Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Coach Playbook
INTRODUCTION
Mission and Values of Upward........................................................ 4
Introduction ................................................................................... 5
VALUES
The Expectation of God Moments
We believe that God is at work all around us.
Introduction
Welcome to Upward Basketball! This playbook is designed to provide you,
a volunteer coach, with what you need to be successful in the Upward
Basketball Ministry. The information on the following pages is intended to
guide you through the season and includes the weekly devotions as well
as the rules unique to Upward Basketball.
For all Upward coaching needs, visit www.upward.org/upwardcoach.
This page has been created to equip you as an Upward coach and is only
accessible through this URL. You will find the weekly devotions, practice
outlines, rules unique to Upward Basketball and much more.
Ministry Sport
To Introduce Children to Jesus Christ By Creating Opportunities
To Serve Through Sports
Tools of the trade: Tools of the trade:
Practice Format
1. Warm-up Activity (3-5 minutes) – This provides players the
opportunity to practice individually and slowly warm up their
muscles as players are arriving.
2. Team Meeting (3-5 minutes) – Cover specific basketball rules and
the basics of basketball. Teach and review proper techniques for
each skill needed for practice drills. Continue to teach skills and
review rules throughout the season. Teach no more than two new
skills per practice.
3. Practice Skills Through Drills (20 minutes) - Take the skills that
were taught during the team meeting and implement two to three
drills to reinforce learning. Each skill should be followed up with two
or three drills. See page 20 for the Skills and Drills section.
4. Devotions (5-8 minutes) – Conduct practice-specific devotion for
each week. See pages 63 for the weekly devotions.
› Prepare for object lessons. Some devotions require you to bring
an object to add emphasis to the devotion.
› Review the devotion prior to practice. Become familiar with the
devotion.
› Prepare a personal story. When players hear a personal faith
story from a coach, the spiritual impact will be much deeper.
› Review Scripture learning. Know the Scripture learning verse that
will be shared at practice.
Basketball Positions
Teaching each player various
positions on the court is important. Center/
Post Player
To help encourage floor spacing and Small Forward
floor balance, the following diagram 3
is provided. Positions 1 and 2 refer
to guards, Position 3 is a small
5
Point Guard
forward, and Positions 4 and 5 are 1
post players.
4
Shooting Guard 2 Power Forward/
Post Player
Warm-up Activities
Warm-up activities are a great way for players to get loose and ready for
practice. A great way to get your players involved is to do the warm-up
activities with them. Remind them that warm-ups and stretching are done
to prevent minor muscle injuries. Be creative with warm-ups and make
them fun.
Below are some great ways to get the heart pumping!
› Leg and shoulder stretches - With players sitting on the floor,
have them stretch out their legs and touch their toes. For shoulder
stretches, have players roll their arms forward and then backwards.
› Donkey kicks - With players in a standing position, have them jump
up and kick their heels toward their backs.
› Power jumps - With players in a standing position and their arms
above their heads, have them jump up and down.
› Feet on fire (running in place) - This drill helps players get their
feet moving.
› Jumping jacks - Instruct players to count out loud.
KEY TO DIAGRAMS
Player
Player movement without the ball
Dribble
Pass
Shoot
Rebound
Screen
Coach
Sequence
Cone
FOOTWORK
Things to Remember
Proper footwork promotes balance, quickness, and readiness to make
something happen on the court. Being proficient at this skill will improve a
player’s performance both offensively and defensively. The following list of
teaching points should be emphasized at every practice:
Jump Stop
› Allows a player to establish a pivot with either foot off a dribble or
pass
› Leap/jump should be low to the floor (like sitting in a chair), not a
high jump
› Both feet hit floor at the same time – good balance
› Land on floor in triple threat position
› Use when catching a pass; teach “ball in air/feet in air” concept
Footwork Drills
Footwork Line Drills (no basketball required)
› Players form lines on baseline or
sideline – two players deep Spot #4
command or whistle
› Players should stop at each spot
with jump stop and land in triple
threat position
› Pause between stops/starts to check for proper balance
› Second player in line starts as the preceding player leaves first spot
Have each player raise his or her hand in the air that coincides with the
desired pivot direction. This will help each player pivot in the correct
direction.
Variation: Add basketballs after your players understand the above
concepts. Allow them to practice the above skills after picking up their
dribble and receiving passes.
Variation: Add basketballs and defenders after your players understand the
above concepts. Allow them to practice the above skills after picking up
their dribble and receiving passes.
Note: Remind your players that every element of the game revolves
around footwork. Integrate the basic footwork skills with other drills
when applicable.
Speed Dribble (Use to push the ball up the court and on fast break
situations)
› Dribble is pushed out in front of the body but controlled
› Dribble is higher and softer
› Figure Eight Leg Wraps – With feet slightly wider than shoulder-
width apart, players pass the basketball behind their left leg with
the right hand. The left hand then takes the basketball and passes it
behind the right leg. Variation: This drill can also be performed with a
dribble.
› Figure Eight Quick Drops – With feet slightly wider than shoulder
width apart, players should hold the basketball between their legs
with one hand in front of their bodies and the other hand behind their
bodies. Players should drop the ball while switching hands from front
to back. Encourage players to catch the ball before it hits the floor.
› Front-to-Back Quick Drops – With feet slightly wider than shoulder-
width apart, players should hold the basketball between their legs
with both hands behind their bodies. Players should drop the ball
while switching both hands from back to front. Encourage players to
catch the ball before it hits the floor.
