St. Jane de Chantal CYO Policies/Guidelines
     Regarding Team Awards/Tournament Participation/Parties, Coach Gifts, and
     Uniform Supplementation

As a recreational sports league (rather than a select or travel league), the general emphasis of the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) of the Archdiocese of Washington is on providing all eligible, registered student athletes with the opportunity to play on a CYO team.  Accordingly, participation and improving player skills in appropriate CYO-sponsored games and athletic events, rather than winning and awards (even in those divisions with tournaments/playoffs/championship games), is a central focus of the CYO athletic program. 

Also key to the CYO's recreational sports program is the training and support the players receive from coaches and other team assistants, who perform their coaching/support role as volunteer workers without the expectation of monetary or other remuneration from team members or their families. 

Additionally, consistent with the CYO policy of encouraging participation by all eligible children, it is the policy of the St. Jane CYO that each child in its program in similar circumstances has equal access to necessary team equipment and uniforms, regardless of the financial situation of their parents/guardians or other adults associated with the team (e.g., coaches).  Thus, the St. Jane de Chantal CYO seeks to ensure that all registered players are provided with uniforms and awards appropriate to the particular sport and division in which they are participating, without the need for further supplementation by team coaches or parents/guardians.
 
 With these principles in mind, the St. Jane CYO Board has adopted the following policies/guidelines regarding team awards/tournament participation/parties, gifts for adult volunteers associated with a team, and uniform supplementation.  The Board strongly encourages all St. Jane players, coaches, and parents/guardians to follow these policies/guidelines unless they have requested and received prior permission from the St. Jane CYO Board or the appropriate Sport Commissioner to follow some other course of action. 

A.      Team Awards/Tournament Participation/Parties

     1.     Cadet/Rookie Divisions Awards/Tournament Participation

     a.  Awards.  It is the Archdiocesan CYO policy that the Cadet (Grades 1-2) and Rookie (Grades 3-4) divisions are considered to be strictly instructional leagues in which regular season game scores are not recorded and an end of the season tournament is not conducted.  Consistent with this approach, the St. Jane CYO does not award trophies or similar prizes to players on such teams.  Team coaches/parents should not furnish such items either.  If coaches/parents/guardians wish to recognize a team's efforts, they should do so with an appropriate celebration at a team party conducted consistent with the guidelines offered in section A.3 below.

     b.  Tournaments.  The St. Jane CYO generally does not sanction participation by teams in the Rookie or Cadet divisions in tournaments, including those sponsored by parishes or other CYO-related entities, absent prior permission from the St. Jane CYO Board or the appropriate Sport Commissioner.  Before enrolling in such a tournament, the team's head coach should contact the Sport Commissioner to obtain permission and discuss how any tournament fees will be paid.  (Note:  Coaches and players otherwise associated with a St. Jane CYO team that wish to enter such a tournament without St. Jane CYO permission should not present themselves as representing the St. Jane CYO program or use St. Jane CYO-supplied equipment or uniforms.  Coaches also should be aware that they would not be covered by the Archdiocesan umbrella liability insurance policy while participating in an event not sanctioned by the St. Jane CYO.)

     2.     Varsity/Junior Varsity Awards/Tournament Participation

     a.  Awards.  Recognizing that competition is an appropriate aspect of the athletic endeavor for older children, in the Varsity (Grades 7-8) and Junior Varsity (JV) (Grades 5-6) divisions, the Archdiocesan CYO sponsors playoffs/tournaments that result in City Championship/tournament winning and runner-up teams, which may include the award of individual player trophies/plaques.  Consistent with this approach, it is the policy of the St. Jane CYO to award (1) a jacket/windbreaker or similar item of athletic apparel to individual members of a team that wins an Archdiocesan CYO City Championship; or (2) individual trophies to each player on a Varsity or JV team that finishes the regular season with an undefeated/untied record (assuming the team does not go on to finish as the winner/runner-up in a CYO City Championship tournament).  The St. Jane CYO does not award trophies or similar prizes to other players on teams in these divisions and requests that team coaches/parents do not provide such items either.  If coaches/parents/guardians wish to recognize a team's efforts, they should do so at a team party conducted consistent with the guidelines offered in section A.3 below.

     b.  Tournaments.  The St. Jane CYO generally sanctions participation by Varsity or JV teams in tournaments, particularly those sponsored by parishes or other CYO-related entities, with the prior permission of the St. Jane CYO Sport Commissioner.  Before enrolling in such a tournament, the team's head coach should contact the Sport Commissioner to obtain permission and discuss how any tournament fee will be paid.  When playing in an authorized tournament, players and coaches can accept any awards or promotional items (e.g., t-shirts) that are provided to tournament participants. (Note: Coaches and players otherwise associated with a St. Jane CYO team that wish to enter such a tournament without St. Jane CYO permission should not present themselves as representing the St. Jane CYO program or use St. Jane CYO-supplied equipment or uniforms.  Coaches also should be aware that they would not be covered by the Archdiocesan umbrella liability insurance policy while participating in an event not sanctioned by the St. Jane CYO.)

     3.     Team Parties

     The St. Jane CYO encourages teams to conduct an end-of-the season gathering to celebrate the team's efforts and recognize the contributions of players, coaches, and parents/guardians during the season.  Such parties are, however, at the discretion of each team and should be paid for by those involved with the team.  (The St. Jane CYO generally will not reimburse teams for the cost of a team party.)  Such a party should be appropriate to the circumstances, recognizing that St. Jane CYO teams play in a recreational league in which participation and developing player skills (rather than winning) is a central precept.  Additionally, in conducting such a party, the Multi-purpose Building (including the gym and cafeteria) or other St. Jane parish facilities should used only after obtaining prior permission from the St. Jane CYO Sport Commissioner and the Parish Office, as necessary.  As is the case with all CYO activities involving children, adult use of alcoholic beverages or tobacco at such a team gathering is prohibited. 

B.     Gifts for Coaches

     As noted above, St. Jane CYO team coaches and other team support personnel are volunteers who generously contribute their time and talents to provide the teams players with a quality athletic experience.  It is not surprising, therefore, that at the end of a sports season the parents/guardians of team members often want to recognize this contribution with a "gift" as a way of saying "thank you" for their efforts with the team.  The St. Jane CYO considers such gestures entirely appropriate, so long as they are reasonable.  In this regard, the St. Jane CYO encourages teams to provide coaches/support personnel with moderately-priced commemorative items (e.g., a team picture, ball, or autograph/scrap book that is signed by team members), that will provide them with a lasting remembrance of their coaching/team support experience.       

C.     Supplementation of Uniforms and Related Items

     The St. Jane CYO seeks to ensure that each player on a St. Jane CYO-sponsored team has access to equipment and uniforms appropriate to the sport involved.  The St. Jane CYO thus spends thousands of dollars each school year to assure teams/players are properly equipped and clothed.  At the same time, it is important to the St. Jane CYO that, consistent with the recreational-league status of the CYO program, all children playing in a particular division are treated equally in terms of team equipment and uniforms, regardless of what team they are playing on or the financial wherewithal of the team's coaches/parents/guardians. 

     Consequently, the St. Jane CYO strongly discourages coaches/parents/guardians for a particular team from supplementing the uniforms or other team equipment they are provided by the St. Jane CYO without prior permission from the St. Jane CYO Board or the appropriate Sport Commissioner.  This includes purchasing apparel (e.g., team warmup jackets or pants) or apparel-related items (e.g., team travel bags).  Failure to obtain the appropriate prior permission may result in the team's coach being precluded from further St. Jane CYO coaching assignments. 

Posted:  November 2006