PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

CYO Athletics is intended for youth playing on their parish sponsored team. Since it is a parish-based program, it is essential that all youth actively participating in a parish be given the opportunity to be involved. It is essential that parish athletic directors make ALL parish members aware of CYO Athletics in their parishes.

·    If a student has left a parish/school and still wants to participate in CYO Athletics, a written petition/request must be submitted each year. Each individual petition/request will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

·    No individual player shall participate on more than one CYO Athletics team in the same sport.

·    Requests to play a player up one grade division or more must be submitted with the team registration. Any request thereafter will not be considered.

·    Players on two separate teams represented by the same parish at the same grade level may be placed and participate on only one team roster all season, including playoffs!

·    3rd graders are not allowed on 4th grade teams.  4th graders are not allowed to play on 5th grade teams.   Requests for exceptions will be considered on an individual basis by the Associate Director of CYO Athletics and the sport commission involved.

CATHOLIC YOUTH

·    All Catholic youth, regardless of school affiliation, may play for the parish in which they belong.

·    Any Catholic youth attending a parish school outside his or her parish may play for either parish, but not both.

·    A Catholic youth who belongs to a parish that will not be entering a team may play for a bordering parish provided:

1) A letter signed by both parish athletic directors, stating their approval, is submitted to the commission with the team registration, and

2) Permission to play for another parish is approved by the sport commission involved.

NOTE: Any student attending Villa Academy or Assumption/St. Bridget must play for his/her school team, regardless of the family’s parish affiliation. If a team is not offered in a particular grade level, then, with the consent of CYO Athletics, the student may play for a neighboring parish team.

NON-CATHOLIC YOUTH

A non-Catholic youth attending a parish school may participate in the parish CYO Athletics program.

·    For non-Catholic schools participating in CYO Athletics, all youth participating on a school team must be a student at the school.

·    A non-Catholic youth not attending a parish school may play for a parish, provided:

1.  They have established some official, non-athletic contact with the parish at least 2 months prior to the first game of the season, and

2.  A letter signed by the parish pastor and athletic director explaining the youth's contact with the parish, other than athletics, is submitted on time with the team registration or will NOT be considered, and

3.  Permission to participate is approved by the sport commission. Each request will be handled on an individual basis and the decision of the sport commission is final.

NOTE: The use of any ineligible player(s) either deliberately or unknowingly shall result in a forfeiture status for every game in which the player(s) took part, and the coach will be suspended for one game. Repeat offenders will be dealt with by that sport's commission.

TEAM ROSTERS

·    Each member of a CYO Athletics team must be registered on the official roster form for his or her team.

·    Each team roster form must be completed in full by the coach and approved by the parish athletic director.

·    Parishes/schools with multiple teams at a given grade and division level must split teams equally based on talent.

·    Rosters of all teams must be submitted to CYO Athletics office prior to the roster deadline in each sport. In the case of late rosters, all games played prior to roster submittal will be forfeited.

·    Basketball and volleyball rosters are limited to 15 players in all divisions. Soccer rosters are limited to 25 players in all divisions – any team roster larger than 25 is ineligible for playoffs.

·    Names may not be added to the team rosters after the deadline date.

A player on a junior varsity team may move up to varsity based on need/or merit provided:

1)  It occurs in the same grade division, and

2)  That said player has not been a member or played on the team to which he/she is transferring, and

3)  The parish athletic director requests said transfer in writing to the CYO Athletics office, and receives approval from the Associate Director of CYO Athletics.

·    All instances of a student playing in any division above their grade level are subject to review of eligibility by the sport commission. Any action where a student would play up two or more grade levels, or an opposite sex team must be specifically approved by the appropriate sport commission.

·    A player from a younger grade team may not be moved up for post season tournament play.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

Definition: Unsportsmanlike conduct at a game site is any antagonistic action(s), including vociferous and/or persistent complaints directed toward an official, another coach, opposing players, and spectators. This may include any types of verbal or physical abuse.

·    Any coach or spectator may be cited for unsportsmanlike conduct by a game official, a commissioner, or the Associate Director of CYO Athletics. At the time of the alleged infraction, the above named are empowered to remove the accused offender(s) from the playing facility. If the accused offender(s) refuse to leave, the game will be forfeited in favor of the team not involved in the citation.