Note: Hand quickness, keeping the head up, and ball control should be
emphasized during all ball handling drills.
Dribbling Drills
Dribbling Line Drills (three to five basketballs required)
During all dribbling line drills, you
should stand in front of the players to Turnaround Point
teach, encourage, and evaluate each
player’s performance.
› Players form lines on baseline or
sideline (two players deep) – one
basketball per line
› Use cones or chairs to represent
stopping/starting points or
change – of-dribble spots
› Players will begin the drills in
triple threat position
› Players will start/stop/change
dribble on voice command or
whistle
› Pause between stops/starts to
check for balance, arm bar, and if
head is up
› At the turnaround point, require jump stops with pivots
› Work opposite hand on return dribble
› Players should end drills with a jump stop, giving the basketball to the
next player in line
› GO-STOP-CHANGE-GO
· On GO command or whistle, speed dribble right-hand
· On STOP command or whistle, control dribble with right hand
· On CHANGE command or whistle, change control dribble to left
hand
· On GO command or whistle, speed dribble left hand
Note: Encourage your players to keep their heads up during all dribbling
drills. You should hold fingers high in the air showing different numbers
and have your team shout the number of fingers shown. This will help
players to keep their heads up and not look at the basketball.
Overhead Pass
› Basketball is held with two hands above head
› Passer targets the receiver’s chest area
› While sliding, instruct players to pass the basketball back and forth
using a chest pass
› Players pass the ball immediately upon receiving the ball
Variations: Both players running up and down the court, rather than sliding.
You may also require the receiver to perform a jump stop upon catching the
basketball and immediately passing it to his or her moving partner.
SHOOTING
Things to Remember
One of the greatest thrills in the game of basketball is seeing the ball pass
through the net. To become a good shooter, a player must develop proper
shooting mechanics.
Shooting Teaching Points:
› Square up shoulders to the basket
› Ball on fingertips, not palms
› Opposite hand should be lightly placed on side of ball (balance/weak
hand)
› Practice BEEF principles:
· Balance – Learn to prepare for the shot by stopping with the feet
set, knees slightly bent, ready to jump (good triple threat position)
· Elbow - Proper shooting alignment; ball should be directly over the
elbow with the wrist cocked
· Eyes - Pick a spot (front of the rim, back of the rim, etc.) and focus
on that target as the shot is being attempted
· Follow through - Release the ball smoothly, completely extend the
arm, and snap the wrist, which should create good backspin on
the basketball
Shooting Drills
Lay-Up Steps (no basketball required)
Instruct your players to shout “STEP-HOP-SHOOT” when performing this
drill. Mirror this drill to practice left-handed lay-ups.
› Allow players to spread out in your practice area, at least four to five
feet apart
› Players start in triple threat position, holding imaginary basketballs
with heads and eyes up on the target
› On the STEP command, players step with their left foot (right-handed
lay-ups)
› On the HOP command, players raise their right knee and right arm
toward the basket (visualize a string connecting a player’s right arm
and right leg)
› On the SHOOT command, players extend their right arm as they
shoot an imaginary ball
Wall Shooting (one basketball per player or divide your team into
two groups)
This is a great drill to keep idle players busy while running a drill on the
court that may not involve your entire team.
› Player stands about four to five feet away from the wall
› Help the player find a reasonable shooting target on the wall
› Player assumes triple threat position
› Player shoots the ball at the target, concentrating on elbow in and full
extension
› Player should finish the shot up on his or her toes with proper follow
through, creating good backspin
Variation: If coaching third- through sixth-grade players, allow them to
shoot using only their shooting/strong hand.
by imaginary defender
(crossover, whirl pivot, behind the back)
· Shooter should cut to shooting spot, receive the pass, and shoot a
5-10 foot jumper (no dribble)
· Shooter rebounds his or her own shot
REBOUNDING
Things to Remember
Usually more shots are missed than made, creating many opportunities
to rebound the basketball. Rebounding is more about desire, hustle, and
positioning rather than jumping ability. A player must be aggressive, want
the basketball, and position himself or herself to rebound a missed shot.
When discussing offensive rebounding, remind players that each shot
taken by a teammate is a pass to them! Second chance points (put-backs)
can be a big contributor to a team’s offensive production.
Rebounding Drills
Rebound Outlet Drill (one basketball required)
› Facing the basket, players form
two lines: one at each corner of the
free-throw line
› Place one player at each wing area
to serve as an outlet receiver
› The player in the front of each line
will turn his back toward the basket
(defensive player), facing the next
player in line (offensive player)
› When the coach shoots the
basketball, the defensive
players will yell “shot” and pivot into the offensive players to obtain a
good “block out”
› Offensive players cannot move
› Once a defender secures the basketball, he or she will pivot and
throw a crisp overhead outlet pass to an outlet receiver
› Players rotate from offense/to defense/to outlet receiver/to back of
the line
Variations:
1. Use one line instead of two
2. When the ball is shot, the offense can move and try to score off a
missed shot
3. Run drill with no defensive players, practicing on offensive rebounding
and exploding up to the basket to score (no dribble allowed)
DEFENSE
Things to Remember
Everyone has the potential to play good defense, regardless of talent or
age level. Defense is about heart, hustle, and attitude. Each player on your
team has the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the team by
playing good defense.
