Important dates:

• Registration closes: December 21, 2025
• Team Draft date: January 5, 2026
• First practices: January 7, 2026

dates below are subject to change...

• Season Begins: week of January 19, 2026 
• Season Ends:  week of March 23, 2026
• Tournament:  March 28, 2026

The season schedule will be dependent on how many teams register. We are planning to possibly have games on Thursday nights, late Saturday afternoons, and Sundays after 2:00pm. We may not need all of those days to play the games in, but please be prepared to have games scheduled on those days. 

All players must be seventeen (17) years old by 3/31/2026. There is no upper age limit. 

The maximum team size will be 10 players. Teams may be co-ed or single gender. However, everyone, including all-female teams, will play in the same league. Teams will play 5v5.  

Pre-formed Teams

If you already have a team formed, everyone registering to play on that team should use the SAME NAME so that it is clear to the admin what team you want to join. 

Registration Fees

• $100 per person – this is the upfront fee with no team sponsorship 
• Once a $250 sponsorship is secured by a team, each player will receive a $25 per person reimbursed. If no team sponsor is secured, no player reimbursements will occur.
• The link to the sponsorship ordering page can be found under the registration link above. 

Registration Fees include the following: 

• player jersey (to keep)
• game officials
• game materials (game balls, flags, etc.)
• field maintenance and field striping materials
• field lights for use during winter months

NOTE: Registrations MAY be cancelled if our registration goal numbers are not met.  You will be refunded if this occurs. 

Flag Football is the first option on the form. 

Welcome to Basketball with SFO for 2025-2026!

**We do not take coach or player pairing requests.   The only accommodations will be for siblings, living in the same home, that need to be on the same team.**

Spots are limited and registrations will be closed as soon as these spots are filled.   We will then start a waitlist and if we can fulfill another team, players will be moved from the waitlist in order that they were added.   If you are serious about wanting to play, waitlisted players will need to register the day they are notified, or we will move to the next player on the list.

These are the divisions available:

• K-1 co-ed  (WAITLIST - see link above)
• Grades 2-3 Boys  (WAITLIST - see link above)
• Grades 4-5 Boys  (WAITLIST - see link above)
• Grades 6-8 boys  
• Grades 2-3 Girls  (WAITLIST - see link above)
• Grades 4-5 Girls  (WAITLIST - see link above)
• Grades 6-8 Girls  (WAITLIST - see link above)

We do not offer refunds.   If you have a middle schooler trying out for the team, please notify the basketball director by Oct.17th.    Refunds for middle schoolers that make the team will only be honored if notified by that time.

Evaluations will be held the first half of November, time and date to be announced soon. The location will be Catawba Elementary School.    All players will need to attend evaluations to be placed on a team.  If a player does not attend and has not made contact with the director, he/she will be assumed to have dropped from the program and will not be placed on a team.  

Practices will start December 1st.   Your player will practice twice a week and will have two Saturday practices during the month of December.   Games will start when school resumes after Christmas and then practices will be dropped to once per week.  An end of the season tournament will happen the last week of February / first week of March (if time allows).   If we get a lot of weather-related cancellations, it's possible we do not have a tournament.

We can't do it without you! To run a sport as large as basketball, it takes a lot of work and effort. We need for volunteers for many roles. If you can't volunteer, for whatever reason, you can pay to opt out of this obligation. During the registration, you can choose to pay the operations fee of $60 per player. This operations fee will go to pay for workers to take over volunteer spots that have not been filled. 

Gate Fees

To pay for use of rented facilities, we charge a gate fee at every home basketball game. The cost is usually $1 for students and $3 for adults.  Other facilities charge a fee as well. 

We are actively looking for parents that would like to participate in our basketball committee.  If you are looking to get more involved with the sport, please let us know. And of course, actively participating on the basketball committee fulfills your volunteer obligations. 

