Basketball FAQ

General Information

  • A $25 late fee will be charged to those who register after October 10. There are no refunds once teams are divided and uniforms are ordered. 

  • Athletic shoes must be worn on the court at all times—no sandals, Crocs, Merrells, etc. 

  • Parents must drop off and pick up children inside the Beaty Center—children are not allowed to leave the gym without a parent or older sibling. 

  • For safety reasons, the practices are closed—only coaches and players are allowed in the gyms during practice. 

  • No pets, except service animals, allowed in the Beaty Center 

  • If you have questions, contact the Athletic Ministries office at (901) 683-6887, or drop us an e-mail at athletics@christchurchmemphis.org

  • Online registration is through TeamSnap. 

Kindergarten Program

The JK basketball program will be 6 clinics where they will learn the basic skills of basketball. SK will play SK teams from CM and possibly other programs. This will be a coed league, unless Senior K gets enough boys/girls registered, and they too will play CM teams and teams from other programs.  Games will be Friday nights at 5:30 and/or 6:30 at CM and other gyms. Practices will be on at the end of January and games will begin in February. 

1st-4th Grade Program

  • Coaches will contact their team members the first week of November. Practices will begin the second week of November.

    Most teams will practice between the hours of 3:30-8:30 p.m. at CUMC. (Younger teams will receive the earlier practice times.) Practice times are selected by the coaches and will be on Monday-Friday, with one practice each week until the season begins. Once the season begins, teams will continue to practice once a week.

  • All teams are required by the leagues to be divided equally by grade level and player ability. Some age groups will require evaluations prior to team divisions to ensure balanced teams. If evaluations are necessary, they will be held in mid October.

  • There are no practices Thanksgiving weekend, November 22-25, or during Christmas Break, December 19-January 2. During the Christmas Break, we will offer times for “Skills and Drills”, run by Coaches to help the players retain what they have learned thus far.

  • Each player will receive a non-returnable, reversible basketball jersey the week before games begin.

  • Games will be played on Saturdays and begin in early December. The teams will play in East Shelby Christian Recreation Association.

5th-6th Grade Competitive Program

  • These teams are more competitive in nature, so commitment to your team and coach is required—we commit to your son/daughter as coaches to be at all activities, games and practices, and we require that all participants also attend all practices and games.

  • There will be 2-3 practices per week and 2 games per week. These teams play in the Parochial Athletic Association or Shelby League.

  • Evaluations will be held the week of October 17. Practices begin the week of October 24. Games will be played at CUMC and at other churches and schools in the community.

  • There will be one 6th grade team that will play in the Shelby League. Team members must attend Christ Methodist Day School. Games will begin in mid-November. Practices and team selection will be in October.

  • These teams will play in a tournament mid-November and possibly over the Christmas holidays, as well as the first 2 weeks of February.

  • Team players will receive uniforms (reversible jersey, and shorts) that they will keep and wear in 5th and 6th grade. Replacement fee of $50 per item of clothing will be charged to the parents if they are not returned or are returned damaged.

Coaches Requirements

All CUMC Shepherd Coaches are selected by the Athletic committee and staff. The 5th/6th grade head coaches are usually non-parents with a few exceptions: someone who has been a dedicated coach for five years, coaching the 5th/6th graders before his/her child moved into that grade and someone who has a certification or coaches license for the sport.

All CUMC coaches have attended or participated online in the Protect My Ministry Program. The emphasis is on “being and doing their best” not “the best” (Colossians 3:23). As part of the Shepherd Coaches Training all coaches agree:

  1. to be committed to the sports ministry philosophy and leadership.

  2. to be prayerfully led to serve in this ministry.

Our program is not for everyone but is a program designed for a child to grow mentally, physically and spiritually. It is a program to transform lives and teach children and young adults how to be Christian athletes, to learn Christian values through sports and to reach the unchurched.