Defense Teaching Points:
› Proper defensive stance
· Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart
· Knees bent, with waist slightly bent forward
· Good balance – ready to move and slide
· Place weight on the inside front of the
feet but not on the toes
· Extend arms to the side, slightly bent
· Open hands, so palms face the offensive player
· Eyes on the offensive player’s chest or “head on
the ball”
Defense Drills
Defensive Slides (no basketball required)
Focus on players’ feet sliding (rather than hopping or skipping) and players
maintaining a proper defensive stance. Have fun with this drill! Allow
players to express enthusiasm and desire by slapping the playing floor and
yelling “DEFENSE” on command. Drill should last 20-30 seconds. Allow
short rest and repeat as desired.
› Allow players to spread out in practice area, at least four to five feet
apart
› On command, players yell “DEFENSE” and freeze in the defensive
stance
› On command (either verbal or hand signals), players will slide left,
right, up, and back
Encourage defensive players to keep their “head on the ball.” They must
force the offensive players to turn at each spot. Players should rotate
offensive/defensive positions after each repetition.
OFFENSIVE MOVEMENT
Things to Remember
For a player to contribute to the team on the offensive side of the court,
he or she must be familiar with basic offensive movements. There are
primarily three things a ball handler can do in the half-court offense after
passing the basketball:
› Cut toward the basket, looking for a pass
› Screen away for a teammate
› Provide an on-the-ball screen
Discourage your players from standing after throwing a pass. Encourage
offensive movement.
Multi-Purpose Drills
The following drills involve the use of multiple skills, both offensive and
defensive. These drills are intended for third- through sixth-grade teams.
However, every team’s talent level will vary. Your assessment of players’
talent level will determine how and what you coach.
Offensive Plays
The following offensive plays are provided to help your team with floor
spacing and floor balance. These plays are intended for third- through
sixth-grade teams. However, every team’s talent level will vary. Your
assessment of players’ talent level will determine how and what you coach.
If you coach a K5 or first- and second-grade team, your team should start
in a simple offensive set in both the half-court setting and when throwing in
the basketball from under the basket. If not, they will all end
up at the mid-court line or baseline demanding a
pass. Floor spacing must be taught.
Reminder: View your DVD for live
demonstrations of the following
offensive plays.
Half-Court Sets
Box Set – Motion
Scoring Options:
1. Player 5 posting up down on ball-side block
2. Player 4 coming off of low screen
3. Player 3 cutting to the free-throw line
diagram 1
Box Set – (Double Down)
Scoring Options:
1. Player 3 coming off of low screen
2. Player 2 coming off the double screen
Inbounds Plays
diagram 1
Stack (baseline)
› All four players line-up straight
across from the player throwing in
the basketball (diagram 1)
› When the passer slaps the basketball
or yells “break,” the players move
simultaneously as follows (diagram 2):
· First player in line breaks to ball- * *move on the slap of the ball
side corner
· Second player in line cuts to
opposite block
diagram 2
· Third player in line moves straight
down to block area toward the ball
· Fourth player in line takes two to
three steps back, serving as a
safety valve
Reminder: This play can also be used on
the sideline, with players moving in the
same pattern as above.
diagram 3
diagram 4
diagram 2
Practice Chart
This practice chart has been created for you to use as a guide as you
develop your weekly practice schedules. Adjust it as you deem necessary,
based on your team’s needs.
Practice Practice Focus Team Meeting Rules to Cover Skills & Drills
4 on the court
· Skill development
· Games situations and
court spacing
· Shooting
· Defense
· Scrimmage or more drills
· Teach offensive movement · Review last game and · Review all rules as a · Work on both offense
· Skill development improvements that need fun quiz and defense
5 · Continue to teach
court spacing
to be made practice focus
· Review basic rules
· Discuss practice focus
· Emphasize areas that
need improvement
· Continue skill · Review last game and · Continue to review rules · Work on both offense
6-1 1
through final practice
development
· Continue to work on
court spacing or
offensive plays
improvements that need
to be made
· Discuss practice focus
for clear understanding and defense
· Emphasize areas that
need improvement
Practice Outlines
Use the blank practice outline at the beginning of each week’s practice
page to plan and customize your practice schedule. Reference the practice
chart on page 59 for suggested practice outlines. When scheduling and
practicing fundamentals, remember these key tips:
› Carefully explain skills and drills in a manner that players can easily
understand.
› Take time to demonstrate each drill.
› Choose drills that involve the most players at one time to avoid a
long wait between turns. Minimize standing around time by keeping
players active.
› Always provide encouragement to each player.
› Most importantly, have fun!
Devotions
At the midpoint of every practice, the head coach will lead a five- to eight-
minute devotion. Use the age-appropriate devotion guides found in this
playbook. Devotions are provided for each of these three age-group levels: K5
through second-grade, third- and fourth-grade, and fifth- and sixth-grade.
The goal of these age-appropriate devotions is to help players develop a
biblical way of thinking and ultimately to lead them to personal application
and spiritual growth. Every biblical foundation a child needs cannot be
covered in eight to 11 practices. However, Upward’s desire is to plant the
seeds of truth in every child and coach who participates in Upward.
Remember, the devotions are written for specific age groups, so choose
the devotion for the age group you coach. If your age groups are divided
differently than the divisions in this book, we recommend that you share the
devotion geared toward the youngest players on your team. Keeping it simple
is better than sharing something that may not benefit all of your players.
During the first practice devotion, take time to get to know your players.
