Keeping the "C" in CYO

• Be sure to start and end each practice and sporting event with a prayer. Have the students lead the prayer each time.
• Create a team prayer to make it more personal.

• Involve the student athletes in the mass as lectors, cantors, and alter servers.
• Have our student athletes present the gifts at the Offertory.
• Encourage our coaches, student athletes, and their families to attend. Student athletes should attend in uniform and sit together as a team.
• Have a second collection to support the CYO programs in your parish or have the student athletes, in uniform, collect donations at the door.
• Have mass at least once during each sports season.

Complete a service project each sports season with every team. This can be as simple as doing a food drive at home games to visiting shut-ins or completing a project around the parish. See Service Projects Page for more ideas.

Assign older student athletes to be prayer buddies with the younger athletes. 

Be sure to invite your Pastor to games or practices to talk and interact with the student athletes.

Strong and faithful God, as we come together for this contest, we ask You to bless these athletes. Keep them safe from injury and harm, instill in them respect for each other, and reward them for their perseverance. Lead us all to the rewards of Your Kingdom where You live and reign forever and ever. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

God created this day for gain not loss, success not failure, positive actions not negative thoughts. Oh Lord, inspire us with the desire for greatness, to wisely use these gifts and talents You have so generously given to us. Create in these young athletes the right attitude to excel in the classroom and in life, the firm belief in God, themselves, their families, and their teammates, the enduring commitment to persevere, to never quit no matter what the score, to never give up no matter what the odds. Amen.

Oh St. Sebastian, patron saint of athletes, we call upon you to intercede for all those who participate in sports. We ask for your powerful intercession in granting them skill, strength, and determination. We pray for the grace to overcome obstacles and to perform to the best of their abilities. We ask for your protection and guidance for them, and for the grace to maintain good sportsmanship, and to respect the rules of the game. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.