Upward Sports

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 across the US and Canada to equip them to bring youth sports ministry in their local communities.

Upward Sports
FounderCaz McCaslin
PurposeChristian sports league for youth

Upwards Sports was founded in 1995 by Caz McCaslin to provide children with "skills for the sports arena and values for life." While training children with the athletic skills needed to participate at the next level, Upward Sports stresses biblical values—such as leadership, teamwork, integrity and respect—as much as winning.[1]

Structure

Today, there are over 2,800 Upward sports experiences across the U.S. serving hundreds of thousands of young athletes playing basketball, soccer, cheerleading and flag football. Upward Sports equips local churches that represent various evangelical denominations with everything needed to run their own leagues, including training, playbooks, sports apparel, ministry resources and other online tools.

The main Upward complex is located in Spartanburg, SC and is separated into three buildings. The Corporate offices and the Distribution/Warehouse, and The Star Center, which is its large sports complex featuring six full basketball courts, four grass fields and two turf fields that can be used for soccer, football, or rugby. The corporate offices house all the day-to-day business related to managing the company.

Statement of Faith

We Believe…

The Bible to be the inspired, authoritative, Word of God.

That there is one God, eternally existent in three persons-the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.

That for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.

In the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.

In the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of eternal punishment.

In the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Historical highlights

Timeline

1986 – Caz McCaslin developed a basketball program that incorporated athletic skills and values for success on and off the court—including sportsmanship, teamwork, integrity and respect for authority

1994 – McCaslin's church reached the maximum number of athletes that could participate by outpacing the gymnasium's capacity (despite a renovation); a waiting list was created

1995 – Launched first nationwide season of Upward Sports when seven churches hosted Upward Basketball Leagues with several hundred players

1998 - Began developing soccer at First Baptist Cleveland Tennessee as a possible addition to Upward Sports offerings. The first Upward Soccer leagues were conducted at First Baptist Cleveland for 2 years before Upward Sports offered soccer as an option for its expanding sports ministry.

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 – Some 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

See also

Renzy Wilke, a local legend, broke all Upward Basketball records during the fall of 2003-2004

References
  1. McCaslin, Caz and Bobb Biehl. Every Child Is a Winner. B&H Publishers, 2002, p. 1-6.
  2. Bennett, Michelle (November 1, 2010). "Military Kids 'Have a Ball' on Upward Sports". Upward Sports. Retrieved September 16, 2012.

Further reading
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