Subsequent devotions will have a specific biblical principle or topic to be
taught. These principles and topics will lead up to sharing the Upward
Gospel Tool with your players at the seventh practice.
Scripture Learning
Each devotion includes a Scripture learning time. Players will have the
opportunity to learn a Scripture verse that corresponds with the biblical
principle or topic taught in the devotion. The Scripture learning time is a
group activity, which means children are not required to recite the verse
individually at practice. Upward’s desire is to place more emphasis on
learning Scripture than on memorization of it.
Each child participating in Scripture learning will receive a green Scripture
learning star at the end of each practice. The Scripture learning stars are to
be ironed on to the sleeve of the player’s Upward Basketball T-shirt. These
stars are included in the Team Box.
Each player will also receive a Scripture learning music CD with his or her
player items. Each song includes a weekly verse and gives your players the
opportunity to learn the weekly Scripture verse through music.
Scripture learning verses and Scripture learning stars begin with the
second practice devotion. Coaches should encourage players to practice
the verses throughout the season to help them learn God’s word. Coaches
will distribute Scripture learning cards at each practice. Each card includes
the weekly Scripture verse and gives the players the opportunity to learn
these verses before practice. Each Scripture learning card will be labeled
as next week’s Scripture learning verse. The practice number listed on the
lower portion of the card represents the practice at which the card should
be distributed.
› 1 John 2:3 “If we obey what God has told us to do, then we are sure
that we truly know God.”
› 1 John 1:7 (b) “If we live in the light, we share fellowship with each
other.”
› Matthew 5:16 (a) “In the same way, you should be light to others.”
questions. In devotions 7-11, players will learn how we begin and build a
relationship with God, how we become better as Christians, how we bond
with others, and how we reach out to others by filling their buckets.
We want to be true to God’s message, so each Team Huddle is associated
with a verse from the Bible. That way, the devotions you share can be
matched up to a Scripture Learning verse. The devotions are written for
three different age groups to allow for an understanding of the verse to the
extent they are able to at these different levels. Scripture Learning verses
shared during each week’s Team Huddle can be found on the Scripture
Learning Cards which are part of your coaching responsibility to distribute
each week.
The Team Huddle will be centered on the theme of God as light. Players will
be taught how God is light and wants us to experience his light by knowing
him. We realize that children at different ages and different life experiences
will receive the information about Jesus Christ in a variety of ways. We also
know that a life changing decision for Christ will be made on God’s timing
not ours. However, we do have the opportunity and mandate to present
the gospel, so that each child has the chance to hear. Remember our
challenge is in being prepared to share, not in having any or every child
make a decision.
The following is this season’s devotion plan. Each week is outlined with the
main question and the point to be made.
Here is a list of the key points for Team Huddle that are the basis for each
devotion. By keeping this in mind, you will know what point you need to
make each week and how you can keep from making points for future
weeks too soon.
7 HOW DO I BEGIN A
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD? STEP INTO THE LIGHT
8 HOW DO I BUILD A
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD? WALK IN THE LIGHT
KEEP THE
9 HOW DO I BECOME
BETTER? LIGHT SHINING
10 HOW DO I
BOND WITH OTHERS?
SHARE IN THE LIGHT
11 WHOSE BUCKET
CAN I FILL?
SHINE LIGHT
TO OTHERS
Warm-up Activity
Team Huddle
Water break
Scrimmage OR More Drills
OR Offensive Plays (Court Spacing)
Drills or Plays (If No Scrimmage)
We all have our favorite colors that are special to us. In Upward there are
stars which have colors that tell us that they mean something special.
› After each game, every player on our team will receive a star.
There are five colors of stars, and each color stands for something
different. Your coaches will be watching your actions and attitudes on
game day to determine what star you receive. Let’s think about what
these stars mean.
› The blue star represents Effort. What does it mean to give your best
effort? (Giving your best effort means trying your best at all times on
the court.)
› The gold star represents Sportsmanship. What does it mean to be a
good sport? (Being a good sport means that you treat others the way
you want to be treated, including your teammates, the other team,
your coaches, and the referee.)
› The gray star represents Offense. What do you do on offense?
(Offense means playing the way you are coached to play so that you
and your teammates will be able to score.)
› The red star represents Defense. What do you do on defense?
(Defense means playing the way you are coached to play so that
you can guard your assigned player and keep the other team from
scoring.)
› The white star represents Christlikeness. What does it mean to
be Christlike? (Being Christlike means that you imitate Jesus in your
actions and attitudes.) The Bible tells us a lot about Jesus and how
he lived his life. It is not hard to imagine how he would have played
basketball as a child. We will be watching for actions that remind us
of how His attitudes and actions would have been.
During each practice, we will stop what we’re doing and take a few minutes
to have a Team Huddle. This is the most important part of practice because
it is the time when we will learn together about God’s game plan for each
one of us. This year, we’re going to talk about how God is light and how we
should walk in and share that light with the world. During this time, you will
be able to earn a green star for learning your Scripture verse. At the end of
each practice, I’ll give you a Scripture Learning Card that has each week’s
Scripture verse on it so that you can read it on your own and remember it
after our Team Huddle each week.
Our team is going to have a great season! We’re going to have fun practicing
together, playing games together, and learning about God together in our
Team Huddles.
Prayer
End your Team Huddle with a prayer in which you ask God to be with
your team this year.
