Memphis Athletic Ministries

MAM uses sports as the means to bring youth into our centers and introduce them to our life-changing programs. Sports participation teaches life lessons and enables our staff and volunteers to help our youth grow to maturity in Christ through nurturing, mentoring relationships.

As a team member, a youth is mentored by the coach (a staff member or volunteer) and becomes involved in MAM's academics, personal financial training, and spiritual programs. Once on a team, a youth also has the opportunity to be exposed to other segments of the greater Memphis area by playing outside of his or her traditional neighborhoods.

There are currently over 1,100 youth involved in small mentoring groups through organized sports.

Bible Studies

Sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to every young person is MAM's most important mission. MAM believes that youth who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will exhibit different behavior from the general population. Thus, during every organized activity (after school recreation, team practices, games, tutoring, etc.) team mentors spend time discussing Christian values and teaching Scripture. The goal is for every youth to understand how God's truth makes a difference in his or her daily life. Our staff members positively impact the youth by sharing their relationship with Jesus through both words and deeds. As role models, our staff realizes that the most powerful lesson is through their own example of modeling Christ-like servant leadership to our youth.

Academic All Stars (AAS)

The Academic All Stars program is designed to raise academic skills and grades of the youth who participate in our sports programs. Math and reading assistance is provided by certified teachers in computer labs at all MAM centers.

This online incentive program teaches youth personal financial responsibility. Youth are awarded Bluff City BUCK$ for program participation and achievements, school accomplishments, and other worthwhile personal achievements. The program teaches youth financial literacy skills in an experiential, hands-on interactive way such as saving and investing, the appropriate use of credit, online banking, spending and giving. Youth learn in a safe environment that actions, such as mismanaging consequences, have consequences...in an experiential way that sticks.

Community Sports Leagues

Our community sports leagues serve over 8,000 youth in Memphis and the metropolitan area by offering a way to build a bridge to connect the different cultures that make up our city and its suburban cities. Through more than 144 alliances with local churches, schools and other community organizations, MAM continues to build community sports leagues in basketball, soccer and golf whereby uniting youth from different geographic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.

MAM offers year-round sports leagues in basketball, soccer, and golf.

For current sports program information, click here.