Upward Basketball & Cheerleading 2026-2027
Children's Ministry Student Ministry All Church Family Ministries
Play. Grow. Thrive. Upward Basketball & Cheer is a fun, competitive co-ed league for students in K5 through 8th grade (K-5th for cheer). Athletes develop skills, teamwork, and biblical character that make a difference both on and off the court.
Mandatory Evaluations & Uniform Fittings
- Friday, October 23 | 5:00-8:00 PM
- Saturday, October 24 | 9:00 AM-12:00 PM
Stop by at your convenience. For questions, contact bgotcher@oakhillbc.org. Important dates and FAQs are listed below.
Volunteer to coach or referee!
Important Dates:
- Registration Ends October 24th - 12 p.m.
- Mandatory Evaluations and Uniform Fitting October 23rd & 24th
- Practices Begin the week of December 6th
- Games Begin January 8th and 9th, 2026
- Upward Celebration, March 5th
- 6th-8th Grade Tournament, March 6th
- Does every child make a team?Yes, every child that registers is placed on a team. That is why the mandatory evaluations are so important.We try our best to draft fair teams with children of different skill levels.
- How are teams selected? Teams are drafted by the upward computer system, taking into account evaluation scores, height, coaches' children, and siblings' practice nights. The draft is conducted by at least five members of our Upward Leadership Team to ensure impartiality.
- How often do teams practice? Practices are once a week starting the week of December 6th for 12 weeks. One hour for K-5th grade teams and 1.5 hours for 6th-8th grade teams.
- How many games do they play? There are 8 games starting the January 8th & 9th Each team will only play one game a week. Middle school division plays on Friday evening. Everyone else plays on Saturday, with the K-1st division starting first, then 2nd-3rd, and 4th-5th in the afternoon. A full schedule will be published after the teams have been drafted. All games are played at the Oakhill South Campus (4615 Oak Hill Rd)
- Can I request a practice night? Sort of. When you register, you can mark one night out of three that you cannot practice. We will primarily practice on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday anywhere from 5 to 9pm. We do our best to have younger kids practicing earlier in the evening.
- Can my child be put on a team with their friend? Maybe. We can only guarantee siblings and coaches' children will be on teams together. We cannot guarantee friends will be on the same team even if they need to share a ride.
- Is there a fee? Yes, the fee for basketball is $85 before Oct. 11th ($90 after that). The fee for cheerleading is $95 before Oct. 11th ($100 after that). The fee includes the reversible basketball jersey and t-shirt. The cheerleaders will receive a cheer shirt, skort, hair bow, and pom-poms. The registration fee pays for uniforms and other administrative costs associated with running the league. There is only one fee for the entire 12-week season. We also run a concession stand that helps offset some of the costs. We appreciate any purchases made during the season!
- Is there an end-of-season tournament? Yes, there is a tournament for the 6th-8th grade division. The K-5th grade divisions and cheerleaders will not have a tournament, but they will have an end-of-season celebration to commemorate their season. Cheerleaders will perform a halftime routine at the 6th-8th grade tournament.
- Can I volunteer? Yes, to make this program happen, we need lots of volunteers. We need coaches, assistant coaches, referees, scorekeepers, setup helpers, and concession stand workers. Volunteers must pass a background check. If you want to volunteer, please sign up here: https://registration.upward.
org/UPW91390/volunteer