Suggested Guidelines
for Parish CYO Team Selection
Suggested Guidelines for
the Parish CYO Team Evaluation/Tryout Selection
Process
Coaches Certification
Suggested Guidelines for Parish CYO
Team Selection
The CYO is one of the few leagues that
has made allowances to have two (2) skill levels
of competition in each age group. The exceptions
are the Rookie age group (due to the children’s
young age and newness to the game) and the High
School age group (due to the number of participants).
This was done to balance the age-old debate
of participation versus competition. This was
not done to separate the teams by grade. Two
levels of play in the major age groups thus allows
both sides of the debate a measure of satisfaction.
It allows the skilled children to play in a competitive
environment and it allows the lesser skilled
children to play in a less competitive environment.
Unfortunately, over the years a misconception
has developed over the intent of having different
divisions within a two-grade age group. In some
parishes the conception has been that the teams
should be divided along grade levels and that
children should be allowed to play with their
friends/classmates; the inference here is that
they should not have or be allowed to develop
friendships with children in different grades.
Another reason for this type of division is that
it affords the parish a quick and less controversial
team selection process. This does a disservice
for the skilled players as well as the lesser
skilled players. That was never the intent of
the CYO. By dividing teams by grades it puts
some teams on an “uneven playing field” and
at a distinct disadvantage. More importantly
it puts some children in a competitive environment
that they are not equipped to handle; either
skill wise or emotionally. It also puts both
the skilled and less skilled children in an environment
where they can become frustrated and discouraged.
The problem that most often arises in separating
the children by skills is finding an objective
system of evaluating talent; we think we have
some good suggestions on the succeeding pages.
The following is an excerpt from the CYO Supplemental
Basketball Rule Book and comparable rules are
found in all CYO Supplemental Athletic Rule Books
for the various sports offered by the CYO …
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The following are the different divisions for
each league:
Senior: Mid-Atlantic
Intermediate: Mid-Atlantic (boys only)
Varsity: Mid-Atlantic, Tournament
Junior Varsity: Tournament, Non-Tournament
Rookie: Non-Tournament
Non-Tournament Division: There are NO trophies,
awards, or championships in this division. This
division is for children who have never participated
in the sport before, or who have one year experience
or less. This gives the child an opportunity
to learn the game in a low-key, no-pressure to
win atmosphere.
Tournament Division: A team trophy will be
awarded to the post- season double elimination
tournament winner. All teams in each section
qualify for the post-season tournament. In the
JV Leagues, this division is for children who
have some experience with the game, and those
with average or better ability. In the Varsity
Leagues, this division is for a parish’s
second or third team.
Mid-Atlantic Division: A team trophy and individual
player trophies will be awarded to the winner
and second place team of the post-season single
elimination city wide play-off. This division
is the championship division, for the better
ball players. Top flight competition where a
team’s regular season record determines
its play-off status. Play-offs determine the
Archdiocesan champions, who will represent Washington
in the Inter-Diocesan competition for the Mid-Atlantic
Championship.
In any age group where there is more than one
division, parish MUST enter a team in the HIGHER
division before entering a team in the lower
division. At the Varsity level and at the Junior
Varsity level SECOND teams from a parish may
be entered in either division. A second higher-level
team must be entered before a third lower level
team can be entered.
The last paragraph of the rules was implemented
to prevent teams from “playing down” in
leagues where they do not belong for the sake
of “winning a championship.”
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Once a parish has determined how many children
are going to be in each age group and based teams
on the above rules, the following is suggested:
Varsity Age Group (7th & 8th Grade)
Selection: Mix grades and have a try-out (evaluation)
Mid-Atlantic
Soccer: 14-15 best players on this team
Basketball: 10-12 best players on this team
Baseball: 13-15 best players on this team
Softball: 13-15 best players on this team
If there are two (2) Mid-Atlantic teams, there
should be an “A” team with the best
players and a “B” team with the next
best players.
Tournament
Basketball: 10-12 second best players on this team
If there are two (2) or more Tournament teams,
there should be an even distribution of the talent
pool between the teams, regardless of grade.
There must be a second (2nd) Mid- Atlantic team
before a parish may enter a third (3rd) tournament
team in this age group.
Junior Varsity Age Group (5th & 6th grade)
Selection: Mix grades and have a try-out (evaluation)
Mid-Atlantic / Tournament
Soccer: 14-15 best players on this team
Basketball: 10-12 best players on this team
Baseball: 13-15 best players on this team
Softball : 13-15 best players on this team
If there are two Tournament teams there should
be an "A" team with the best players
and a "B" team with the next best players.
Non-Tournament
Basketball: second 10-12 best players on this team
If there are two Non-Tournament teams there
should be an even distribution of the talent
pool between the teams.
Rookie Age Group (3rd & 4th grade)
Selection: If there are two (2) or more teams, there should be an even distribution
of the talent pool between the teams, regardless of grade.
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Suggested Guidelines for the Parish
CYO Team Evaluation/Tryout
Selection Process
Due to the numerous phone calls, letters,
and meetings, the CYO Office of the Office of Youth
Ministry of the Archdiocese of Washington has decided
to issue the following suggested guidelines. If
your parish is going to conduct evaluations/tryouts
the following method should be followed as closely
as possible to alleviate problems surrounding the
results of this process.
- The key to any parish CYO function is communication.
Make sure that the process has been thoroughly
thought out and has been communicated to the
children and their parents, far enough in advance
of the process, so that all questions can be
answered. The process should be done fairly,
objectively, and consistently. It may be a
process in which everyone might not agree with
the results of the process; but no one should
be able to dispute the process itself.
- All children in the age group that is being
evaluated must be present at the time of the
evaluation/tryout:
Junior Varsity: Fifth (5th) and Sixth (6th)
Varsity: Seventh (7th) and Eighth (8th)
In other words it is a mandatory evaluation for every child in each age group.
This will not only allow you to select the Tournament or Mid-Atlantic teams
but it will also allow you to distribute the talent evenly on the remaining
teams if there is more than one. Even if there is to be only two (2) teams
in a certain age group, everyone should be at the evaluation/tryout
- All the coaches of the teams that are to
be formed from this evaluation/tryout should
be involved in the process. The basketball
delegate/commissioner should guide the evaluation/tryout
along with one other member of the parish CYO
board, athletic committee, or whatever governing
panel your parish has in place.
- Do not allow exceptions, unless they are
absolutely necessary. This means do not allow
exceptions before the evaluation/tryout or
after the evaluation/tryout. The minute you
allow an exception for a parent coach, a car
pool, siblings, etc., you leave yourself open
for more problems, which then renders your
process useless.
- The evaluation/tryout process does not make
anyone un-Christian. It is merely an extension
of the academic process of placing children
on their proper levels of ability in the athletic
arena within the parish program. If CYO boards
have been empowered by the parishioners to
run their CYO athletic programs, then the parents
must be willing to abide by the processes the
elected/appointed governing bodies put in place.
- If you are attempting to change from a one
grade team selection process or some other
hybrid process to an evaluation/tryout process;
you must use at least a three (3) year test
period in order to judge whether this process
is going to work in your parish. Any form of
change is going to have some problems especially
in the first year.
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We are not saying this process works for everyone,
but if you do go to an evaluation/tryout process
please follow the above guidelines which we hope
will alleviate some of your post-evaluation/tryout
problems.
Coaches Certification
The Archdiocese of Washington has a Child
Protection Policy designed to ensure children
in our care are safe. All volunteers and employees
who have
substantial contact with children must follow
this policy, which includes the following:
