As participants in the CYC Athletic Association, we must acknowledge our special commissioning as Youth Ministers. We must recognize the diverse gifts and talents of those involved, namely priests, players, parents, coaches, spectators and game officials. It is our hope to celebrate the best of these differences by promoting the peace of Christian living, the discipline of good sportsmanship and the joy of fair athletic competition. We must acknowledge that we are all children of the same God and that we follow his teaching. We believe that all we do in sports is for His glory and that how we treat others is a reflection of His glory.

As youth ministers, we must be dedicated to helping athletes, their leaders and their parents realize that positive encouragement, respect for one another, respect for the efforts of one another regardless of the result and positive acknowledgement of those results are all needed to make sports an offering to God. Pure love of the sport must be the motivation of all our work. Favoritism, over zealousness to win and treating one's opponent as an enemy have no place in this ministry.

All CYC Sports Association adult leaders must realize the unique position they are in as a coach, manager or parish sports administrator.

The potential impact a coach has on a youngster is tremendous. Your example, the decisions you make, the demeanor you display, the way you relate to the best player on your team as compared to one who is less talented, your language and your response to winning and losing can and does make a lasting impact on those we lead.

The manner in which we are perceived by the young people is something we must take very seriously. Our response to each child, parent, game and situation should always be based on Christian principles and designed to give positive reinforcement to the CYC participants. Never let the winning or losing of a game distort your service to youth. This service is truly a ministry to the young people.

Remember as a CYC coach or manager, you represent not only yourself and your team, but also your parish and your church. This is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. During the course of the season, you might spend more time with a young boy or girl than that child might spend with his or her own parents.

Use this time well; acting out, through your example, the peace of Christian living. This is true leadership and ministry to the youth.

1. The training session is 2 ½ hours.
2. Coaching Concepts will only schedule individual parishes if the individual parish, along with neighboring parishes or other district parishes, will make every effort to communicate efficiently enough to see that the scheduled session has approximately 30 coaches.
3. Coaching Concepts will make every effort to schedule at least one training session, per season, in the St. Charles District in order to accommodate those parishes. If you are located in the St. Charles District and you would like to schedule a training session at your parish location, please contact Bill Bommarito at 314.909.0500.
4. The coaches' training program: 'Coaching to Make a Positive Difference' is free of charge for the head coach/manager of each CYC (K-8) teams. If a CYC parish Athletic Association wishes to send additional coaches or personnel, there is a cost of $15.00 (as of August 1, 2004) to cover materials and incidentals. Non-CYC coaches may attend at a cost of $40.00 (revised, 1/1/04).