Welcome to the Diocese of Cleveland CYO!

Each year thousands of young people from across the counties of the Diocese of Cleveland participate in the many athletic programs offered through the Youth & Young Adult Ministry and CYO Office. In the Catholic Youth Organization, the athletic competition gives each participant an opportunity to grow in character, ability and  community while honoring oneself, as well as one’s family, teammates, officials and church.

To sustain this focus, CYO endeavors to help young people be more Christ-like in the way they live. This occurs when the young person, not the athletic activity, is the main focus of what we do. Each participant, parent, coach, official and volunteer need to work together to bring our Gospel vision and values to life in every aspect of CYO programs.

The CYO in Northeast Ohio is part of the Diocese of Cleveland Catholic Charities system. As such, we promote the values of Dignity of Person, Hope, Service and Justice to all those whom we come in contact with each day.

The Diocese of Cleveland CYO has seen considerable growth and transition in the past year as it has more fully integrated the Akron CYO and Cleveland CYO into one program. This has afforded us the opportunity to evaluate every aspect of CYO athletics – sports rules, registration processes, parent roles and resources, coaches training and development, championship tournaments, and much more.

Most recently, we have coordinated an opportunity to update the CYO Charter and By Laws to reflect a single CYO program for the entire diocese. Volunteers from throughout the Cleveland and Akron areas have worked together to prepare the new CYO Charter and By Laws that has been approved by Bishop Lennon and will be available on this website. The new CYO Charter and By Laws will be in effect for the 2011 – 2012 athletic program year.

We encourage you to contact your parish or school office to find out information related to sponsored CYO programs in your area. You may also contact the Diocese of Cleveland CYO Office at 877.843.6200.

Competing hard while being Christ-like in all that you say and do is our goal at CYO! Not every youth sports program aims to achieve this goal. In this way, CYO is determined to be different. All of us at the Diocese of Cleveland CYO hope that you enjoy your participation in our programs and that we all display and live our mission each day to help make CYO be the best that it can be.

Please return to our website again and again for support, new developments and other information. We look forward to your feedback, so please send your comments to our webmaster. We are grateful for your support and look forward to having you involved in the Catholic Youth Organization.

Yours in Christ.