtle Lake started out offering only soccer. More than 70 children on about 10 teams played in summer 2008 and 2009. The soccer program’s success inspired Michael Maragelis, Upward’s local director, to offer basketball and cheerleading this spring. Games and practices will be held at Academy at the Lakes beginning Feb. 27.
“The great thing about Upward is that all the kids get to play an equal amount of time and there’s no team superstar stealing the show,” Maragelis said. “There’s competition but it isn’t all about winning. It’s about having fun and it’s Christian based.”
Upward divides participants by age group. The teams are balanced so children of every skill level are represented on each team. Maragelis evaluates participants to make sure no one team dominates another.
Rhea Davis, mother of Tyler, 11, describes the program as uplifting.
“The program is about motivating the kids,” Davis said. “We’re always high-fiving the players. It isn’t about who’s better than who. I like that.”
Tyler, who attends Denham Oaks Elementary School, chose to play Upward basketball this spring instead of joining a school team.
“I liked playing on the soccer team, so I’m looking forward to basketball,” he said. “I keep handing out pamphlets at school to get my friends to sign-up.”
Tyler said he prefers Upward because everyone involved has a positive attitude. He likes taking time out at practices for prayer and Biblical study.
“We get to learn about Christ,” he said. “That makes it even better.”
During practices, kid athletes are taught the Gospel and learn motivational scripture. Each team’s coach is responsible for taking time out to share what it means, for Christians, to be saved.
“Here, you know the values of the coaches and how the coaches are going to deal with the kids,” Maragelis said. “You know they are going to teach them, not scream and yell at them, which is something that happens sometimes in recreational leagues, but not in Upward.”
Parents can coach their own child’s team, or volunteer to assist. Maragelis’s daughters, Sabrina, 11, and Alyssa, 6, participate in the program. For them, it’s a family affair.
“With soccer, I’ve always been Sabrina’s coach and my wife was Alyssa’s coach, so that’s a benefit because you get to be involved,” Maragelis said. “The kids might keep score but the adults don’t. We’re just having fun.”
Teens are also invited to help coach and referee the games.
Brian Bowman, 18, doesn’t mind spending Saturdays as a ref at the games.
“I love sports and its great to be a mentor to the kids,” he said. “Watching the little ones run around is the funniest part. They’re full of energy.”
Registration for basketball and cheerleading is open until the first practice, Feb 27. The current enrollment cost, which includes uniforms and equipments is $69.95. The first game is scheduled for March 13 at Academy at the Lakes, 2220 Collier Parkway.
For information or to register, call (813) 967-1884.
