PROVIDENCE - After the turn of the millennium, the Diocese of Providence sought to unify the Catholic Youth Organization basketball leagues and the Catholic school leagues under the same leadership. In January of 2000, Louise Dussault, director of youth ministry, began meeting with Brother William Dygert, then-superintendent of Catholic Schools, to address the problem.
In March of that same year, a committee formed to research possible solutions. Members contacted other dioceses and studied materials from the R.I. Interscholastic League to gain familiarity with the structure and governance of a membership-driven organization.
The Catholic Athletic League was born out of the committee's research. The entity was the first of its kind. No other diocese had a combined organization; rather, they either had Catholic schools running their own athletics or a program in which the CYO had full control. One positive outcome of the forming of the league was that CAL diversified its sports offerings, adding soccer, cross-country and volleyball.
CAL kicked off its first soccer season in the spring of 2001. This program served as a model for the new organization. "CYO had never offered soccer," said Dussault. "We didn't want to start with the biggest league."
The first soccer season went down in the record books as a success. "It went very well," said Dussault. "We had 10 Catholic school teams from nine schools all over the diocese."
In 2002, a CAL Board of Governance was formed to oversee the administration of sports throughout the diocese. In September 2003, the board decided the organization was prepared to bring basketball under its wings.
CAL basketball now flourishes as the cornerstone of the league. This season, the basketball program boasts 325 teams representing 39 parishes and 27 schools. CAL still offers soccer and volleyball, along with cross country, tennis and cheerleading.
In all athletic competitions, CAL endeavors to stands true to its mission: "To teach as Jesus did through lived Catholic principles." Athletes, coaches, parents, officials and youth ministers are committed to the "development of mind, body and spirit" through the "promotion of the academic achievement of all athletes" and "modeling the Golden Rule."
CAL aims to minister to the young athletes by including spirituality in the games. "Before a game, both teams get in the middle of the court and say a prayer," said Dussault. "It's a really cool beginning." This year, those prayers were offered 82 times.
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Coaches' code
All coaches and youth ministers in the Diocese of Providence sign on to the following code of conduct:
• I will conduct myself in a manner befitting a Catholic Athletic League coach/youth minister.
* I will treat each player, opposing coach, official, parent and administrator with respect and dignity.
* I will become thoroughly familiar with the CAL rules for competitive activities and of the sport that I am coaching.
* I will become familiar with the objectives of the CAL program and I will strive to achieve and communicate these objectives to my players and their parents.
* I will conduct my practices and games so that all players of the team have an opportunity to improve their skill level through active participation.
* I will cooperate with the CAL Board and representatives in the enforcement of CAL rules and regulations, and I will, in a timely manner, report any irregularities that violate said CAL rules, sound competitive practices and Christian ideals of sportsmanship.
* I will protect the health and safety of all players by insisting that all of the activities under my control are conducted for their spiritual, psychological and physiological welfare, rather than for the vicarious interest of others.
* I will conduct myself in a manner so as to be a true Christian role model to the youths in the CAL, both on my team and the opposing teams.
* I will attend the yearly coaches meeting called by the CAL administration for my respective area.
* I will support and promote the mandatory Coaching Certificate Training Program of the Diocese of Providence.
(This article originally appeared in The Providence Visitor)
