Athletes

Athletes must be Jewish defined as:

• Having at least one Jewish parent and the athlete is being raised Jewish or:
• A Jew by choice and is being raised Jewish

Athletes must be:

• • Between the ages of 12-16 as of July 31, 2024 to participate
  • Participant eligibility is born between 08/01/2007 and 07/31/2012
  • Local athlete families are required to be host families and host two (2) or more visiting athletes from other delegations

For Team Sports:

• 14U AGE DIVISION – Athletes ages 12-14 are eligible to compete
• 16U AGE DIVISION – Athletes ages 12-16 are eligible to compete

Tryouts will be held January 14-February 11, 2024 on a variety of days and times, please see the tryout schedule.  All teens who want to participate in the Games need to attend tryouts**. There are no fees to attend tryouts. 

 **Bowling and Star Reporter will have required information sessions for teens/parents   

No. Teens only need to attend one tryout date per sport. Teens wanting to participate in the Games are encouraged to attend tryouts for as many sports as possible.  Attending multiple tryouts for the same sport does not increase the chances of making that team. 

Please contact Deborah Diebner (ddiebner@erjcchouston.org) if you are unable to make the tryout of a specific sport.   

Tryouts for our local Houston Maccabi delegation is open to Jewish teens, residing in the Greater Houston and surrounding areas, ages 12 –16 as of July 31, 2024.

All athletes must have current medical insurance and be up to date on all age-appropriate vaccines as per CDC guidelines. Teens must be Jewish, defined by having at least one Jewish parent and the athlete is being raised Jewish or a Jew by choice and is being raised Jewish 

**These policies and eligibility requirements are official policies of the JCC Association  

Team announcements will happen on a rolling basis. Team announcements will be completed by late February.  

Teens will need to attend practices (which are scheduled by team through the coaches starting in the Spring) and team gatherings. Families will also need to complete a series of registration paperwork and medical forms with specific deadlines. All Maccabi athletes must host a minimum of 2 visiting teens in their home the week of the Games.  

If a teen does not make one of their preferred sports, they will be offered a spot to participate as an individual athlete or encouraged to try out for a different team sport. 

The JCC Maccabi Games offers a variety of choices for every teenager to participate.  In addition to team sports, consider an individual sport, or sign up for Bowling or to be a journalist in our Star Reporter program. 

No, athletes are only permitted to participate in one sport. 

To secure your spot on the team, a non-refundable $250 is due two weeks after a team is declared. If the deposit is not received by this date, you will risk your participation on that team. If you opt for your teen not to participate or if they have changed their mind, please let us know immediately. 

No, this is a community-wide program and everyone who meets the requirements noted above is invited and encouraged to participate. 

 JCC Maccabi is an all-inclusive experience. Program fees include JCCA registration fees, uniform, delegation gear, adult supervision and coaches, practices, meals, transportation, social events/team activities, pins and an experience of a lifetime! Our all-inclusive fee per teen is $750 (Members) and $1,050 (Public). Individual program memberships for teens can be purchased for $252.  

• Payment can be made in full -OR- in auto-debited monthly installments via ACH (bank account) or credit card. 
• Deposits are required regardless of the form of payment at the time of registration. 
• If you choose to pay in monthly installments via ACH or credit card, the deposit is due immediately upon registration. 
• All credit card transactions for Maccabi will include a 3% credit card transaction fee.  

Please contact Deborah Diebner (ddiebner@erjcchouston.org) with membership or payment questions. 

Financial assistance will be available for families who qualify. Applications will be available after team announcements. For more information, please contact Deborah Diebner (ddiebner@erjcchouston.org ) 

We are well aware that many participants may be attending summer camps and may be away for part of the summer.  They will, however, miss team practices, socials and meetings related to the experience throughout the summer.  That being said, participants will be required to attend all JCC Maccabi experience activities from August 4-9, 2024.  

No. You must commit to the entire week. 

Please contact Deborah Diebner (ddiebner@erjcchouston.org), the member service coordinator for Maccabi.  

Local athletes will stay in their own homes during the event and families are required to host at least two visiting athletes. 

The host community works closely with a wide variety of local, state and federal agencies to determine the security needs for the Games.

Credentials are a visible identification badge for anyone participating in any aspect of the Games. These credentials allow the security team to determine access and help keep our venues secure. They must be worn at all times, no exceptions. If credentials are lost, replacement credentials are available at Maccabi Central.

Spectators are also required to obtain a spectator pass which permits entry into Games venues and opening ceremonies only.

Yes. Events will be held at several sites in the Greater Houston area. Security personnel will ensure participants get to venues and events in a timely and safe manner.