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CYO Handbook
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St. John The Evangelist CYO Organization: The St. John the Evangelist CYO is a parish organization operated under the auspices of the Archdiocesan CYO, a part of the Archdiocese Office of Youth Ministry. Although established within the framework of the Archdiocesan CYO, our parish CYO is itself an autonomous organization, with its own By-Laws and Board of Directors. The Pastor is the head of the parish CYO. Subject to his approval, however, the CYO is operated by a Board of Directors which is comprised of members of the parish who are interested in, and willing to devote a significant amount of time to, youth programs that are primarily athletic in nature. Board of Directors: The Board generally meets on the first Monday of every month in the basement of the rectory. Any member of the parish is welcome to apply to become a member of the Board. New members are admitted by a majority vote. Members are expected to serve on at least one committee of the Board, and to attend meetings on a regular basis. Please speak to the Board President or any member of the Board should you wish to apply for membership. Funding: The CYO is a self-funded organization. It is operated entirely by volunteers. Funding for our various programs is obtained through participation fees and other fundraising activities. These activities include the annual Spaghetti Dinner, Redskins Raffle, and a winter social event. Because our participation fees, which are among the lowest in the Archdiocese, do not cover all of our expenses, your participation in these fundraising events is very important to the continued success of the CYO. Athletic Programs: General operation of our athletic programs is the responsibility of the Athletic Committee, which is made up of the Athletic Director, a Registrar, a Commissioner for each sport, and those acting under the respective Commissioners. There are two types of athletic programs: competitive, involving games with teams from other parishes; and intramural, involving games between teams made up of members of the parish. CONTENTS
The CYO is a Parish organization, the primary purpose of which is youth ministry. The CYO seeks to promote the spiritual, moral, and physical education of our children by teaching and developing the athletic virtues of teamwork, self-discipline, good sportsmanship, and competitiveness in a positive, Catholic, environment. Our coaches and parents play equally significant roles in conveying these ideals to our children. Coaches are selected by the Commissioner of each sport, in consultation with the Athletic Director. The CYO Coaching Certification Program is mandatory for all coaches at the competitive level. Coaches will be notified as to the dates and locations of certification courses. Details may be obtained from the Athletic Director. Every effort is made to assign coaches to the team he or she may wish to coach, subject to the experience and knowledge of the individual. As a matter of philosophy, however, we avoid having coaches follow a particular group through the various levels. Generally, a coach will not remain with the same group of children for more than two seasons. This allows the participants to experience different coaching styles and broadens their experience. While a parent or parents of team members coach many of our teams, this is not always the case. In fact, volunteers who simply enjoy coaching coach many of our teams, especially at the competitive level. We also have many high school and college students involved in coaching at various levels. Please speak to the Athletic Director or the Commissioner of the sport in question should you be interested in coaching, as either a head coach or an assistant coach. Communication is important to us. We cannot address your questions and concerns unless we know about them. Most problems can be resolved by your child's coach. If this is not possible, please speak to the Commissioner of the sport and then, if necessary, to the Athletic Director. Matters that cannot be resolved at any of these levels may be addressed to the President of the Board of Directors. Please do not telephone or write to the Archdiocesan CYO with problems or complaints. This is at their request. Any matter that cannot be resolved at the parish CYO level will be referred to the Archdiocese by either the Athletic Director or the President of the Board of Directors and, should you so desire, will include your input and participation. Registration forms are available in the school lobby, at church entrances, and available through the Washington, DC CYO Website (this link will take you directly to the PDF form, or go to the main CYO Website and click on "CYO Forms" and then on "Individual Registration"). Separate registration forms are required for each sport and each player. These forms may be copied but must contain original signatures and must be signed in all three indicated places. It is very important that all information requested on the forms be provided, including the applicant's social security number, on both the top and bottom of the form. These forms are scrutinized by the Archdiocese and incomplete or improperly signed forms could result in a finding that your child is ineligible. A copy of your child's Baptismal Certificate, or documentation of enrollment in the parish school, will be required the first time your child is registered for a competitive sport. Registration dates for the various sports may be found on the Important Dates page. Registration for each sport closes on the date of the in-person sign-up listed for that sport in the schedule. Please note that registration forms may be mailed to our post office box (P.O. Box 2376, Silver Spring, MD 20915), placed in the CYO box in the school lobby, or delivered to the registrar at the in person sign-up nights. In-person sign-ups are held in the school lobby from 7:30-9:00 p.m. Registration forms received after the close of registration may not be