After each game, every player on our team will receive a star. There are five
colors of stars, and each color stands for something different. Your coaches
will be watching your actions and attitudes on game day to determine what
star you receive. Let’s think about what these stars mean.
› The blue star represents Effort. What does it mean to give your best
effort? (Giving your best effort means trying your best at all times on
the court.)
› The gold star represents Sportsmanship. What does it mean to be a
good sport? (Being a good sport means that you treat others the way
you want to be treated, including your teammates, the other team,
your coaches, and the referee.)
› The gray star represents Offense. What do you do on offense?
(Offense means playing the way you are coached to play so that you
and your teammates will be able to score.)
› The red star represents Defense. What do you do on defense?
(Defense means playing the way you are coached to play so that you
can guard your assigned player and keep the other team from scoring.)
› The white star represents Christlikeness. What does it mean to
be Christlike? (Being Christlike means that you imitate Jesus in your
actions and attitudes.) The Bible tells us a lot about Jesus and how
he lived his life. It is not hard to imagine how he would have played
basketball as a child. We will be watching for actions that remind us
of how His attitudes and actions would have been.
During each practice, we will stop what we’re doing and take a few minutes
to have a Team Huddle. This is the most important part of practice because
it is the time when we will learn together about God’s game plan for each
one of us. This year, we’re going to talk about how God is light and how we
should walk in and share that light with the world. During this time, you will
be able to earn a green star for learning your Scripture verse. At the end of
each practice, I’ll give you a Scripture Learning Card that has each week’s
Scripture verse on it so that you can read it on your own and remember it
after our Team Huddle each week.
Our team is going to have a great season! We’ll have fun practicing
together, playing games together, and earning stars. We’re also going to
have a great time learning about God together and making choices or picks
about how we can follow God. I’m excited about what will happen in our
Team Huddle this year.
Prayer
End your Team Huddle with a prayer in which you ask God to be with
your players this year.
Team Meeting
Team Huddle
Water break
Scrimmage OR More Drills
OR Offensive Plays (Court Spacing)
Drills or Plays (If No Scrimmage)
good guesses, but the sun is actually 94 million miles from the earth. Have
everyone get up and take 60 steps. This should take about a minute.
If every step you took was one mile, at the speed you were walking, you
would walk without stopping for three years to take 94 million steps. You
know, even though the sun is that far away from us, it is still too bright
for us to look at it for a very long time. That shows us just how bright and
powerful the sun’s light can be.
We can all see that the sun is an amazing creation of God. It is so powerful.
When you go outside during the day when there are no clouds in the sky,
you never wonder if the sun is there because we know. We know the sun
is there because of the warmth it gives us and the light it provides.
Our Scripture learning verse for this week tells us that God is light. The way
the sun adds light to the day, God’s light can add light to our lives. God’s
light shows us how to live our lives and it guides us through life. God is a
light that we can always depend on and follow.
Review Scripture learning verse with players. Give players the
opportunity to say the verse with you a few times.
When is light important in your life? (Examples: at night when you have
to get up, to read a book, to work on the computer, to eat, to take a
shower, etc.) This week, as you do these different activities, I want you to
remember that God is light.
We will talk more about this throughout our season together.
Prayer
End your Team Huddle with a prayer, but have your players keep their
eyes open during this prayer so that they see light. Tell the players
before you begin praying that this light can remind them of God. Then
say a prayer in which you thank God for being light. Ask God to help each
of your players see His light during your Team Huddles this season.
Team Meeting
Team Huddle
Water break
Scrimmage OR More Drills
OR Offensive Plays (Court Spacing)
Drills or Plays (If No Scrimmage)
to take care of us. He gives us friends so that we aren’t lonely. Can you
think of any other examples?
These things show us how powerful our God really is!
Prayer
Close your Team Huddle with a prayer in which you say a phrase and
then get your players to repeat that phrase. In this prayer, thank God for
bringing light into darkness. You can pray something like, “God, thank
you for being light. Thank you for overpowering darkness in the world.”
God’s light is strong than any darkness in our lives. Examples of this are in
the way that he provides food so we are not hungry. He gives us family to
take care of us. He gives us friends so that we aren’t lonely. Can you think
of any other examples?
These things show us how powerful our God really is!
Did you know that those of us who follow God can join him in bringing
light to these dark places? What are some ways that we can be light?
(Examples: Help your brother or sister with their homework, be a friend
to someone who may be lonely, etc.)
Prayer
Coach: Close your Team Huddle with a prayer in which you say a phrase
and then get your players to repeat that phrase. In this prayer, thank
God for bringing light into darkness. You can pray something like, “God,
thank you for being light. Thank you for overpowering darkness in the
world.”
Team Meeting
Team Huddle
Water break
Scrimmage OR More Drills
OR Offensive Plays (Court Spacing)
Drills or Plays (If No Scrimmage)
I am going to show you how I can block any light from shining on him/
her.
As you stand in front of the player, put your arms up in such a way that
it looks as though you are trying to block light from getting to the player.
Move around and be animated so that the other players will believe that
you are really trying to block the light.
Did it work? Was I able to keep all of the light from shining on him/her? Of
course not! No matter what I tried to do, he/she still had light shining on
him/her. Did you know that the lights in this gym are for everyone inside it.
They don’t shine for some and not others. Also, unless they are turned off,
there is no way to keep the light from shining on each one of us. Try to get
away from the light right now, here in this room. When I say go, try to find
a place where no light shines on you.
In today’s verse, we find out one more thing about God – that He gives
light to all.
