If you haven’t found an answer to your question on our website, this may be the page for you! If that doesn’t work, send us an email at secretary@midmomavericks.com. We’ll be glad to help!
Why play sports?
Sports is an opportunity to learn nutrition and get exercise. Team sports is an opportunity to develop friendships, teamwork, and communication. Competitive sports requires athletes to learn good sportsmanship, including winning humbly and losing honorably. It also is an opportunity to develop having goals, submitting to coaching, modeling character with integrated-ages, growing spiritual, and learning life lessons.
Who can participate in the free summer open gyms?
Our summer open gyms are FREE and open to any homeschool boys and girls, incoming grades 6-12. The open gyms help our returning players with some off-season playtime, as well as interested players meet the coaches and team. It’s a chance to “try us out” with no obligation!
What does it mean that you are a “Christ-centered” program?
We welcome families of all faiths to play basketball with us. Our coaches are Christian and encourage Christ-like character on and off the court. We pray before games and have team devotions when traveling at tournaments. We strive to honor the Lord during our game time and throughout our program as our program verse says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink [or play basketball] or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Can my child play? What are the eligibility requirements?
Our program is open to all homeschool students, incoming grades 6-12 with no experience necessary. Athletes on the JV/Varsity teams are subject to the eligibility guidelines outlined on the registration page. If you have a younger player who is interested, please contact us at mavsinfo@gmail.com.
What if my child has never played basketball before?
All skill levels are accepted, and there is no experience necessary. We endeavor to cultivate a safe place to learn the game as well as challenge experienced players to continue to grow.
What team would my child be on?
Generally, athletes are rostered according to their age as of September 1st. Players may be asked to “play up” to another team for the season or even play both teams. Coaches will communicate with the parents when players are requested to shift.
Do we have to be at every game and practice?
Our coaches count on each player contributing and learning through each game and practice. Practices and games are mandatory unless an absence has been communicated to the coach.
What if I can’t transport my child?
Due to the regional dynamic of the team, many of our families carpool. We intentionally build the community aspect of our program, so that families are comfortable joining efforts to overcome the distance for practices or scheduling conflicts for games. Our families are very good about working together for any needs that arise throughout the season.
Where/when are practices held? Do girls and boys practice together?
Because we do not have our own gym, we rely heavily on churches that will host our teams. Currently, Union Hill Baptist Church in Holts Summit has provided free gym usage throughout our basketball seasons. The Crossing in Columbia has provided free gym usage for one afternoon a week for practices. Occasionally, we scramble to find another gym when a usage conflict arises.
Practices are generally held on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for Junior High and Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons/evenings for JV/Varsity. Much of the time girls and boys will have overlapping practices with some practices combined. This will vary throughout the season based on gym availability. (See our posted practice schedule under Season info for current details.)
Do boys and girls always play games at the same places on the same nights?
Our teams will always play games in the same gym on any given night. The games scheduled vary depending on the team we are playing. A day’s games may consist of Junior High only or Varsity only, or it may include all teams.
What teams do you play? Where are games played?
We play private schools and homeschool teams. Games are played across the area with travel to other homeschool/private school teams in St Louis, Lake of the Ozarks, Rolla and Sedalia. We are not MSHSAA affiliated and do not schedule MSHSAA public school teams.
What does the schedule look like?
Our practices begin in October with varsity opening our game season at the Tip-Off tournament. Practices are generally held 3x/week for high school and 2x/week for Junior High. We target 30-35 games for high school and 10-15 games for junior high, which includes tournament games.
Games are scheduled 2-3 times a week with practices adjusting to the game schedule. Varsity may travel to the Holiday Classic tournament over Christmas Break. Then games resume during the first week of January, including the Lebanon tournament for JV/V teams. The Junior High have participated in the JH tournament at High Point and ends their season in January. The JV/Varsity schedule continues with State and Regionals tournaments in February and ends with Nationals tournament in mid-March. (Junior High teams do not have any hotel or tournament travel/expenses.)
Finally, our season concludes with 2 celebratory events the week following nationals: Parent/Player Fun Scrimmage and Spring Awards Banquet. You can look through our previous year’s game schedule on the Calendar to get a better idea.
What costs are involved?
Besides the registration fees, costs may include uniforms, warm-up jerseys, away gate fees, travel expenses, tournament gate fees, tournament souvenir t-shirts, and tournament hotel reservations. Junior High teams do not have any hotel or tournament travel/expenses.
Gate fees are not charged for our families during our own home games. Away gate fees can range from $1-4/individual, $5-9/family.
Junior High uniforms are borrowed from the team for the season. High school players would buy their uniform for a one-time cost of $89 and may need to purchase a new one if they have outgrown, lost, or damaged their old one. Warm-up jerseys are included in the registration fee.
Where does my money go?
We rely heavily on registration fees to fund our game schedule expenses that include referees (currently $100/game), unexpected gym fees, tournament fees, and liability insurance. Other funds come from donors and fundraisers to make our season fully function.
Why go to tournaments?
Because we are a part of NCHBC, we have the wonderful opportunity to meet up with teams across the nation throughout the season. We have several travel tournaments throughout the season, the first being the last weekend in October.
Tournaments are a great way to get a lot of games in one place at a higher competition level with different teams than we would normally play. Regional and national exposure also provides athletes with opportunities toward college goals, whether building various experiences/recognitions or garnering recruiting attention. Traveling to overnight tournaments also provides a retreat-like opportunity for the team to come together in community, fun, and support.
Do we have to stay in the team hotel?
A lot of team activity and community happens between games at the hotel. Families are strongly encouraged to book a room in the team’s location. Exceptions to this would include family or friends in the area, personal discount points at other hotels, or using AirBnB to avoid renting 2 hotel rooms. If families are staying “off campus,” they should be sure to have their child at the scheduled team activities.
What if I can’t be at the tournament?
Families do travel with the team, but not always. When parents are not able to travel, they make arrangements with another chaperone to share a hotel room and carpooling. We are a very cooperative, dependent team that works to create a community environment that supports one another. This would include carpooling to a game or traveling to a tournament or even participating in a fundraiser. We realize that family dynamics can be pulled in different directions, and we help each other make things work.
“So whether you eat or drink [or play basketball] or whatever you do,
do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
Mid-Missouri Mavericks is a 501(c)3 organization.
Columbia/Holts Summit, MO
Mid-Missouri Homeschool Mavericks Basketball 