accepted, depending upon the number of children who registered on time and the size of the team. A late registration waiting list will be kept after the deadline. The players will be listed in the order that the forms were received. There is an additional charge for late registration. All fees and uniform deposit checks are due at the time of registration. Checks should be made out to the "St. John's CYO." Separate checks for uniform deposits must be submitted for each registrant for whom such a deposit is required. No cash will be accepted. Uniform deposit checks will be destroyed when the uniform is returned. We do not deny access to our programs to children who are unable to pay all, or some, of the fees. We encourage you to contact the CYO Parish Moderator, Deacon Stallings, if you want to request a waiver. The names of families who request wavers are only divulged to the CYO President and Athletic Director and are kept confidential. At the Competitive level, we comply with the eligibility criteria established by the Archdiocesan CYO. Specific age and grade criteria for each sport are explained under League Grade and Age Requirements . Generally, however, in order to participate at the competitive level, the child must be Catholic and either live within the geographic boundaries of, or be a member of, our parish. Children of other faiths who attend the St. John the Evangelist School are also eligible. Out-of-parish Catholic children who are registered for and attend the St. John the Evangelist CCD program are also generally eligible to participate. There are limited exceptions to these rules and a waiver procedure established by the Archdiocese. These, however, involve unusual situations. We do not recruit athletes from outside of the parish and will not request waivers as to the eligibility requirements absent very special circumstances. Our Intramural programs are open to all parishioners and, on a limited, space available basis to non-Catholics and non-parishioners. At all competitive levels we attempt to place participants on a team, and at a level of competition, that is most consistent with that participant's skills and stage of development. We do not place participants on teams strictly according to grade. A seventh or eighth grade player, for example, may be placed on a Mid-Atlantic or Tournament team, depending upon the factors listed above. Try-outs may be scheduled in order to allow us appropriately to evaluate and place the players. As a general rule, try-outs are held for purposes of team placement only and there will be no cuts. In extemely rare situations cuts may be necessary. This will only occur when the number of registered players at a given level makes it impossible to field two teams at that level, but is too large to include on one team. This determination will be made by the sport's Commissioner, in consultation with the Athletic Director and President. You will be notified ahead of time. (It hasn't happened yet, but it could.) At the Intramural level, the emphasis is placed on making all of the teams equally competitive. Players are placed on teams with this goal in mind. There are no try-outs. Players may be switched to a different team after their initial assignment when it appears necessary in order to achieve our goal of making all of the teams competitive. We cannot guarantee that friends will be placed on the same team. Making up rosters is a very complicated task. We can only accommodate such requests in extreme circumstances involving problems with transportation. In certain situations, the CYO will place a team in a non-CYO league, such as an MSI or Montgomery County Rec league. This is generally done when we have difficulty dividing children at a given level into two teams, both of which will have a chance to be competitive. Please note that, when this is done, the team remains a St. John the Evangelist CYO team and is coached by a St. John the Evangelist coach. Please make every effort to have your child at practice at the scheduled time, and to pick your child up when the practice is scheduled to end. Our coaches are required to remain until the last child is picked up. Parents are welcome to remain at practice. In order to avoid distractions, however, we discourage the presence of siblings or friends at practice. When you cannot avoid bringing other children to practice, please keep them as quiet as possible and off of the field of play, court, or track. They are not allowed in school areas. Do not allow them to bounce or throw balls. Parents are not permitted to leave unattended children who are not on the practicing team. The coaches and players should be able to expect these courtesies. Please notify the coach if your child will not be able to make it to a practice. Practices may be scheduled at St. John's or at nearby fields and gyms. We make every effort to obtain fields and gyms located as close as possible to St. John's, and to schedule practices at reasonable times. Please understand, however, that we are in competition with many other schools and programs for a limited number of fields and gyms, and that these are very expensive. As such, we cannot fulfill everyone's requests regarding the scheduling and location of practices. Please treat our practice facilities with respect. Specific rules may be applicable to individual practice facilities. These should be adhered to at all times. Fields are reserved for our practices only. Adjacent school buildings are off-limits. We are not permitted to use telephones, restrooms, or water fountains in these buildings. Be considerate of handicap parking spaces and fire lanes. All trash should be removed at the end of the practice. Gyms are also reserved for practices only. There should be no running or playing in the hallways. Restrooms, telephones, and water fountains may be available to you. Respect the use of these school properties. Uniform deposits are required for competitive-level participants who are lent St. John the Evangelist Uniforms. Some competitive players, usually rookies, as well as all