Review Scripture learning verse with players. Give players the
opportunity to say the verse with you a few times.
He doesn’t give his light to some and not others. But how does he give this
light? He did this by sending his son Jesus into the world for each one of
us. Jesus is the “True Light” in today’s verse. Later in our Team Huddles,
we will talk more about who Jesus is and why he is called the True Light.
Prayer
End your Team Huddle by saying a prayer thanking God for bringing
light to everything and everyone.
Team Meeting
Team Huddle
Water break
Scrimmage OR More Drills
OR Offensive Plays (Court Spacing)
Drills or Plays (If No Scrimmage)
they wouldn’t find you to punish you. As you tell this story, emphasize
the point of knowing what you did was wrong, but thinking, if you hid,
you would not get in trouble.
Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever done or said something
wrong that you just wanted to hide in the dark and not be found? Close
your eyes. Can you see me? No? But guess what. I can still see you. In the
same way, God always sees us. He shines on us the way a light shines in
the darkness and shows us everything. (Close your hand around an object
(penny, etc), so that it cannot be seen. Shine the flashlight into your
closed hand and see if the players can now see it.)
We have talked about how God gives us light. But the sad truth is that
sometimes, we don’t want the light. We don’t always want to follow God
because his light shines on everything we do, the good things as well as
the wrong things, and we don’t always live in his light. In fact, sometimes
we make the choice ourselves to hide from God’s light by saying wrong
things, doing wrong things, and thinking wrong thoughts. The Bible calls
this sin. Because God is perfect and without sin, we are separated from
God because of our sin. This choice we make seems like something we
would not want to do, but something inside us causes us to make these
wrong choices.
This is what today’s Bible verse teaches us.
Review Scripture learning verse with players. Give players the
opportunity to say the verse with you a few times.
When we do wrong things, we choose to live in the darkness instead of
in God’s light. God sees this problem because he is light. Thankfully, we
don’t have to stay in the dark. God loves us so much that He gave us a
way to come out of the darkness into the light. We’ll talk more about that
next week.
Prayer
Coach: End your Team Huddle with a prayer in which you and your
players tell God that you’re sorry for the wrong things you have done.
Close the prayer by thanking God for bringing light to us even when we
say and do wrong things, and thank God that we don’t have to stay in
the darkness.
In fact, sometimes we make the choice ourselves to hide from God’s light
by saying wrong things, doing wrong things, and thinking wrong thoughts.
The Bible calls this sin. This choice we make seems like something we
would not want to do, but something inside us causes us to make these
wrong choices. Think of it as people choosing to drive around with their
headlights turned off, not able to see anyone or anything. This is what the
verse is teaching us.
Thankfully, we don’t have to stay in the dark. God loves us so much that
He gave us a way to come out of the darkness into the light. Next week we
will talk more about how to do this.
Prayer
Coach: End your Team Huddle with a prayer in which you and your
players tell God that you’re sorry for the wrong things you have done.
Do this with a prayer in which you leave some blanks that your players
can fill in silently. Say, “God, I’m sorry for the things I have done and
said wrong, like…” Close the prayer by thanking God for bringing light
to us even when we say and do wrong things, and thank God that we
don’t have to stay in the darkness.
Keep your eyes closed. Can you see me? No? But guess what. I can still see
you. In the same way, God always sees us. He shines on us the way a light
shines in the darkness and shows us everything. (Close your hand around
an object (penny, etc), so that it cannot be seen. Shine the flashlight into
your closed hand and see if the players can now see it.)
We don’t always want to follow God because his light shines on everything
we do, the good things as well as our poor choices, and we don’t always
choose to do things that would live in his light. In fact, sometimes we make
the choice ourselves to hide from God, by the sins we commit. These sins
are actions on our part that cause us to not be able to connect to God. It
creates a darkness for ourselves, but not for God. He still sees everything,
just as in our night vision example, you would be able to see everything
even in a very dark area.
This choice we make seems like something we would not want to do, but
something inside us causes us to make these wrong choices. Think of it as
people choosing to drive around with their headlights turned off, not able to
see anyone or anything. This is what the verse is teaching us.
We have talked about how God has given us light and how it is for all
people. But the sad part of the story is that we don’t always want the light.
Today’s verse tells us “But men did not want light. They wanted darkness
because they were doing evil things” (John 3:19).
Review Scripture learning verse with players. Give players the
opportunity to say the verse with you a few times.
Thankfully, we don’t have to stay in the dark. God loves us so much that
He gave us a way to come out of the darkness and see the light. Next week
we will talk more about how God does this.
Prayer
Coach: End your Team Huddle with a prayer in which you and your
players tell God that you’re sorry for the wrong things you have done.
Do this with a prayer in which you leave some blanks that your players
can fill in silently. Say, “God, I’m sorry for the things I have done and
said wrong, like…” Close the prayer by thanking God for bringing light
to us even when we say and do wrong things, and thank God that we
don’t have to stay in the darkness.
Team Meeting
Team Huddle
Water break
Scrimmage OR More Drills
OR Offensive Plays (Court Spacing)
Drills or Plays (If No Scrimmage)
But the story didn’t end there. Jesus died for each one of us, and three
days after he died, he came back to life.
Next week we will talk about how we can receive this grace in the gift God
has given us through Jesus.
Prayer
Coach: Say a brief prayer asking God to bring His light into the lives of
each of your players during your Upward season.
