Upward's Mission
To introduce children to Jesus Christ by creating opportunities to serve through sports. It is our goal to make every child a winner through continuous encouragement, positive reinforcement, and relationships with others. Upward is a parachurch organization that partners with over 40 denominations around the world. To read more about the Upward Mission, please visit www.upward.org.
Upward Philosophy
- Every child plays equal time
- Each team is equal based on an evaluation of each player
- Every child will learn life lessons and the skills of the game
- Receive special awards after each game and at the end of the season
- Every child is a winner!
Upward Statesboro
Upward Statesboro is facilitated by Fletcher Memorial Baptist Church, but it is only able to be accomplished by prayer and support from the entire Statesboro community. It is with their help that we seek to create meaningful relationships with you and your children on and off the field. For more information about Fletcher Memorial Baptist Church, please visit our website: www.fmbaptist.org
Upward FAQ
How much will my child get to play?
Your child will play at least half the game and get a chance to start in half the games. All coaches have a set substitution schedule to make sure every participant gets equal playing time.
When are games and practices?
Practices will be one day a week; either Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday. Times will be determined later, but they will be early in the evening, because we do not have lights on our field. Games will be on Saturdays, mostly in the morning, depending on the amount of teams we have. If you are unable to get you child to practices or games, do not let that stop you from signing up. We will have people than can get your child to his/her practice or organize a car pool for you.
Are there separate leagues for boys and girls?
We would like to have separate leagues for boys and girls; however that will depend on the number of participants at each age level. Either way we will do our best to divide the teams an equal as possible to give everyone a chance to develop their skills and have fun.
What ages are able to play?
We have a pre-k (4 years old)-Kindergarten instructional league. 1st -6th grade will be divided as much as possible to give everyone a chance to develop their skills and have fun.
Does my child have to go through an evaluation to play?
We need every participant to go through the evaluation process in order to make the teams as even as possible. If you can not make one of the evaluation days please call so we can schedule one for you individually.
Can my child be on the same team as a friend/relative so we can carpool?
We will do the best we can. Our first priority is to make sure the teams are as equal as possible so every participant has fun and learns the game of soccer. If participants live in the same household, and they fit in the same age grouping then they will be on the same team. Please let us know what you situation is so we can help as much as possible. It might be that we can't get friends on the same team, but we can schedule practice and game times the same.
What is the difference between Upward and the recreation department?
The main difference is that our goal is to introduce children to Jesus Christ and while we are doing that, provide a fun experience for both you and your children. Things like trying to make equal teams, equal playing time, and keeping score for each game, but not keeping league standings will put more emphasis on fun and learning rather than winning.
