The Catholic Schools Activities League is part of the co-curricular activities available to 5th through 8th grade students enrolled full-time in Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools. Co-curricular activities include the academic decathlon, athletics, spelling, speech, and the art fair.

Philosophy

The Catholic Schools Activities League (CSAL) is designed to contribute to the mission of Catholic schools, and to the health, well-being, citizenship, and character development of the youth of the league. Each participant is expected to display the Catholic principles of fair play, courtesy, self-control, and sportsmanship for the opposing team or school. These principles shall not be sacrificed in the desire to win. Basic to this is the duty of the host school at any athletic contest to take every possible measure to assure courteous, friendly, and fair treatment to visiting players, school officials, spectators, and game officials.

Purpose of CSAL

A Catholic school participates in the Catholic Schools Activities League programs as one dimension of its ministry. A school CSAL program justifies its existence and the sacrifice and expense it entails only if it makes better Catholics of its participants. In CSAL programs, emphasis rests not on the number of games won or lost, but on the participants’ attitude in victory or defeat. Learning how to lose is just as important as learning how to win. Learning how to win graciously is more important than winning itself.

CSAL programs serve the needs of all youth. They enable the gifted to excel and the less gifted to participate and improve.

      • “Star” athletes and teams do not receive exclusive attention.
      • Principles of fair play and sportsmanship govern every game or event.
      • All participants should have the respect of others on their own team and the opposing team.
      • Competitors should regard the opposition as friends, not enemies.
      • CSAL participants should have a spirit of loyalty to CSAL ideas, to the school, to the coach,
        and to the team.
      • CSAL participants should learn patience with and tolerance of those with less ability.
      • Speech and actions should reflect Catholic values.

Ultimate responsibility for the success of CSAL programs lies with the adults involved who must remember that the program exists for the Christian growth of young people. Conduct of adults must always model Christian values and virtues. When adults forget the primary focus of CSAL, the program becomes destructive. When adults remain faithful to the Christian ideals of CSAL, they exercise a unique and rewarding ministry to the young with whom they come in contact.

To access the Catholic Schools Athletic League website, click on the link below.