Warm-up Activity
Team Huddle
Water break
Scrimmage OR More Drills
OR Offensive Plays (Court Spacing)
Drills or Plays (If No Scrimmage)
Post-Practice Team Huddle See Page 100 for Practice 7 Post-Practice Huddle
best effort, but we all say and do wrong things. Who remembers what this
is called? (Listen for ‘sin’) That’s right - sin. Now can someone tell me who
has sinned? (Listen for ‘everyone has sinned’) That’s right. The Bible says
that, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).
The next color on our bracelet is Gold. What does the gold star stand
for? (Listen for ‘sportsmanship’) Yes, the gold star is for sportsmanship.
God’s grace is the perfect example of sportsmanship. This season we
talked about how God has shown us grace by sending Jesus, his son, to
die on the cross for us, even though we don’t deserve it. Because Jesus
died for us, he has taken away our sins. The Bible says in John 3:16, “God
so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The Bible tells us that we have
to believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. So what did Jesus do
for us? (Listen for ‘Died on the cross for our sins’)
What’s the next color on our bracelet? Gray. We get the gray star for the
great offense we play during our game. The best offense in our life is to
ask Jesus into our heart. In Romans, the Bible tells us, “If you confess with
your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him
from the dead, you will be saved.” What must we ask God to do? We must
ask God to forgive us for the things we say and do and think that are wrong,
and we must believe that Jesus is alive. (Listen for something similar to
‘Forgive us of our sins or all the things we’ve done wrong’)
The next color is Red. The red star stands for defense. Because Jesus
loved us enough to die for our sins, we need to repent. To repent means to
turn away from our sin and run to God. The Bible says, “Repent, then, and
turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing
may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19). So, how do we repent of our sins?
(Listen for something like ‘We turn away from our sins and live for
God)
What does the White star stand for? (Listen for ‘Christlikeness’ or ‘To
be like Christ’) That’s right, Christlikeness. We are like Christ when we
try to live as Jesus lived and allow him to live through us. In Galatians, the
Bible tells us, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
Christ lives in me.” So, as others see our lives, they should be able to see
Jesus in us.
The last color on our bracelet is Green. Each week during practice we
receive a green star that stands for the Scripture we have been learning.
By learning Scripture, we come to know more about God and he teaches
us how to grow in our relationship with him.
So how do we begin this relationship with Jesus and become a part of
God’s family? To be in God’s family, we need to understand that we have
sinned. Then we must believe that Jesus took the punishment for our sins
when he died on the cross and that God raised him from the dead. We need
to ask His forgiveness and then turn away from our sin.
If you are ready to place your faith in Jesus, you can talk with your parents
or one of your coaches. There are no exact words that can place you in
God’s family – only your faith in Jesus can do that. But a prayer will start
that relationship.
Wear your bracelet so that every time you see it, you can remember what
Jesus has done for you.
Coach:
Here are some more tips to keep in mind as you talk individually with a
child who has further questions about what it means to be a Christian:
› Ask the child if they know what it means to be a Christian and how
they begin that relationship.
› If that answer is yes, ask them to explain to you what it means.
Listen for them to say that they have sinned, they believe that
Jesus took their place, and that they want to ask forgiveness.
› If the answer is no, ask the child to tell you what part was unclear.
› Always keep parents informed on questions a child may have and
encourage them to talk further with the child at home.
› If parents are uncomfortable with leading a child to Christ,
be prepared to do this yourself. If you sense that there is an
understanding of this message, encourage the child to tell God in
prayer the things that they told you (they are a sinner, they believe
Jesus died on the cross for them, they want to be forgiven).
› If a child is uncomfortable or unsure how to pray, offer to lead
them in the sample prayer found on their Upward Gospel Magnet:
“Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I need a savior. I believe
you took my place and died on the cross for my sins. I ask that
you please forgive me and I repent from my sins. Come into my
life and help me to allow you to live through me. I love you, Jesus.
Thank you for loving me first. Amen.”
› After the child prays, pray for him or her, thanking God that a new
person is in His family.
If a child prays to receive Christ, you need to make sure you communicate
this to your follow up commissioner so appropriate support can take
place.
Post-Practice Huddle
› Distribute Upward Gospel Magnet to players.
› Explain the center cut out that fits around their Scripture Learning
Card Holder
› Explain that this magnet shares the Gospel message that was
shared during the Team Huddle
Team Meeting
Team Huddle
Water break
Scrimmage OR More Drills
OR Offensive Plays (Court Spacing)
Drills or Plays (If No Scrimmage)
Prayer
End your Team Huddle time with a prayer in which you ask God to help
your players walk in the light and reflect God.
One way we live in the light and learn about God is through Scripture
learning. Each week, you get a green star for learning a Scripture. This is
important is because it helps us grow in our relationship with God. What
are some other ways besides learning about Scripture that you can grow in
your relationship with God? How can you do these things?
Prayer
End your Team Huddle time with a prayer in which you ask God to help
your players walk in the light and reflect God.
Team Meeting
Team Huddle
Water break
Scrimmage OR More Drills
OR Offensive Plays (Court Spacing)
Drills or Plays (If No Scrimmage)
Prayer
End your Team Huddle by saying a prayer thanking God for giving us
his light. Ask God to help each of your players keep his light shining in
their lives.
