Charter on Catholic Youth Athletics

1. Charter on Catholic Youth Athletics Archdiocese of Cincinnati St. Sebastian Patron Saint of Athletes

2. AGENDA • Prayer • Mission, Goals & Guiding Principles • Application • Code of Conduct • Q & A

3. LET US PRAY 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. National Study on Youth & Religion This recent study found that Mormons have the highest percentage of their youth who know and practice their faith, followed by… 2. Conservative Protestant 3. Black Protestant 4. Mainline Protestant 5. Catholic 6. Jewish 7. Non-religious

7. URGENT! “…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…

8. “…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!

9. POSITIVE COACHING • Bob 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

10. CATHOLIC COACHING Protection from irate parents Listening ear Sense of humor Shoulders that bear the struggles of their athletes Heart on fire for developing healthy, happy youth Fair-handed with discipline Love of the Sport Knees that bend to worship Feet planted firmly in the desire to follow Christ

11. 3 Goals of Catholic Youth Ministry • Discipleship • A coach is a mentor who assists his/her athletes to live as disciples of Christ • Participation • A coach encourages his/her athletes to participate fully in the life of the Church – especially Sunday Eucharist • Growth • A coach fosters the total personal and spiritual growth of the athlete

12. 7 Guiding Principles 1. Discipleship, Faith and Family First • Our best athletes are those that follow Christ and put faith and family ahead of competition 2. Evangelizing Mission • A coach in Catholic Youth Athletics brings the good news of Jesus Christ to his/her athletes in the context of their coaching

13. 7 Guiding Principles 3. 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 Development • Winning, performing, and succeeding are always subordinate to the development of faith, character and virtues in participants and their families.

14. 7 Guiding Principles 5. Coaches and Athletics Leaders Are Trained and Competent … • In the sport they are coaching • In modeling and sharing faith • In developing Catholic disciples • In helping families stay connected to the Church

15. 7 Guiding Principles 6. Safety and Well-being of Children is Paramount 7. Good Stewardship and Accountability • Demonstrate good stewardship of money and other resources, with trustworthy and transparent systems of financial accountability.

16. YOU ARE NOT ALONE • Feeling 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.

17. IN GROUPS OF THREE • Share 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

18. CODE of CONDUCT Pages 43-44 of the Charter • Spirit of Catholic Youth Athletics • Adherence to Laws, Rules and Policies • Specific Violations • General Violations

19. 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