intramural and high school participants, are given t-shirts. All t-shirts and all socks are to be kept by the participant. Checks are required as uniform deposits for all other clothing provided to the participants. No cash, money orders, etc. can be used as a deposit. Uniform deposits are returned when the uniform is returned. Uniform deposit checks will be cashed if the uniform is not returned as scheduled or is damaged beyond normal wear and tear. In addition, a player who has not returned his or her uniform and/or other issued equipment will not be permitted to register for any other sport or activity until the uniform is returned or payment has been made for the cost of replacement, less the amount of the deposit check. We also require that the cost of replacement for damaged uniforms and equipment be paid. Players are ordinarily expected to arrive one-half hour prior to the scheduled starting time. This is required by the Archdiocese at the competitive level. Individual coaches may require an earlier arrival time. On arrival, players should seek out their teammates and remain together until the preceding game is completed. Players may not go onto the field or court until the preceding game has been completed and should behave in a manner that will not disrupt the game in progress. We expect our players to display the highest level of good sportsmanship before, during, and after games. Players are not permitted to make critical remarks to or about teammates, members and coaches of opposing teams, or officials. We expect coaches, as well as parents in attendance at games, to adhere to the same high standards. Our Parents' Code of Ethics is included at the end of this handbook. Please take the time to read this. It is our goal to provide each player with as much playing time as is possible while, at the same time, remaining competitive in the game. Achieving this balance is often the most difficult challenge for any coach. Most of the Competitive leagues in which our players participate have specific minimum, and often maximum, playing time requirements. These vary depending upon grade and league level. Parents and players are advised to obtain clarification on this point from the coach, sport Commissioner, or the Athletic Director at the beginning of the program. We require that our coaches adhere to these rules, and expect them to make every effort to play all children as much as possible. Our Intramural Programs are designed to be instructional, emphasizing the development of skills that will aid in achieving success at later ages. Specific guidelines are set for playing times and coaches are required not to take shortcuts that only help a team win a game. Our goal is to build skills and knowledge of the game, as well as to teach discipline, respect, and good sportsmanship. St. John's CYO Parents' Code Of Ethics I Hereby Pledge to provide positive support, care, and encouragement for my child participating in the St. John the Evangelist CYO. To that end: I will encourage good sportsmanship by demonstrating positive support for all players, coaches, and officials at every game, practice, or other St. John the Evangelist CYO event. I will place the emotional and physical well-being of my child ahead of any personal desire to win. I will provide support for coaches and officials working with my child to provide a positive, enjoyable experience for all. I will do my very best to make participation in St. John's CYO fun for my child. I will ask my child to treat all St. John's CYO players, players from other parishes, coaches, fans, and officials with respect regardless of their ability, and regardless of whether my child's team won or lost a particular game. I will remember that the game is for the children and not for the adults. I will remember that the coaches and other officials are volunteers and have committed to donate a great deal of their personal time to make participation in St. John's CYO athletics a fun and positive experience for my child. If called upon I will help the coach or team in any way possible. I will set a good example for my child and will encourage him/her to applaud good plays by his or her teammates or by members of the opposing team. Leagues, Age/Eligibility Requirements and Fees St. John's CYO offers the following programs (prices listed are for the 2002-2003 school year): SOCCER
TRACK
BASKETBALL
BASEBALL, SOFTBALL & T-BALL
* All fees and deposits are subject to change depending upon costs incurred and other circumstances.
Click here for more about fees League Grade and Age Requirements Competitive Leagues
Intramural Program
These are general guidelines, and are subject to being changed during the year. More specific age guidelines may apply in particular situations. On occasion, a child may be allowed to "play up" above his or her grade or age level. This is only allowed, however, in exceptional circumstances where the Athletic Director and the Commissioner of the sport determine that there is space available on the team in question and that the child is ready to play at a higher level in terms of safety, physical development, and skill. It should be understood that such exceptions are made only for the season in question and that the child will in all likelihood be required to play at his or her appropriate grade/age level in subsequent years. It is the C.Y.O. Board's preference that no siblings attend any practices for several reasons. Safety is the top priority. No unsupervised children are permitted. No one is allowed on the stage, other than sitting on the edge. Do not go near or behind curtains. Do not sit on window ledges. No food is allowed in the gym during practices. The kitchen is off limits. The facilities (restrooms, water fountains, and telephone) are to be used only by team players and coaches during practices. All equipment, chairs, and tables should be returned to their appropriate places. Dispose of all trash in the proper receptacle. No children are allowed in the school lobby or corridors.
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