Charter on Catholic Youth Athletics

Archdiocese of Cincinnati

St. SebastianPatron Saint of Athletes

AGENDAPrayerMission, Goals & Guiding Principles

ApplicationCode of ConductQ & A

 We pray for young athletes… Who through sports, develop important values such as loyalty, perseverance, friendship and sharing.

We pray for coaches… Who appreciate the gifts of all players and have respect for the game, who place players before winning and value sportsmanship.

We pray for parents… Who love their children for who they are, not for how they perform.

We pray for officials… Who inspire fair play and protect the integrity of the competition and the participating athletes.  

LET US PRAY

O God, we pray for all who participate in games and meets: May their hearts be open to see your presence in and through sports; may their minds remember the element of fun reflective of your Spirit; may their bodies reflect the gracefulness and wonder of your creation. Let all who compete be enriched by your presence on the course, in the gym, on the field, and on the track. AMEN!Adapted from the prayer by the National CYO Sports prayer

OUR MISSION IN CATHOLIC YOUTH ATHLETICS

Further the mission of the Catholic Church

By providing sports experiences firmly rooted in the Catholic faith tradition

Based on the goals of Catholic youth ministry

Aligned with the evangelizing mission of the Catholic Church

National Study on Youth & Religion

2. Conservative Protestant

3. Black Protestant

4. Mainline Protestant

5. Catholic

6. Jewish

7. Non-religious

This recent study found that Mormons have the highest percentage of their youth who know and

practice their faith, followed by…

“…Catholic teenagers, who

represent nearly one-quarter

of all U.S. teens, stand out

among the U.S. Christian

teenagers as consistently

scoring lower on most

measures of religiosity…

URGENT!

“…5 to 25 percentage points lower than their conservative, mainline, and black Protestant peers on many of a variety of religious beliefs, practices, experiences, commitments, and evaluations.” (Soul Searching, p. 194)

Catholic Coaching Can Help Turn The Tide!

POSITIVE COACHINGBob Crable, star athlete from Moeller HS,

holds still standing NCAA records from his time at Notre Dame, and played with the Jets for 7 years. Discusses the traits of an excellent faith-based coach.

http://www.sportsleader.org/video/bob-crable-why-i-love-my-coach

CATHOLIC COACHINGSense of humor

Heart on fire for developing healthy, happy youth

Protection from irate parents

Fair-handed with discipline

Listening ear

Knees that bend to worship

Feet planted firmly in the desire to follow Christ

Shoulders that bear the struggles of their athletes

Love of the Sport

3 Goals of Catholic Youth MinistryDiscipleship

A coach is a mentor who assists his/her athletes to live as disciples of Christ

ParticipationA coach encourages his/her athletes to

participate fully in the life of the Church – especially Sunday Eucharist

GrowthA coach fosters the total personal and spiritual

growth of the athlete

7 Guiding Principles1. Discipleship, Faith and Family First

Our best athletes are those that follow Christ and put faith and family ahead of competition

2. Evangelizing MissionA coach in Catholic Youth Athletics brings the

good news of Jesus Christ to his/her athletes in the context of their coaching

7 Guiding Principles3. Responsible Participation in the Church

Catholic Youth Athletics will reflect the priority of regular, consistent, and responsible participation in the Church, in her worship, education, community, ministries and service to the world.

4. Faith, Character and Virtue DevelopmentWinning, performing, and succeeding are always

subordinate to the development of faith, character and virtues in participants and their families.

7 Guiding Principles5. Coaches and Athletics Leaders Are Trained and Competent …

In the sport they are coachingIn modeling and sharing faithIn developing Catholic disciplesIn helping families stay connected to the

Church

7 Guiding Principles6. Safety and Well-being of Children is Paramount

7. Good Stewardship and AccountabilityDemonstrate good stewardship of money and

other resources, with trustworthy and transparent systems of financial accountability.

YOU ARE NOT ALONEFeeling overwhelmed?Worried about not having the resources?Uncomfortable with the faith dimension?

FEAR NOT: the Charter calls for every parish/school to provide you with an experienced ministry leader – the SPIRITUAL LIAISON - to provide you with resources to develop your athletes in the spiritual dimensions of Catholic youth athletics.

IN GROUPS OF THREEShare ways in which you have, or could,

integrate the mission, goals and guiding principles into your coaching

Be prepared to share your top one or two ideas with the larger group

CODE of CONDUCTPages 43-44 of the Charter

Spirit of Catholic Youth Athletics

Adherence to Laws, Rules and Policies

Specific Violations

General Violations

The power of a team that cares about others:

http://www.sportsleader.org/video/every-coach-can-learn-a-lesson-from-this-middle-school-team