'Always had a place to play': Youth sports program fundraises for new floor on basketball court used by hundreds

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The First Baptist Church gym on Linden Street is a place where about 300 youth basketball players call home.

For five years, the gym has been home to Bethlehem’s branch of Upward Sports, a nonprofit organization that partners with churches to provide youth sports leagues to local communities.

However, after decades of use, the court is starting to deteriorate.

“For kids at a younger age, it’s a place to play, so it serves its purpose,” Andrew DeBalko, an Upward Sports coach, said.

“But as kids get older and perform at higher levels, it would be good to look at replacing it.”

With the gym floor aging, Paul Kocher, director of Upward Sports, and the Bethlehem Upward Sports community are raising money to replace it.

The ministry's gym floor is made of modular woodgrain tiles that, Kocher said, have been in place for about 20 years.

As more time passes, the glue that holds the tiles down is weakening, causing the tiles to crack and peel.

“We were OK the past two, maybe three seasons, [but] it’s gotten progressively worse and it’s just to the point where, you know, replacement is the best option,” Kocher said.

'There's always something more'

Kocher said the program this year coached about 300 kids who made up about 30 teams. During the season, he said, practices run from 5 to 9 p.m. each day of the week and games are played on Saturdays.

With so much foot traffic, the court continues to experience wear and tear. So to keep the floor functional throughout the season, he said he has manually glued down the tiles that begin to peel up.

However, once the tiles start to peel, he said, dust and dirt gets stuck below the surface, making it more difficult to maintain with glue.

As keeping up the floor themselves became a challenge, Kocher said he and the rest of the coaching staff decided it was time to explore renovation options.

The goal, he said, was to find an economical option that still is a step up from the tiles.

After research, he said, he was interested in investing in a polyurethane court known for offering sufficient shock absorption, traction and durability.

However, he said that court would cost around $60,000, which is more than they planned to spend.

Their best option, considering both quality and price, he said, is athletic vinyl padded rolls, which is a rubber-like material. That, he said, would cost about $50,000.

But he said he hopes to raise slightly more.

“I know there's probably going to be a few additional costs, because anytime you do any type of building project, there's always something more,” he said.

“Well, $55,000 gives us enough wiggle room and stuff like that.”

'Open to the community'

Kocher said he would like to have the floor renovations completed by summer. While basketball season is during winter, the gym is used for multiple purposes, such as the First Baptist Church Nursery School.

“When the weather's not nice, they come in here and use this, you know, and if it's a rough winter, they'll be in here every day of the week,” he said.

“And I wanted something that was going to have a little more shock absorption.”

Kocher said the gym also is used by other Upward Sports teams, such as cheerleading and volleyball.

Floor renovations also would welcome new opportunities from which more community members can benefit.

For example, Kocher said he would like to incorporate pickle ball courts, which would be open for public use.

“That would be another way to help us sort of offset some of the cost on electric and stuff like that," Kocher said. "You know, charge them just a little a couple bucks.

"But for the most part we have it open to the community and everything."

Search for funding

So far, Kocher said they have raised about $30,000 through partnerships, donations and sponsors, and are continuing to reach out to larger companies in the Lehigh Valley.

Kocher said the program also is looking into grant funding. He said he is in contact with two people who have experience in grant writing who are looking at funding sources under which the project might fall.

Christopher Moran, founder and head trainer of Underdog Sports Basketball Training, a Lehigh Valley-based skills and development program, also uses the First Baptist Church gym to conduct private and group training sessions with young athletes.

Moran said that because he has a strong partnership with Upward Sports by sharing gym space, he donated to the project.

Whether it’s assisting in running programs or monetary contributions, Moran said he’s happy to help provide resources to youth sports.

“They allow me to use that gym space and, you know, it's helped me really grow my business,” he said. “So, I try to give back as much as I can through their program.”

Sharing the space with Upward Sports for nearly three years now, Moran said he has experienced the impacts of the outdated court.

“I've had kids in there kind of trip over tiles because they start to lift up a little bit just because of the warping,” he said. “The tile in there is chipping as well.

"So sometimes I'll just be walking around while I'm training and step on a piece of tile that just like cracked and fell out of place.”

Kids growing and developing

Kocher said if the floor isn’t renovated in a timely manner, he worries it would be difficult to find another space, as it would most likely entail pricey rent.

Moran said as the Lehigh Valley community grows, youth sports are becoming more popular, which leads to limited available space to host youth sports.

However, he said being able to facilitate an accessible program that gives kids the opportunity to grow their confidence, learn and build community is important.

Moran said renovating the court is an investment that will let the gym remain a feasible practice space for years to come, helping youth sports programs keep up with the increasing interest.

Andrew DeBalko has been a coach for Bethlehem's Upward Sports program since his son started basketball in kindergarten two years ago.

During that time, he said his passion for the program has grown as he has seen all the kids grow and develop, not just as athletes, but as individuals.

'Nice to see that happen'

While the program is held by the church, DeBalko said all kids are welcome, and encouraged, to join the league no matter their religious affiliation.

In fact, according to Upward Sports website, 51% of players in a typical league don’t have a church affiliation.

The goal of the youth league, DeBalko said, isn’t about becoming the best athlete or winning the most games — it’s about letting kids of any background or skill level explore their interests, learn how to be a good teammate and form community.

Whether it’s a sport, an instrument or another hobby, DeBalko said it’s important to give kids an avenue to explore their interests.

By upgrading the floor, he said, Upward Sports can hold more events and provide more opportunities for the kids.

“Where I grew up, we always had a place to play,” he said. “So it would be nice to see that happen here, as well.”

For those interested in donating, First Baptist Church Upward Sports is accepting donations through GoFundMe.