icSports - Registration

icSports Onward and Forward Basketball Leagues
Winter 2025

Before beginning the registration process, please DO NOT REGISTER if you cannot attend the Forward Tournament on March 15, 2025.  Registering in these leagues represent a commitment to a team; absence for the tournament is unfair to your teammates.

MANDATORY Evaluations

Evaluations are mandatory and will be run this year in a "combine" format.  Drills, competitions, game play, etc. will be used to evaluate skills and create teams.  Each player must attend the scheduled evaluation for their division and be present for the full 90-minute event. Evaluations will take place in the Immanuel Church Gymnasium at 2300 N. Dilleys Road, Gurnee, IL as follows:

Thursday, January 23, 2025:

• 5:30pm-7:00pm - Onward Girls
• 7:00pm-8:30pm - Onward Boys
• 8:30pm-10:00pm - Forward Girls

Friday, January 24, 2025:

• 5:30pm-7:00pm - Forward Boys

Please note:

• Players need to arrive promptly for the start of their event and (as stated above) stay for the entire 90 minutes.  If you are unable to attend the evaluations, please contact Laurie Cessna to discuss.
• Per church child safety policy, Onward players must be dropped off and picked up inside the Immanuel Church facility by a parent or guardian.

Season Schedule Information

Practices will begin the week of February 2, 2025.

Weeks of Feb 2, 9, 16, 23, Mar 2. 9

• Team practices will be scheduled to start between 5:30 and 8:45pm. (Practices will last 1 hour 15 minutes.)
• Practice nights will be will be either Thursday or Friday ONLY (same night and time all season).

Onward Games (Saturdays)

• Feb 8 - Opening Day (Single Game)
• Feb 15 - Double Header
• Feb 22 - Single Game
• Mar 1 - Double Header
• Mar 8 - Single Game
• Mar 15 - Tournament

Forward Games (Saturdays)

• Feb 8 - Opening Day (Single Game)
• Feb 15 - Single Game
• Feb 22 - Single Game and 3v3 Tournament
• Mar 1 - Single Game
• Mar 8 - Double Header
• Mar 15 - Tournament

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On Fire Pickleball League

Winter 2025

The On Fire Pickleball League is for players in Junior High (7^th Grade) through Adult. This will be a doubles league, made up primarily of mixed teams (see below). There will be a beginner/casual division, intermediate/competitive division, and a highly skilled advanced division (offsite, details TBD, not yet registering, see note below); you will register for the division in which you wish to play.

Note: If you are interested in the Advanced Division, please email Nathaniel Cessna at natoc@immanuelhome.org.

General League Schedule/Info:

• 3 Divisions to accommodate all levels of experience (divisions described below)
• All divisions are doubles/2-on-2 format
• 8-Week Season (see schedule below)
• Season-Ending Tournament for each division
• Monday evenings only.
• Teams will play several games each week, all in a one-hour time-slot.
• Game slot times will vary from week to week (5:30pm, 6:30pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm).
• Co-Ed
• Ages: Grade 7 through Adult
• Cost: $85 per player
• Each player will receive an OnFire Pickleball t-shirt in their team color.
• Beginner/Casual and Intermediate/Competitive will play all games at the Immanuel Church gym.
• Paddles will be available for use, although players are permitted to bring and use their own paddles.
• Advanced Division will play offsite.
• Slots are limited to a total of 24 teams combined, (excluding the Advanced division which will play offsite) so please ensure your place by registering ASAP.

Divisions:

3 Divisions to accommodate all levels of experience.

1. Beginner/Casual:

This division is for the players who are new to pickleball, those who have played but are still learning/mastering the basic skills, and those who want to play in a more relaxed/casual environment. Each week, this division will have 15 minutes of instruction in fundamentals before their league play games. This division is open to everyone: individuals, friends, or family groups (parents and children 7th grade and above, couples, etc. who want to play together). Teams will be mixed doubles, as follows:

• Individuals may register and will be assigned to a team of 2 (or 3, upon request).
• Teams of 2 may register together (and can register a third player, if they choose, to allow for coverage in case of absences).
• Teams (Mixed, Per Below):
• Man and Woman (Husband and wife, Friends, etc., as adult pairings must be mixed gender)
• Parent and Child (Can be same gender)
• College Student and Parent (Can be same gender)
• College Student and Younger Sibling (Can be same gender)
• Questions? Please ask.

2. Intermediate/Competitive:

This division is for experienced pickleball players whose game is competitive, but not yet at the advanced/highly competitive level. This division will be faster and will challenge the players to continue honing their skill-set in a friendly yet competitive environment. This division is open to everyone: individuals, friends, or family groups (parents and children 7th grade and above, couples, etc. who want to play together). Teams will be mixed doubles, as follows:

• Individuals may register and will be assigned to a team of 2 (or 3, upon request).
• Teams of 2 may register together (and can register a third player, if they choose, to allow for coverage in case of absences).
• Teams (Mixed, Per Below):
• Man and Woman (Husband and wife, Friends, etc., as adult pairings must be mixed gender)
• Parent and Child (Can be same gender)
• College Student and Parent (Can be same gender)
• College Student and Younger Sibling (Can be same gender)
• Questions? Please ask.

3. Advanced/Highly Competitive:

This division is for the experienced, advanced-skilled players who want to play in a fast-paced, highly competitive environment. Players must have the following qualifications to play in this division:

Qualifications:

• You must be a 3.0 or greater skill level.
• Unsure of what makes a 3.0 or greater skill level player? Click HERE to download a PDF that will give a description of each level.
• To self-assess your skill level or for more detailed information on skill levels, click HERE.

Team Details:

• This is an Open Doubles division.
• Both players must be 3.0+
• Teams can be mixed or same gender.
• Create your own pairings.
• If you are registering as an individual and need a partner, please let us know and we will pair you with another individual registrant.

League Schedule (Mondays):

• January 20 - Opening Night
• Beginner/Casual Division will have instruction/teaching and scrimmages (scheduled times for each team). Players who are new to the game will get a chance to learn the rules, get familiar with game play, and practice. All teams in this division will play scrimmage games and get “warmed up” for the season.
• Intermediate and Advanced divisions will have League Play Games.
• Jan 27 – League Play Games
• Feb 3 – League Play Games
• Feb 10 – League Play Games
• Feb 17 – League Play Games
• Feb 24 – League Play Games
• Mar 3 – League Play Games
• Mar 10 – Tournament (Full evening event)

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