9) Athletics: 7.0 Protocols & Procedures

Overview: Protocols and procedures give CYM Sports a common way of acting when the ordinary life of the program meets the unexpected. Affiliation, eligibility, and codes of conduct name who we are and how we are to behave; this section names what we do in certain situations that require us to must move quickly with communications or actions from the field to the parish and the central office. Clear procedures protect youth, support volunteers, and keep local programs and the diocesan office working as one ministry and within productivity, rather than as isolated teams reacting in isolation.

Without shared protocols, even well-intentioned people improvise. Improvisation produces uneven treatment, delayed reporting, avoidable risk, and confusion for families who deserve to know what happens next. Our Core Values include fairness. Written procedures create fairness across parishes and schools, place decisions in the proper hands, and ensure that safety, eligibility, and pastoral care are not left to memory or personal preference and follow a standard. They also give coaches, Athletic Association Presidents, Athletic Directors, officials, and parents a predictable path: who is notified, in what order, within what time, and with what documentation. In a program that spans Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, that predictability is itself a form of care.

This section gathers the operational protocols that allow CYM Sports to function with transparency and consistency in various routine and exceptional circumstances. The details that follow exist not to multiply rules, but to serve the mission: so that every participant is protected, every volunteer is supported, every contest is administered justly, and every community can trust that the same standard will be applied from one field to the next. Protocols and procedures, rightly understood, are an instrument of stewardship; they are a practical means by which the Church’s athletic ministry remains orderly, accountable, and worthy of the young people entrusted to it.

7.1 Complaints

• 7.1-1 A head coach may file a complaint with the CYM Office regarding an official, coach, player or other spectator.
  • 7.1-1.1 Coaches must first discuss the concern with the AAP/AD of their parish/school. The AAP/AD should consider whether to bring the pastor/principal into the conversation.
• 7.1-2 A player, parent, or spectator must first bring concerns or complaints to the head coach’s attention for the head coach to address accordingly to CYM procedures.
  • 7.1-2.1 If the concern is about the head coach, it must be brought to the AAP/AD.
• 7.1-3 Complaints addressed to CYM may begin with a phone call, but also must be submitted in writing or by email, including the name of the complainant. All names will be kept confidential except by permission of the complaining person.
  • 7.1-3.1 Anonymous complaints will not be addressed.
  • 7.1-3.2 Complaints regarding the administration of local athletic associations will not be addressed.
• 7.1-4 All complaints, whether written or verbal, shall meet communication perimeters must align with Communion Matrix and 10.1.9 Communication Guidelines.

7.2 Postponements/Forfeits/Cancellations

• 7.2-1 All games must be played according to the game schedule.
  • 7.2-1.1 CYM Sports promotes a full schedule for the athletic season to be completed. In some cases, this may not occur despite best efforts.
  • 7.2-1.2 CYM Sports and affiliated coordinators recognize that conflicts will arise, and will attempt to work with teams/coaches to reschedule games if appropriate and within CYM policies and/or 10.1.2 League Guidelines.
• 7.2-2 Coaches may not cancel, postpone or change any athletic contest for any reason unless authorized to do so by CYM.
  • 7.2-2.1 Coaches may not substitute a team for any contest unless authorized to do so by CYM.
• 7.2-3 Any team found refusing to travel to a scheduled location or requiring a cancellation with no valid reason for league competition will suffer a forfeit, pay a fine equal to that of the game officials and be immediately ruled ineligible for playoffs or postseason tournaments.
  • 7.2-3.1 Facility fees will be assessed if the competition is scheduled at a cost-associated location by CYM or local affiliated program.
  • 7.2-3.2 In postseason-eligible divisions, the CYM Sports Office may elect to reschedule the game, but this is not guarenteed.
• 7.2-4 The CYM Sports Coordinator will make a decision on the postponement of all CYM athletic contests due to inclement weather, driving conditions or field conditions.
• 7.2-5 A decision made by the CYM office to postpone a contest is not reversible by any other authority.
  • 7.2-5.1 A coach may NOT postpone a scheduled contest unless authorized by CYM.
• 7.2-6 CYM regular season and playoff athletic contests will NOT be rescheduled due to tournaments or outside events. Forfeits will result if teams cannot participate due to lack of players.
  • 7.2-6.1 All non-CYM sponsored leagues and events, travel programs, club sport events and any tournaments fall under this provision and 10.1.2 League Guidelines.
• 7.2-7 Notification is received directly to the coaches of impacted teams within 48 hours of a scheduling change. The change may be communicated through the appropriate program utilized by CYM for that program year (ie. Team Sideline), or via communications of the athletic association representative.
  • 7.2-7.1 In the event of a rescheduling that is within 48 hours, an email and/or call will be directed to Athletic Association Presidents or Athletic Director with notice of a pending change and should be provided to the impacted participants, including coaches and parents.

