PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
CYO Athletics is intended for youth playing on their parish sponsored team. Since it is a parish-based program, it is essential that all youth actively participating in a parish be given the opportunity to be involved. It is essential that parish athletic directors make ALL parish members aware of CYO Athletics in their parishes.
- If a student has left a parish/school and still wants to participate in CYO Athletics, a written petition/request must be submitted each year. Each individual petition/request will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
- No individual player shall participate on more than one CYO Athletics team in the same sport.
- Requests to play a player up one grade division or more must be submitted with the team registration. Any request thereafter will not be considered.
- Players on two separate teams represented by the same parish at the same grade level may be placed and participate on only one team roster all season, including playoffs!
- For each sport, athletes below the first grade of participation are not allowed to play up a grade in order to participate in CYO Athletics. Requests for exceptions will be considered on an individual basis by the Director of CYO Athletics and the sport commission involved.
- With the inception of the Kindergartener division in soccer, kindergartners are not allowed to participate on 1st grade teams.
CATHOLIC YOUTH
- All Catholic youth, regardless of school affiliation, may play for the parish in which they belong.
- Any Catholic youth attending a parish school outside his or her parish may play for either parish, but not both.
- A Catholic youth who belongs to a parish that will not be entering a team may play for a bordering parish provided:
1) A letter signed by both parish athletic directors, stating their approval, is submitted to the commission with the team registration, and
2) Permission to play for another parish is approved by the sport commission involved.
NOTE: Any student attending Villa Academy or Assumption/St. Bridget must play for his/her school team, regardless of the family’s parish affiliation. If a team is not offered in a particular grade level, then, with the consent of CYO Athletics, the student may play for a neighboring parish team.
NON-CATHOLIC YOUTH
A non-Catholic youth attending a parish school may participate in the parish CYO Athletics program.
- For non-Catholic schools participating in CYO Athletics, all youth participating on a school team must be a student at the school.
- A non-Catholic youth not attending a parish school may play for a parish, provided:
1. They have established some official, non-athletic contact with the parish at least 2 months prior to the first game of the season, and
2. A letter signed by the parish pastor and athletic director explaining the youth’s contact with the parish, other than athletics, is submitted on time with the team registration or will NOT be considered, and
3. Permission to participate is approved by the sport commission. Each request will be handled on an individual basis and the decision of the sport commission is final.
NOTE: The use of any ineligible player(s) either deliberately or unknowingly shall result in a forfeiture status for every game in which the player(s) took part, and the coach will be suspended for one game. Repeat offenders will be dealt with by that sport’s commission.