Many people may think when they register their children at a Catholic school their children won’t be able to participate in sports like public school students. But that’s simply not the case!
Our Lady of Grace Catholic School (OLGCS) participates in the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) of Indianapolis. We believe allowing your children to get involved in youth sports is a fantastic way for them to develop lifelong skills.
CYO athletics are for all OLGCS students regardless of their gifts and abilities. The purpose of the program is to help your child develop personally and spiritually. Below are some of the advantages your child can gain by participating in CYO sports.
Greater Physical Fitness
Most kids like to play, and sports can provide an organized outlet for play. This type of play helps your child to be physically active. Generally, exercise can help them:
Build and maintain strong bones.
Improve their cardiovascular stamina and muscular endurance, so they have more energy.
Increase their flexibility, so they’re more agile.
Go to sleep faster, and sleep better.
Burn more calories to control their weight.
Better Emotional Well-being
Typically, children who participate in sports are happier and have greater self-esteem. They are more likely to be better behaved in school, because sports teach discipline. To succeed in sports, a child must have self-restraint and behave in a certain manner, which is what discipline is all about.
Additionally, young athletes tend to set and reach goals more frequently, and, therefore, learn to become strong leaders. Sports also helps children learn perseverance, which can lead to better coping skills, and how to think critically and apply what they’ve learned to meet bigger challenges.
Enhanced Spiritual Growth To create a positive environment, prayers are said before and after each CYO activity. Through CYO sports, your child will learn Christian values, such as fair play, sportsmanship, honesty, respect, loyalty, patience, tolerance, gratitude, and humility. They will learn to exhibit Christian behavior and attitudes.
Strong Socialization Skills
During CYO athletics, children often build strong friendships with other teammates that can last beyond the sport’s season. Additionally, they learn socialization skills like waiting their turn and how to work through problems encountered on and off the court.
Higher Educational Excellence
Generally, children who participate in sports perform better on exams and get better grades. Sports help students concentrate better and pay attention in class. And, they usually have more positive attitudes.
CYO athletics also help children develop teamwork skills. When these skills are applied to classroom situations, students are better equipped to effectively work together to achieve their goals.
Not only do children who participate in sports excel in
academics and sociability, they’re also less likely to drop out of school. Plus, they tend to stay away from drugs and alcohol use.
Participating in OLGCS CYO Athletics
As you can see, your child can gain numerous benefits from participating in CYO athletics. At OLGCS, we offer a variety of CYO athletics, like football,
boys’ and girls’ cross country,
boys’ and girls’ basketball,
boys’ and girls’ volleyball, soccer, kickball, and cheerleading. You can easily register your child for a sport and pay the fee online. For more information about each sport, season schedule, participating grade levels, and cost,
visit the CYO Athletics page on our website.
At OLGCS, we believe that healthy bodies lead to healthy minds and healthy faith.
- Elaine of the Our Lady of Grace Catholic School Blog Team