Madison-area children in action with the First Baptist Madison’s Upward flag football league last summer. (Contributed)

By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer

MADISON – Along with a few tweaks, the First Baptist Church of Madison will be back this summer with the same flag football program that saw success in its first season last summer.

In addition to the football teams, arranged by skill and age group, the local program will also roll out Upward Cheerleading for summer 2015.

“Our goal is to have a Christian-based and affordable athletic activity for our elementary students that will build community during the summer break,” said Jeff Dickerson, football director who started the Upward program last summer.

Online signups started March 1 and will run through April 25 with the cost to participate at $65. Beginning April 26, the one-time fee will be $75.

The fee for cheerleaders will cover the cheer top, cheer skort, hair ribbon, megaphone, car magnet, pom poms and the end-of-season award.

Flag football players will also receive a car magnet and end-of-season award in addition to a Carolina-blue reversible jersey, flag belt and playing card wristband.

Children entering kindergarten – seventh grade for the 2015–16 school year are eligible to participate this summer.

The flag football players will undergo a skills evaluation, which will take place at Palmer Park’s Field No. 5 on April 25 from 3 – 5 p.m. Make-up evaluations will be held at the same location and time on May 2.

Practices begin June 2, with the six-game season running June 13 – July 25. The squads will teach sportsmanship, along with a Bible devotion, at the weekly practices.

The league is also searching for adult volunteers to fill coaching, referee, data entry and other leadership roles.

For more information on how to get involved in the league, visit upward.org. The pertinent email for football is upwardmadisonal@gmail.com; for cheerleading is upwardcheermadisonal@gmail.com.