Youth Basketball Opened the Door

Community and shared values led family to stay

It may have been the Worthington Christian School’s youth basketball program that first caught the attention of Derrick and Maria Moore when they were looking for a school for their son, D.J. (WC ’22). But it was the overall experience that made a huge difference to the family.

“Our family is very close friends to the Lockhart family,” Moore said. “DJ and Jack Lockhart had been playing sports together since they both were in elementary school.

“Jim Lockhart mentioned that Jack was going to play on a basketball team at Worthington Christian for COBA basketball.  He let us know the date of the tryouts and we just showed up. A WC parent, Tom Anthony, who ran the fifth-grade squad asked us to play for his team.”

D.J. went on to play with Anthony for the next several years and also enrolled in the school. Maria Moore said one of the things she loves about Worthington Christian is how accepting the school was to her family

“Worthington Christian welcomed our family with open arms and that made all the difference,” she said. “The thing that stood out the most was the Christian community feeling. 

“Every time we stepped on the campus and interacted with the families, staff, and administrators of Worthington Christian, you know that they genuinely love Christ and care about your children.”  

One of the things the Moores value about WC is knowing the school will be an extension of what their children are being taught at home.

“There’s real peace of mind knowing that what you are teaching your kids at home as it relates to Christ is not being undone the minute they walk through the school doors,” Maria said.