Registration for the 2026-2027 basketball season is now open! Please share with anyone in your network who is interested in learning more about our basketball program.
Returning players, please register by Friday, August 7 at 5:00PM to guarantee your spot.
Register at:
https://register.teamsnap.com/form/hxaI0koUoTqu1c8AI83lq
A note about this year's fees: The cost of running this program has increased in every way – gym rentals, league and referee fees, and more. This is the first increase since the pandemic. Our fees are now more in line with similar programs.
We are committed to providing the opportunity to play regardless of need. Please contact us with any questions.
Thank you for your interest in Buena Vista United Methodist Church Youth Basketball (BVUMC)! We accept players from transitional kindergarten through high school, with boys’ and girls’ teams for most ages. Returning players must register by August 7 to guarantee their spot.
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BVUMC Youth Basketball is entirely volunteer run, including all board members. We rely on volunteer help to make this program successful. Parents are required to volunteer throughout the season and must volunteer 3 hours at the Buena Vista Spring Bazaar (the church's annual fundraiser, which is usually the first weekend in May). Please think about how you would like to contribute to the program.
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KEY DATES
-Returning players must register by Friday, August 7 to guarantee their spot.
-Register by Monday, August 17 as we will start forming teams. Any registrations after this date will be considered depending on team availability.
-Practices run from September/October through February.
-Games run from December through February.
-Tournaments take place in February and March (if your team signs up).
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WHERE
Practices will take place at local gyms in Oakland and Alameda.
Games will take place on the weekend. Locations are TBD (past locations included San Leandro and Walnut Creek).
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FYI
Though very popular, our program does have limitations, namely court space and volunteer coaches/managers. We will not field teams if we do not have enough coaches and managers volunteering for each team.
Per California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state rules, if a student makes their high school basketball team, they are ineligible to compete for Buena Vista.
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REGISTRATION FEES
TK - K Registration Fee - $250*
1st - 5th Grade Registration Fee - $350*
6th - 12th Grade Registration Fee - $400*
*There is an additional TeamSnap registration fee which is a percentage calculated by TeamSnap dependent on your registration type and payment type (ie: bank or credit card). Currently fees range from $4.67 to $13.00 per player.
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REFUNDS
If you find out that the practice schedule does not work for you, let the program know within the first three weeks of practice and we can issue a full refund. However, for high school players waiting to learn about their acceptance into their high school team, the refund policy period will be extended until after team selections have been announced. Please note after the 21 days, that exceptions and hardships can be considered on a case-by-case basis. Parents are encouraged to reach out to Gavin directly to discuss any unique circumstances that may warrant special consideration.
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MISSION STATEMENT
The program’s mission is to provide youth and families the opportunity to play basketball in a safe, well-organized environment that helps foster values of teamwork, cultural awareness and community service. At Buena Vista, we envision the Basketball Program as a means to greater ends of building self-esteem, confidence, relationships, and personal growth in the context of a spiritual community.
Buena Vista
United Methodist Church
Youth Basketball
The BVUMC Youth Basketball program provides youth entering kindergarten through high school with the opportunity to play basketball in a safe, well-organized environment.
The volunteer-run program emphasizes the values of teamwork, cultural awareness, and community service. While its origins are Asian American and Christian, the program is open to youth and families of all ethnicities, religions, and basketball skill levels.
Since its founding 35 years ago, our program has emphasized basketball as a means to greater ends: of building self-esteem, confidence, relationships, and personal growth in the context of a spiritual community.
From Incarceration to Inclusion: The Legacy of Japanese American Basketball
Buena Vista Basketball also traces its roots back to Japanese American history where segregated sports leagues preceded World War II. Sports were a source of sustenance in the camps. Still reeling from incarceration and post-war prejudice after World War II, community leaders in California formed JA basketball leagues for youth to participate in and maintain cultural bonds when mainstream leagues were not accessible. These leagues have a rich history, with thousands of players finding their identity and community through league games and tournaments. As time has gone on, various leagues and programs have evolved, especially around requirements for who can participate. Buena Vista was a co-founder of the Asian Community Basketball Association (ACBA), which recognized the pan-Asian community but had no requirements around ethnic backgrounds and was open to all. Though ACBA is no longer active, Buena Vista has been fortunate to compete in the East Bay Youth Athletic League (EBYAL) and East Bay Girls Athletic League (EBGAL). Though EBYAL still requires that teams have a certain number of players with Japanese heritage, Buena Vista does not ask for such information from its players, and thus maintains affiliate status.
More Than Basketball: Building Community Through Service
To build community and connection, we require a modest amount of volunteer hours from every family. Thanks to the sponsorship of BVUMC, we are able to keep our registration fees low compared to other youth sports programs. In return, basketball families are asked to work a single 2-3 hour shift during the church’s main fundraising event of the year, the aforementioned Spring Festival Bazaar on the first Sunday in May. We also need volunteers for managers, coaches, timekeepers, scorekeepers, and anything else that helps the teams function and build camaraderie. Families that do not meet minimum volunteer commitments will not receive returning player status in future registrations if team space is limited.