Volunteer Position: Fundraising Director

Organization: Sherrills Ford Optimist
Location: 1752 Molly’s Backbone Rd. Sherrills Ford Rd, Sherrills Ford NC 28673
Reports To: Board of Directors
Commitment: Part-Time Volunteer | Estimated 5–10 hours per week

About the Organization

Sherrills Ford Optimist is a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to enriching the lives of young people through athletics. Our mission is to provide youth with access to structured sports programs that build confidence, leadership, teamwork, and lifelong skills.

Role Overview

The Volunteer Fundraising Director plays a critical leadership role in helping the organization meet its financial goals. This individual will guide and implement fundraising strategies, engage donors and community sponsors, and help coordinate campaigns and events that support youth athletic programs.

This is a volunteer, unpaid position ideal for someone passionate about youth development and looking to make a meaningful impact through fundraising expertise or community leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee a fundraising plan that supports annual program needs and long-term sustainability.
• Identify and pursue fundraising opportunities, including individual donors, sponsorships, grants, and special events.
• Cultivate relationships with local businesses, foundations, and community members to generate support.
• Collaborate with board members and volunteers to organize fundraising activities and campaigns.
• Create or coordinate donor communications, thank-you letters, and impact reports.
• Maintain donor and sponsor records using spreadsheets or donor management tools.
• Attend monthly board or leadership meetings (virtual or in-person).

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Prior experience in fundraising, sales, marketing, nonprofit development, or event planning.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Self-motivated and organized, with the ability to lead projects independently.
• Comfortable networking and making donation or sponsorship asks.
• Passion for youth athletics and community service.

Time Commitment

• Estimated 5–10 hours per week (flexible based on availability and event schedule).

Benefits of Volunteering

• Make a direct impact on the lives of young athletes.
• Gain valuable leadership and nonprofit development experience.
• Build relationships in the community and expand your professional network.
• Recognition on the organization’s website, at events, and in annual reports.

If you're passionate about helping youth thrive through sports and want to support our mission through fundraising leadership, please email your resume or a short statement of interest to jbeane@sfoptimist.org

Fall Sports
Registrations open early to mid-May (before school lets out)
Football, Soccer, Fall Volleyball, Cheer, Fall Baseball, Fall Softball

Winter Sports
Registrations open early to mid-September
Basketball
Adult Flag Football (tentative)

Spring Sports
Registrations open early-January
Baseball, Softball, Tee-ball, Spring Volleyball, Soccer (proposed)

Summer Sports
Adult Softball

Please Read Prior To Registration

As a parent / guardian, you agree to the participation rules set forth in this document. Please make sure you read and understand them prior to registering for a Sherrills Ford Optimist activity. 

Sherrills Ford Optimist is actively recruiting companies, groups, churches, and/or individuals to be sponsors for our Park. Please visit the Sponsorship page to see the levels available and to see the benefits of each level.  There is also a link to a form on that page where you select a sponsorship package, provide your company information, and pay all in one simple step. 

Sherrills Ford Optimist is a 501 (c)(3) organization and all donations are tax-deductible. We welcome all donations and a receipt can be provided to you upon request. 

Use the "Donate" button below to donate via Paypal or send a check made out to Sherrills Ford Optimist to: 

Sherrills Ford Optimist

P.O. Box  32

Sherrills Ford, NC 28673

Questions about donations?  Send an email to info@sfoptimist.org

Sherrills Ford Optimist is the place for youth sports in Eastern Catawba County. We have been serving the youth and families of our area since 1975. For full details on the sports we offer, check out the sections below divided by sports season.  Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to receive notifications when registrations open!

Our park is operated 100% through volunteers, and we rely on fundraisers and sponsorships to keep our park operating for the youth in our community. Please see below if you are interested in donating to the park. For volunteer opportunities, please click here. 

For more information about ways to get involved, or to send an idea to our Board of Directors, please email info@SFOptimist.org.

More than 1,200 youth participate in our athletic activities each year.