Team Meeting
Team Huddle
Water break
Scrimmage OR More Drills
OR Offensive Plays (Court Spacing)
Drills or Plays (If No Scrimmage)
Prayer
Get your players to hold hands as they make a circle around the
“campfire.” You can close by having the players sing a song or with
a prayer in which you thank God for the fellowship that your team has
had together this season.
the decision to walk with Jesus. Our Scripture verse for today tells us that
if we live in the light, we share fellowship with each other.
Review Scripture learning verse with players. Give players the
opportunity to say the verse with you a few times.
Can you think of a time you have shared fellowship with other friends? How
did you do this?
Prayer
Get your players to hold hands as they make a circle around the
“campfire.” You can close by having the players sing a song or with
a prayer in which you thank God for the fellowship that your team has
had together this season.
Team Meeting
Team Huddle
Water break
Scrimmage OR More Drills
OR Offensive Plays (Court Spacing)
Drills or Plays (If No Scrimmage)
When Jesus comes to live in our hearts, he gives us this light. However, he
does not want us to keep that light to ourselves. He wants us to shine his
light to others. He tells us that we should shine that light to others around
us just like I did with this mirror and flashlight.
If we are going to shine the light of Jesus, we must also remember to keep
our faces turned toward Jesus. When we remember this, we will shine his
light to everybody around us.
Prayer
Close your Team Huddle with a prayer asking God to help you and your
team shine the light of Jesus. Also, ask God to help your team to stay
focused on him as they share this light with others.
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Game Format
A unique element of Upward’s Basketball ministry is the game format:
› A referee leads both teams in prayer at center court before every
game. This sets the tone and focus for the scrimmage.
› Games consist of two 18-minute halves and an eight-minute
halftime. This keeps games to approximately a 45-minute
time frame. It also allows games that are scheduled on the
hour to begin and end on time.
› A coin toss or other impartial method determines which team
receives possession first. In jump-ball situations, possessions will
alternate. This promotes fairness for both teams while
adhering to NFHS rule for jump ball situations.
› During each six-minute segment the clock runs continuously stopping
only at the end of each segment for predetermined substitutions.
This allows coaches to line up and match substitutions
based on height and ability without wasting valuable game
time. This time should not be treated as a timeout. This is a great
time for cheerleaders to do a quick cheer..
› No timeouts are used in Upward Basketball. This allows more
playing time and keeps the scrimmages on time.
› At the end of each six-minute segment, the team that receives
the ball next is based upon the direction of the possession arrow.
Therefore, an end-of-the-period shot is encouraged. Players and
14. Non-shooting fouls result in the ball being taken out on the side
by the offended team (no bonus rule). All shooting fouls result in
free throws. By not administering “bonus” situation free
throws, this allows all players on the court to contribute
to consistent game action.
15. The game clock runs continuously, with the following rules going
into effect when fewer than two minutes remain in the game:
› Non-shooting fouls result in the offensive team getting one point
and the ball.
› Shooting fouls result in the offensive team scoring two points. The
opposing team then takes possession.
› Players fouled in the act of shooting and making the basket are
credited with the basket plus one point. The opposing team then
takes possession.
These rules exist because, with less than two minutes
remaining, time may be wasted lining up players for free
throws. This keeps the game moving while allowing all
players more time to equally contribute.
Substitution System
The substitution system is designed to provide every player equal opportunity
for improvement. The substitution system ensures the following:
› Every child will play at least half of the game. This eliminates
preferential treatment of players.
› No child will sit out back-to-back six minute segments. This allows
each player to be focused and engaged throughout the
game.
› The starting lineup shifts down one player every game, allowing every
child to be in the starting lineup. This gives all players a time to
be on the court first and not feel less important because
they don’t get a chance to start the game. No child will feel
as though they are used only as a reserve player.
› In most cases, each child will play against someone of equal ability.
This promotes equal opportunity for every child regardless
of ability. Equal match-ups allow for a more competitive
situation for every player on the court.
› Coaches are not open to making unfair substitutions or being
accused of such actions.
› Coaches are free from monitoring playing time for each player.
› Playing time for all players is virtually even over the course of the
season.
Substitutions on the second game day (week two) will start with player B,
as the starting lineup shifts down one player each game. Players B, C, D,
E, and F will start the first segment. The starting lineup for week two is
Ann, Susan, Kim, Mary, and Karen. The starting lineup shifts down one
player each game
Substitutions on the third game day (week three) will start with player C.
This starting lineup rotation continues throughout the season. Refer to the
Coach DVD and coach website (www.upward.org/upwardcoach) for more
demonstrations of the substitution system. Blank substitution forms are
located on pages 134 of this playbook.
Note: If a child is injured in a game or misses a game, those
circumstances have no affect on the rotation in future substitutions or
games.
Game-Day Recognition
Regardless of the score, Every Child Is A Winner. The multi-colored stars
represent a key tool for coaches to use in building the self-esteem of
players after each game. This should be a special time for the players,
as family members join the team for star presentation. Everyone should
be encouraged to cheer for players as each star is presented. Make sure
that each player receives all five stars throughout the season. Use the
Star Distribution Form located on page 139 of this playbook to track star
recipients. Please view the Coach DVD and coach website (www.upward.
org/upwardcoach) for a demonstration of a game-day star presentation.
Multi-colored stars:
› Blue star represents Effort
› Gold star represents Sportsmanship
› Gray star represents Offense
› Red star represents Defense
› White star represents Christlikeness
139
Red (R): Defense White (W): Christlikeness
Section Four: Forms
Notes
Notes
Notes