Archdiocese of Seattle | Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry

PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY

This coaches training program is a part of the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) at the University of Notre Dame. It is research based and child centered and starts from the premise that sports is ministry and coaches are youth ministers. It is designed to:

1)  Help us recognize the spiritual nature of sports;

2)  Train youth sport coaches to be effective ministers;

3)  Promote the moral and character development of our youth;

CYO Athletics believes that by participating in this training and implementing both what is learned in the session and what is contained in the associated manual, coaches will be empowered in their effectiveness beyond the technical aspects of sports, enhancing their ability to create and maintain the positive environment that will GROW their youth participants. 

While many coaches have participated in the previously required Frank Smoll training or other coach presentations, we feel it is important that all coaches have the same training as they approach their role in CYO Athletics.  While these other trainings, as well as those you may attend as a coach in other organizations, are excellent opportunities to grow as a coach, we see them as supplemental to the core training that we believe coaches obtain through PLACT. 

We realize that experienced coaches may not get as much out of the training as beginning coaches but at the same time are hopeful that participating in the training will reinforce and affirm values and concepts experienced coaches are already practicing and perhaps even give new insights, perspective or tools into building on what they already do as a coach.

We understand that being a volunteer coach is a commitment of time, energy and passion for young people and those coaches juggle busy lives in order to do this ministry.  That is why we give 1^st year coaches more time to complete the training.  In essence, if a volunteer coaches one sport per year, they have a full year to complete the requirement.  If a volunteer coaches more than one sport per year, they have until prior to the second sport to do so.

• Every coach (including assistant coaches) is required to attend the Play Like A Champion Today coaches training.  This training is designed to empower coaches to support and implement the CYO Athletics philosophy and to enhance the experience of the players, coaches and fans. 
• The program costs $30 and depending on the parish and/or school may be paid by the parish/school or the coach themselves. 
• There will be trainings prior to each season but it is recommended that coaches not wait until their season arrives to complete the requirement.  There are facets of the training that should be incorporated substantially prior to the coaching season for maximum benefit.  
• 1^st year coaches in 2010-11 will have until prior to their next season of coaching to complete the training.  This may be in the same sport in the following year or in the same program year but a different sport. 
  • ALL returning coaches (head and assistant) from 2009-10 must have completed the training prior to the beginning of their season to be eligible as a coach. 
• If a team has a 2009-10 coach who has not completed their PLACT training as its head coach or as an assistant coach, that team will forfeit all games that they have coached in.
• Assistant coach is defined as anyone who instructs athletes during the course of practice or competition and/or devises coaching/playing strategy during practice or competition. 

PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY DATES

Trainings on Saturdays and Sundays will require a minimum of 15 coaches pre-registered. Please use the following Play Like A Champion Today registration form to sign up for Saturday and Sunday trainings.  Please submit completed forms to cyo@seattlearch.org with the date and location of the training you are attending in the subject heading of the email. We will notify the pre-registered coaches on Friday before weekend trainings if the training is going to be canceled due to a lack of pre-registrations.

PLACT Registration Form – Excel