Upward Sports introduces children to Jesus Christ by creating opportunities to serve through sports. The evangelistic sports ministry is specifically designed to promote salvation, character, and self-esteem in every child.

Upward is a unique sports ministry that delivers a fun, exciting, encouraging and valuable sports experience and partners it with unbelievable ministry opportunities. Children and families alike are drawn by the top rate sports program, but they encounter an experience unlike any they may have had before. As a result, lives are touched and changed for Jesus Christ. Upward employs effective methods to transform an otherwise typical sports experience into an exceptional ministry.

Sports are a great way for children to learn about teamwork, respect for authority and sportsmanship.  The Upward program is designed to remove the competitive aspects of the game so players can focus on these important tools. The program does not keep score, but instead focuses on creating a positive experience where every child participates and is treated fairly. Upward is designed to reveal the winner in every child. Every child plays. Every child learns. Every child IS a Winner!

• Provides an evaluation system that promotes equal teams and opportunities
• Establishes a one-hour practice and game each week
• Implements a substitution system for each team, allowing every child equal playing time
• Creates the opportunity for every child to learn the skills of the game
• Places emphasis on having fun and good sportsmanship, not on the scoreboard and standings
• Exposes players to Scripture based devotions during each practice
• Facilitates an atmosphere of sportsmanship
• Allows coaches to focus on ministering
• Equips coaches and referees to minister by teaching and encouraging
• Opens the doors for us to promote our church ministry activities
• Provides opportunities to see changed hearts and lives among the children, family members and volunteers who experience our Upward ministry

The Upward Sports ministry at Bethany Presbyterian Church is open to boys and girls in K5 through 2nd grade.
Registration for the 2025 Season will open on-line via the church website in October 2025.  

We rely completely on the efforts of many, many volunteers to make this ministry successful.   Every season we are in need of coaches and referees.

We appreciate how busy our volunteers are so we do our best to provide a practice schedule for our coaches, and a game day schedule for our referees, that works well for them.
 
Coach role preferences (head or assistant), partner preferences and practice day/time preferences are determined before the beginning of the season.

The schedule for Referees is more flexible and can be tailored on a week by week basis.
 
Please consider serving with us in Christ so that together we can deliver the very best sports experience to these children.

Upward provides manuals,  on-line resources and even an Upward App, to equip anyone with what they need to know to coach and referee Upward basketball and cheerleading. You do not have to have prior basketball or cheerleading knowledge or experience to coach or referee, just an interest and willingness to teach children basketball or cheerleading skills and to model the Upward values.