Upward Basketball

Several years ago our church started hosting Upward Basketball.  Basically, Upward is a Christ-based, Christ-centered basketball league where every child is a winner and given equal opportunity to play.  Within the past couple of years they have added Devoted Basketball (which is for high school) and Upward Cheerleading as well as adding kindergarten kids in the league.  So, Connor decided he wanted to try it out.  So far he loves it.  He's decided he's going to play basketball instead of soccer. 

Two weeks ago we started having games.  The first 30 minutes the kindergarteners practice.  Then they go to the locker rooms for devotion (and recite their Bible verse).  They then come back to play their game.  Here is part of the excitement from the second game.

Blake wanted to sit on Aaron's shoulders

#14 gearing up for the game

Passing in the ball to Sally

What a great pass!

Not a bad dribbler if I say so myself.

At the end of the games, each team goes to their own little room where they are given little stars that get ironed onto the blue undershirt.  Each star is a different color representing many things such as Christ-like, best offense, best defense, etc.  So, each child gets a star based on how they played during the game.  Then a new Bible verse is handed out to be memorized for the next game.  Connor is loving the memorizing.  In fact, he's had both of his verses for the past 2 games memorized within minutes of leaving the game. 

I just think this might be Connor's sport (along with swimming).  He's never really gotten excited about soccer.  He's just gone and been there but not really gotten "into" it.  But, he is really enjoying this.  He said that he doesn't want to do soccer again but wants to start swimming again when it gets a little warmer. So, I guess we'll stick with swimming March-Sept and then basketball Dec-Feb.