7.3 Weather-Related Procedures

• 7.3-1 The CYM Sports program and its affiliated programs are subject to 10.1.11 Weather Guidelines.
  • 7.3-1.1 The official forecast used for determining all weather-related decisions is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service.
    • Location is to be set for Wilmington Airport.
• 7.3-2 No coach or administrator may cancel, postpone or change any athletic contest for weather-related reasons unless authorized to do so by the CYM Office/CYM Sports Coordinator.
  • 7.3-2.1 If a facility is deemed unsafe by administration of the home team, they should contact the CYM office to determine viability first or change of venue before any other communication.
• 7.3-3 CYM follows strict guidelines on the communication of games and determines the final status of competition impacted by weather.
  • 7.3-3.1 If no notification is officially published by CYM via email and/or scheduling program, the games are fully expected to take place.
  • 7.3-3.2 If notification is officially provided by CYM via email and/or scheduling program, a decision on game cancellations will be determined the day of competition, no later than 7am for morning games, 11am for afternoon games, and 3pm for evening games. In the event of of a severe forecast, this may be provided earlier.
  • 7.3-3.3 All communication on cancellation(s) are conducted through auto-generated emails to head coaches, and emailed to AARs.
• 7.3-4 In the event of a cancellation that is weather-related in origin, coaches and athletic association representatives should follow 7.4 Rescheduling Procedure for approved rescheduling for any games.

7.4 Rescheduling Procedure

• 7.4-1 Games will attempt to be rescheduled, due to weather-related issues, provided CYM has available facilities and field permits.
  • 7.4-1.1 Divisions involving a Diocesan Championship or Postseason will be rescheduled first, prior to any lower division or age groups.
• 7.4-2 CYM may move all games to a future date, provided the schedule has availability and allows for the adjustment.
• 7.4-3 Game(s) approved for weather rescheduling must be completed prior to last originally scheduled date of competition for that division or championship, whichever comes earlier.
• 7.4-4 Games will be rescheduled through specific processes, required to be completed by coaches and in consultation with local athletic association representative(s).
• 7.4-5 The CYM process follows strict guidelines on how approved changes, including weather-related postponements, are subject for rescheduling.
  • 7.4-5.1 In the event a rescheduling is required, predetermined procedures should be conducted by the local affiliated participants for rescheduling.
  • 7.4-5.2 The predetermined procedure and only acceptable rescheduling procedure is as followed:
    • Once notice is received regarding an approved rescheduling, all head coaches and AARs must be notified by a single party involved in the rescheduling.
    • Head Coaches and/or AAR’s for each impacted team should agree on a time, date, and location during a team’s practice slot during week. Team’s also have the option of playing doubleheaders and/or rescheduling at the beginning or end of a set of games on weekends.
    • Once all preliminary requirements are met by the local level and agreement is complete, an email should be sent to the appropriate CYM coordinator whom will procure officials for the match/game.
    • Confirmation that the game has been received by the office will be listed under the scheduling program and auto-generated email sent out to head coaches.
  • 7.4-5.2 In the event a rescheduling is required due to facilities, the home affiliated program to the facility will reach out to the visiting team’s head coach and AAR.
• 7.4-6 CYM Representatives cannot guarantee that an official, referee, or umpire will be available for a rescheduled game.

7.5 Protest

• 7.5-1 There is a difference between an official protest regarding the interpretation of rules during an athletic contest and filing a complaint about the conduct of a player, coach or spectator.
  • 7.5-1.1 No athletic contest will be replayed even if the game officials misapplied or misinterpreted a rule.
  • 7.5-1.2 A head coach is permitted to declare a protest to ensure no further contests are disrupted, but must continue forward through the competition until the conclusion. A head coach must express their team is playing in-protest to officials and the opposing team’s head coach.
• 7.5-2.1 A process must be followed in order for an appeal to be recognized by the CYM Sports Office and/or their representatives.
  • If a coach believes that an official’s application of a rule may have been misapplied or misinterpreted, it is the responsibility of the coach to immediately notify the game official. See NFHS rules concerning correctable errors.
  • If after a contest, the head coach still feels that an official has misapplied or misinterpreted a rule during a contest, the head coach may submit in writing to the office for Catholic Youth Ministry a summary of the circumstances. The CYM Sports Coordinator will review and follow up with the organization of the officials that worked the game.

7.6 Appeals

• 7.6-1 Appeals of any decision made by the CYM Sports Coordinator, CYM Sports Operations Coordinator or governing body must be submitted in writing within one week of the ruling being received by the coach, player or spectator.
  • 7.6-1.1 The CYM Sports Coordinator will have sole determination on whether the appeal is accepted to move forward.
  • 7.6-1.2 Appeals accepted will be sent to the CYM Sports Coordinator via email, who will then forward the appeal to the Athletic Advisory Committee.
  • 7.6-1.3 An appeal must be submitted in writing, with all supporting documentation, within one week of initial communication decision.
• 7.6-2 Discipline decisions remain in effect prior to and during the review of the appeal until a decision is reached by the Athletic Advisory Committee.
  • 7.6-2.1 The Athletic Advisory Committee decision, including whether an in-person meeting will be required, will generally be shared first with the CYM Sports Coordinator and then sent back to the person making the appeal by the CYM Sports Coordinator.
  • 7.6-2.2 Any in-person meeting has a pre-determined date and time set by the office. In most cases, this occurs after the season and with necessary quorum of AAC members present.
• 7.6-3 Decisions and recommendations of the Athletic Advisory Committee will be final and cannot be escalated any further.
  • 7.6-3.1 Decisions of game officials (this is different than a protest), including technical foul/unsportsmanlike conduct fouls cannot be appealed.
  • 7.6-3.2 Ejections and minimum suspensions for ejections, applying to players, coaches and spectators, cannot be appealed.