Archdiocese of Seattle | Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry

CYO Athletics : Coaches

Quick Links:

Play Like A Champion Today ® (PLC) | Safe Environment (SEP) | “The Lystedt Law” HB 1824 | Conduct, Protests and Appeals | Incident Reports | Pre-Event Prayer and Statement | Rosters

Forms:

Signature Sheet – Word | Playoff Eligibility Verification Form – Excel

Coach Code of Conduct | Parent Code of Conduct | Player Code of Conduct

Soccer Referee Evaluation Form | Basketball Referee Evaluation Form

Other Resources:

Soccer Coaches – 60 Minute Practice Plan | Keeping It Fun! Games and Drills

Cross Country Coaches – Keeping It Fun! Games and Drills

Basketball Coaches – Keeping It Fun! Games and Drills

American Sport Education Program – ASEP | NFCYM – Athletic Ministry | National CYO Sports – NCYOS | Through an Umpire’s Eyes

COACHES

“To use the tools and techniques of sport and training to overcome the hurdles of life, to transcend, is the greatest gift a coach can give or an athlete can learn.”  -  Susan Saint Sing, ”Spirituality of Sport – Balancing Body and Soul”

High school and college persons are eligible to coach provided that team is registered in the name of a responsible adult coach (19 years of age or older) who will occupy a position on the team bench during each game. Coaches in boys and girls high school basketball divisions must be 25 years of age or older.

CYO Athletics recommends that parishes and schools adopt a rule whereby an individual may not coach the same group in the same sport for more than two consecutive years.

Coaches will be responsible for:

  • Conducting a preseason parents/coaches meeting to ensure that everyone thoroughly understands the responsibilities of coaches, parents, and athletes.
  • Having attended the Play Like A Champion Today ® coaches training seminar.
  • Attending the preseason coaches meeting at the time and place designated by the commission of the respective sport. In the event that this is not possible, the head coach must make sure an assistant coach represents the team.
  • Satisfying the Safe Environment requirements.
  • Making sure the proper roster form is filled out and submitted to the parish/school athletic director with eligible players so they may be submitted to the CYO Athletics office prior to the roster deadline for each sport.
  • Determining the eligibility of each player on one’s team through the parish or school. The use of an ineligible player(s) either deliberately or unknowingly shall result in a forfeiture of each game in which the player(s) took part.
  • Not scheduling any practices that will conflict with liturgies of any Holy Days.
  • Making sure that the signed CYO Athletics Code of Conduct is on file within their parish or school for themselves and for each member of their team and their parent(s)/guardian(s).
  • Having first aid supplies at each practice and games and medical emergency forms for each athlete.
  • Ensuring pre-game prayer and statement take place.
  • Score Reporting – The coach of the winning team (both teams in case of a tie in soccer) each week for playoff eligible divisions will be responsible for either calling in (206.654.4643) or emailing (cyoscores@seattlearch.org). The score report should include the name of the team, the grade level, the gender, the division (i.e. North, AA Central or AAA South) in addition to the score listing who won and who lost.

PLAYING TIME POLICY

Youth sports culture today is geared toward winning and the age where winning takes precedence over playing time keeps getting younger.  We must recognize that in order for our youth to grow, to develop and to have fun, they must play. 

  • Particularly at the elementary, but even the junior high level, athletics should have a focus toward developing skills and a love of sport.  At the same time, this development should not be granted to one and forsaken for another.  In addition, a key theme of Catholic Social Teaching is the sanctity of human life and the dignity of all persons.  CYO Athletics supports this through its playing time policies.  Each sport has a playing time policy to ensure the participation, enjoyment and development of all CYO Athletes
  • Infractions of the playing time policy will result in a warning for the 1st offense.  If witnessed by a designated representative of CYO Athletics, warning will consist of a verbal address to the coach during the contest in question.  If the playing time issue is not addressed by the coach within this game, the representative will confer with the sport commission and/or the Director of Athletics and a forfeit of the game and suspension of the coach may result.
  • If the first offense is not witnessed by a designated representative of CYO Athletics, warning will consist of a verbal address to the coach via phone call.  After the coach has received the warning, any subsequent verifiable offense of the playing time policy will result in a forfeit of the game for the team and suspension of the coach. 
  • If a player will not be participating in a game due to illness, injury or athletic director approved concerns and will not complete minimum playing time policy, they may sit on the bench to be with their team but should not be suited up.

PLAYOFF ELIGIBILITY POLICY

All players competing in soccer, basketball, volleyball, and baseball will need to compete in either 3 of 7 or 4 of 8 regular season games (including non-counters) to be eligible for playoffs. Coaches must bring the Playoff Eligibility Form (found on the website at http://seattleoyyam.org/programs/cyo-athletics/coaches) to each playoff game, signed to verify the eligibility of each player on the team roster. This policy will be monitored by the parish/school athletic directors. If a violation occurs, the parish/school will inform the coach of the ineligibility of the athlete. If an injury to an athlete occurs or other issues arise, the athletic director should contact the Director of CYO Athletics to clarify eligibility.  As in the regular season, any athlete not playing in a playoff game may not wear their uniform on the bench or sideline.

COACHES MEETING

Every team must have at least one of its coaches attend the mandatory preseason coaches’ meeting.  Failure to have coach representation will result in game forfeiture and a game suspension by coach to be determined by CYO Athletics.

PARENTS/COACHES MEETINGS

It is recommended that coaches schedule a preseason meeting for the parents of each player on his/her team. The purpose of this meeting is to ensure that everyone thoroughly understands the responsibilities of coaches, parents, and athletes.  The Play Like A Champion Today ® manual has numerous resources to assist with this.