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:

• • Jewish teens who turn 13 by Aug. 2, 2026, and are 17 as of Aug. 6, 2026.

  • Those who are 12 by August 2, 2026, may petition to participate as part of the local delegation. The emotional and physical maturity of 12-year-olds will be used to help determine eligibility.

  • Local athlete families are required to be host families and host two (2) or more visiting athletes from other delegations in their home. These athletes are assigned by the Maccabi housing committee at a later date.

For Team Sports:

• • 15U AGE DIVISION – Athletes ages 13-15 are eligible to compete (open to 12-year-olds by permission)

  • 17U AGE DIVISION – Athletes ages 13-17 are eligible to compete
    Please note that not all sports are offered in two separate age divisions

For more information, contact Bob Hennecke, Games Director, or Maggie Osgood Nicholls or Ilan Lakritz, Team Kansas City Delegation Heads.

All interested participants who want to participate in a team sport must attend tryouts. 

Team sports require a tryout. More than one team in a given sport/division may be formed. The tryout schedule will be announced and communicated to all those registered by Oct. 1, 2025. Team announcements will happen on a rolling basis, and announcements will be completed by late Feb. 2026.  

Team members will need to attend practices and Team gatherings as possible.  Practices are scheduled by individual coaches and may start as early as the Spring.Coaches will base their practice schedules as much as possible on team member availability. 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 two (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 be a journalist in our Star Reporter program.

No, individual sports do not require a tryout and there is no limit to the number of participants we can have in an individual sport. 

No, athletes are only permitted to participate in one sport. Each sport has competitions taking place each day Monday-Wednesday with medal rounds on Thursday. In addition, there are fun second sport options available on Thursday for those athletes who are not competing in the medal round. 

To secure your spot on the team, a non-refundable $250 deposit 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. J members will receive a discount on their fee.

We are well aware that many participants may be attending summer camps and may be away for part of the summer. They may miss some 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 Aug. 2-7, 2026.  

No. You must commit to the entire week. 

Local athletes will stay in their own homes during the event, and families are required to host at least two visiting athletes. Each athlete will need to have their own mattress. More information is available on the Housing page. 

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

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 Kansas City area. At a minimum, all venues will have a combination of uniformed and non-uniformed police and security personnel present.

For more information, contact Bob Hennecke, Games Director, or Maggie Osgood Nicholls or Ilan Lakritz, Team Kansas City Delegation Heads.