CYM Sports is a parish-based athletics program and league, consisting of 15 parishes and private catholic schools, sponsoring 22 Championships across 11 sports.
CYM Sports and it’s parent, the Office for Catholic Youth, Young Adult and Family Ministry, are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Where can I find help for Online Registration?
Right here!
Click any of the links below for specific help. All information contained within the Athletics FAQs are the same answers provided via electronic communications.
What sports does CYM offer and are there any rules concerning participation, playing time, etc?
During the fall, CYM offers cross country, football, soccer and volleyball.
During the winter, CYM offers boys basketball and girls basketball.
During the spring, CYM offers baseball, softball, boys volleyball and track & field.
Future outdoor and indoor sports are slated for announcement over the next 24 months.
There are rules and regulations for various sports regarding participation and playing time, which can be found in the upper right section of our website, via Athletic Handbook.
How do I know that my child will be safe in CYM programs?
The Diocese of Wilmington takes the safety of young people very seriously.
In response to the Charter for the Protection of Children, published in 2002 by the United States Bishops, diocesan officials created “For the Sake of God’s Children.” This document is the Diocese of Wilmington policy concerning adults that work with children such as volunteers in youth ministry, volunteers in Catholic schools and adults that volunteer to coach in the CYM athletic program.
This document outlines, in detail, expectations and requirements that include background checks, signing volunteer covenants and minimum number of cleared adults needed when children are present.
Does a child have to be Catholic to participate in CYM activities?
No, but please keep in mind that at times your child will be exposed to sports within a Catholic setting. Our organization is part of a comprehension approach to ministry with the Catholic faith.
Sports ministry components are highly encouraged and recommended to our Athletic Associations and coaches, which may extend beyond the lines of a playing service.
Can my child participate in CYM Sports, even if they are homeschooled? Public School?
Yes! Your child is absolutely eligible to participate in CYM Sports, even if homeschooled or in public school. We have several participants involved in similar activities that are members of our community.
First, you must register through the diocese via
Registration. Once registered, you will receive an automatic email within 2-5 business days of your child’s affiliation. The affiliation must be completed prior to participation. Once assigned, you can then reach out to that parish or school regarding their local registration steps!
Can my child participate if we live outside the boundaries of the Diocese?
If you live outside of the boundaries of the Diocese, but are registered and participate in a Catholic parish that is inside the boundaries of the Diocese than your child would be eligible to participate in CYM sports.
My child is new to CYM athletics – what do I need to do first to sign my child up to play on a CYM sports team?
Go to here and register! Once registered, an automatic email will be sent to you with your child(s) affiliation and then you can begin the process with the parish of assignment.
I don’t see my child’s sport listed on cdowcym.org/athletics or cymsports.com. How do I register him or her for this sport?
First, you must register for CYM Sports in general, which you can do by clicking “CYM Registration and Login” link at the top right of www.cdowcym.org.
Then, to register for a specific sport, you must contact your child’s parish or school. Authorization forms must be provided to coaches or athletic associations in order for your registration to fully process. CYM cannot register your child for any specific sport, give information regarding practice times or locations, or accept funds for registration.
This is all done at the local affiliate level.
How do I pay for CYM sports?
The CYM office does not collect money from individuals for any sports program.
Instead, individual families pay a fee through the parish or school on whose team a young person will participate. That parish or school is then billed by CYM based on the number of teams in a particular season to organize facility, awards, and official cost.
All transactions, including refunds, are handled on the parish level. If you have a question, please contact your child’s coach or the parish/school Athletic Association President.
Can I take my child to any parish to play CYM sports?
No – assignment(s) to a parish are made by the CYM office through the online registration. After completing the online registration, the CYM office will assign a parish school known as a “Primary Affiliation” based on CYM rules.
Primary factors include: where is the family registered as parish members, where does the child attend religious education classes or where does the child attend Catholic school. If the child is not Catholic and/or does not attend a Catholic school, they will be assigned based on local affiliated program requirements and geographic area.
How do I change my child’s Primary Affiliation?
To begin the Affiation Change process, please email catholicyouth@cdow.org for an Affiliation Change Request Form. This will be sent to you via email. Please return the completed form by email.
It will be forwarded to our CYM Sports Coordinator and the Athletic Association(s) involved, who may discuss affiliation changes. In some cases, these request are forwarded to the Athletic Advisory Committee’s sub group for Affiliation Request.
You will be notified of the decision through the CYM Office via email within 2-5 Business Days. Please note that Diocesan CYM Sports Leadership grants affiliation changes only in special circumstances. Per diocesan standards, CYM policies are enforced for affiliation request when one of the following criteria applies:
- A Parish or Catholic School does not offer athletics.
- A Parish or Catholic School has athletics, but does not offer the sport (Secondary Affiliation)
- A Parish or Catholic School has restrictions on eligibility requirements.
- A participant moves schools, parishes, or geographically.
Where can I find CYM sports schedules?
To find a sports schedule, head to www.cymsports.com. Once there, click the Leagues and Schedules subsection at the top of the page. If you know your student-athletes team, you may also press “Find my Team.”
From there, the current active sports leagues and various divisions and links will show, and can be selected. Once the appropriate league and division is found, there is a dropdown available to filter out a specific teams schedule.
Please keep in mind that schedules that are posted are subject to change. Changes to schedules are communicated through coordinators of programs. The CYM Sports Office and Leadership team expects that once a schedule is posted, that it will be played with no interruptions.
How long does it take to process a volunteer or coaches background check?
Two to three weeks from the time you submit your application to your parish for your background check to be completed.
However, this time frame can range widely depending on information submitted by you on the application. Failure to sign a background check request form can significantly delay processing. We work with our Safe Environments Office to insure compliance by diocesan standards and the process waits for their response. Failure to complete a background check request in advance of season start will lead to complications with the opportunity for the student-athletes to play if volunteers are not cleared to coach.
I have a concern with the conduct of my child’s coach, where do I go?
Complaints about a coach should be first filed with the Athletic Association leadership of the parish/school.
If not resolved at the Athletic Association, the complaint should be directed to the pastor of the parish. In the case of private Catholic schools (ie Mt. Aviat Academy, Nativity Prep, Serviam Academy, St. Edmond Academy, Ursuline Academy), the complaint should be directed to the principal of school. Complaints can also be filed with the Office for Catholic Youth Ministry at catholicyouth@cdow.org however CYM staff reserves the right to return the issue back to the parish/school first.
All monetary transactions between a participant or family and a parish or school program are handled on the local level of our affiliated programs.
Since CYM does not collect money from individuals, we can not offer refunds to participants or families.
If you have any questions, please see your child’s coach or the parish/school Athletic Association President.
