Meet the Team

My name is Bill, and I have the privilege of leading this merry bunch from Sugar Land, Texas on an Upward Basketball Mission Camp to L'viv, Ukraine. I gave my life to Christ ten years ago, and have been actively serving His kingdom ever since. My first Christian service activity after coming to Christ was to coach an Upward Basketball team at The PARC, and after coaching in the league for five years I became the league director, a role I have joyously filled for the past five seasons. I went on my first mission trip to Ukraine in 2007, in support of an American missionary couple who live in L'viv and run a college student ministry, and after hearing about the Upward Mission Camp program last spring the Holy Spirit spoke to me about taking this program to L'viv. I joined a team from Champions Forest Baptist last summer on their Upward Soccer Camp to Poltava, Urkaine, so I have seen first hand how God can use sports to unite cultures, allowing for His Gospel to be shared. I am beyond excited about this coming camp, and about the team God has provided to run it. We will be utilizing local Ukrainian university students to help run the camp, with the dual goal of sharing the love of Christ with the children who attend the camp and seeing an actual Upward Basketball league form there in 2011.

I am 40 years old, I have a wonderful 14yo daughter, Kathryn (see her bio below - yes, she's on the team and what a blessing to be able to see her in action on her first mission trip), and I am an active member of Sugar Land FUMC. I am blessed with a job that provides me with the scheduling flexibilty to serve God, and with an awesome network of friends/supporters who make these trips possible through their prayer and financial contributions. I would be remise if I did not thank God, and specifically, His Word and Spirit, for changing my life. Studying His Word is one of my greatest joys, and He has blessed me with two great study groups - Bible Study Fellowship (this is an international program that I can not recommend enough - look it up) and my Friday morning men's group, The Lineman - guys, you are my brothers in Christ and my earthly rock.

my name is steve. i have a bs degree in public administration and manage an industrial construction company. i am a member of river point church and have been involved in upward basketball for 5 years. through the program my relationship with jesus christ has deepened. i am going to ukraine to spread the gospel of jesus christ through upward and hope to spur others to find christ.

my name is emmie-i am a 2009 graduate of baylor university (sic em!) and had the great privilege to go to the ukraine on the last trip with sugarland first united methodist. it was truly a life changing experience. i made some wonderful friends that i remain in contact with and was overwhelmed with by the way i saw god move in the week i was there. i went on a trip expecting to make a difference and came away more changed than i could ever imagined. i am excited to go back, see old friends, and see what an amazing plan god has in store for this trip.

my name is jeremy and i was born and raised in houston, tx. i am currently at hardin-simmons university and majoring in political science. i have considered myself a believer in god all my life but i didn't fully accept him until i was about 13 years old. my brother was going through depression and tried to commit suicide. while he was recovering in the hospital, a friend of mine's mom introduced him to the youth pastor at sugarland first united methodist church. through him, my brother was able to recover and accepted christ into his life. i was able to see the power and the love of god through this incident and decided to accept him into my life. i am now continuing to strengthen then my relationship with christ and glorifying him in any way i can. one of the things i am doing is going on missions. some major ones i have served on were helping clean up houses in new orleans, helping lead a camp in unkraine and building a church in mexico. this summer i am going back to ukraine to help set up a basketball camp for kids. these kids will be able to see the love of christ through us. my goal is to see every person participating in the camp to accept christ in their life.

my name is carolyn smith, i just graduated from kempner high school and i am 19 years old. i will be attending texas state university in san marcos, texas. i have a desire to share my relationship with jesus christ through the sugarland united methodist church and participating in the upward basketball mission trip to the ukraine. i am excited to go on this trip to get closer to god.

my name is jacob and i just graduated from high school. i am 18 years old and will be attending university of texas san antonio in the fall majoring in engineering.i want to go on the trip because i have coached upward for three years and love going on mission trips

my name is justin and have been coaching upward for the past 7 years. coaching youth in a biblical setting has become a passion of mine and i throughly enjoy my opportunity to coach upward each year. once i realized that a mission opportunity was possible to coach upward in a foreign country i was greatly enthused and instantly wanted to be part of the journey.

my name is sarah. i graduated from texas a&m university (class of 2004..whoop!) and am a registered dietitian. i currently attend first baptist church houston and have been serving with upward as a coach and a cheerleading commisioner since 2006. it has been such a blessing to have the privilege to serve the lord through upward on our trip to ukraine. i am looking forward to the people and students will that the lord will provide the opportunity to share his word with them. keep us in your prayers and god bless.

my name is rob. i am a senior at houston baptist university. i have been looking forward to my first out of country mission trip for quite awhile. i am excited about everything that god has in store for us on this mission trip. thank you to all those who have donated financially and prayed for this mission trip.

my name is ladonna beers. i have a b.s. degree in criminal justice and currently teach criminal justice class at klein forest high school. my husband and i have a desire to share our relationship with jesus christ through sugarland united methodist church and are participating in the upward basketball missionary trip to the ukraine on july 16-25, 2010. we attend river pointe church in richmond, texas and are active volunteers in the friends of north richmond reconstruction projects, fort bend family promise and early education children's ministry.

I, john, served on a mission trip to Ukraine, in 2006 just after the global board of missions purchased a Methodist Student Center in L’viv…that opened my eyes to the Protestant potential world-wide, especially in Eastern Europe…it changed my approach to more open interpersonal relationships and expanded my reading list, and lead to a mission trip to Saltillo, Mexico in 2009…our return mission to Lviv with a fantastic group of young people promises to be fun and expand the reach of the Methodist ministry with a new Christian basketball program.
I have had the joy of getting married in and my son was baptized in the Albuquerque United Methodist church….have served as lay leader of the Sugar Land Methodist church in 2000…and for over a decade have learned from students as a coach and referee for Upward Basketball and other sports…plus teaching middle school bible study with wonderful co-teachers…my career has been healthcare management…for leisure i cycle, swim, fix things, sail and read.

My name is Kathryn Schmidt, and I just finished 8^th grade at Fort Bend Baptist Academy, and I'll be going there through high school too. I’ve been doing Upward Basketball since first grade with my dad as my coach, and I was my dad’s assistant coach two years ago. I've also been on the school basketball team since 6^th grade, and it is my favorite sport. I’ve been going to Sugar Land First United Methodist Church all my life, was baptized there, and was just recently confirmed there. I am also in the church choir. This will be my first ever mission trip, and I am so excited to be going to Ukraine, especially with my dad. I get to tell others about true joy through Christ, and play basketball at the same time!! I’m so happy!!!! :) I’m hoping to grow closer to God through this experience, and to teach others about Him. I’m really looking forward to it. :))