·    Each citation is reviewed and its justification is discussed by the sport commission involved. No citation is official or formal until the commission votes on it.

·    Someone other than a game official, a commissioner, or Associate Director of CYO Athletics may file a complaint, by using the official incident report form, for unsportsmanlike conduct. This form must be submitted by the Parish or School Athletic Director to CYO Athletics.  Emails or incident reports not submitted by the Athletic Director will not be considered for action. 

·    These complaints will be investigated and a citation could result. No one other than the above named are empowered to take any action regarding forfeiture.  Once a decision has been rendered, it will be communicated to the Parish or School Athletic Director(s) involved so that they can share with involved parties what the resulting action is.

·    In most instances, the person(s) cited will be placed on probation and/or receive a one game suspension. A second citation will result in a three (3) year expulsion from participation in CYO Athletics. If the first infraction is flagrant (i.e. physically contacting someone in anger) a person(s) may be expelled from CYO Athletics on the first infraction. Expulsions may be appealed.

·    In the case of players, penalties attached to citations will be handled on a case by case basis.

NOTE: EACH TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONDUCT OF ITS FANS!

GAME FORFEITURE

·    Each team scheduled for a contest shall be dressed and ready for play at the appointed hour. Should any team not be ready with the required number of players at the appointed hour (game time), the contest shall be forfeited.

·    Should both teams not be ready with the required number of players at the appointed hour (game time), the game shall be declared a no contest, and both teams will be charged with a loss on their season's record.

·    Teams forfeiting a game or match will be fined $40.00 unless CYO Athletics has been notified of the impending "no show" at least 72 hours in advance. Fine is payable before the next scheduled contest.

NOTE: In volleyball, only the first game shall be forfeited at game time. If the team in question is not ready for play 11 minutes after the appointed hour, then the complete match will be forfeited. In soccer, games will be forfeited when a team cannot supply nine players 15 minutes after the official start time for the game.

GAME PROTEST

All game protests are subject to the rules of the specific sport.

Before any protest will be accepted by a CYO Athletics commission, the protest must meet all of the following submission requirements:

·    That the protest is not based solely on a decision involving the accuracy of judgment on the part of an official, and

·    That the protest be made known to the official(s) and the opposing coach at the time of the incident, a signed note of acknowledgment accompanies the protest, and

·    A detailed report of the exact reasons for the protest is submitted in writing to the CYO Athletics office within 48 hours of the game's starting time, and

·    The protest must include a twenty-five ($25) protest fee that will be refunded if the protest is allowed.

·    The determination of a protest will be based on a majority vote of the entire commission for that sport. The Associate Director of CYO Athletics will break ties. The protest letter(s) as written will be available to all the commission members and a vote will be made in person or by phone. The commission will make every attempt to notify a parish of its decision prior to the next scheduled game.

·    The decision of the commission is final.

CITATION APPEALS

Only those citations resulting in expulsion will be subject to appeal. The process for appeal is as follows:

·    State the reason(s) for your appeal in writing to the CYO Athletics Advisory Committee.

·    The appeal must include a twenty-five ($25) dollar fee that will be refunded if the appeal is allowed.

·    The CYO Athletics Advisory Committee is comprised of the chairperson of the committee, at large appointees determined on an annual basis, the chairperson of each sport commission, and the Associate Director of CYO Athletics.

·    The CYO Athletics Advisory Committee will attempt to schedule a hearing within 45 days.

·    During the appeal process the person charged with the citation will be ineligible to participate in CYO Athletics.

·    The Athletic Director and the person involved in the citation will be the only people attending the citation hearing.  In case of a hearing involving an Athletic Director, the pastor or another staff person as designated by the pastor may be present at the hearing.

ELIGIBILITY APPEALS

·    If a parish athletic association is dissatisfied with an eligibility decision of a sport commission, that parish may

ask the Associate Director of CYO Athletics to review the decision with the commission.

·    If the Associate Director of CYO Athletics agrees with the commission decision, the parish may appeal the ruling to the CYO Athletics Advisory Committee. The process for appeal is as follows: The parish is to be represented by the Parish Athletic Director. The parish athletic association must include a twenty-five ($25) dollar fee. The CYO Athletics Advisory Committee will attempt to schedule a hearing within ten (10) days after the appeal is received at CYO Athletics. During the appeal process, the involved player(s) will not be allowed to play.