Athletic Ambassadors Program

Goal: To provide an opportunity for student-athletes to use their interest in sports to help others, linking athletics to service at Saint Apollinaris Catholic School.

Program description – Selected athletes from 8th grade would support the program by:

1. Assisting coaches of younger grade teams with practice at the beginning of each season (or through-out the season, as can be done with track). This will help first time volleyball and basketball coaches get started, and it will also benefit track coaches that have large groups and very few adults to supervise. Specifically, it will provide extra help to the players that need it.
2. Visiting classes with a Sports Committee member to encourage students to join athletic teams. Ambassadors will describe what they liked about each Saint Apollinaris sport and answer questions.
3. Being a sport ambassador for new students. The principal may call on these student-athletes to speak with new families interested in athletics.
4. Announcing sport news items at morning prayer.
5. Assisting the Athletic Director, with setting up, and cleaning up sports activities (nets, game day needs, etc.).

Overall, this program would offer another way for our students to help those around them.

Process: Ideally, the program would have two girls and two boys who can be active for each main sport. Many student –athletes play more than one sport, so that 4 total from each gender could cover the 3 sports (golf is a combined age level sport).

Criteria:Students who are active in athletics, interested in this service program, attentive at practice, knowledgeable of their sport(s) and have a nurturing attitude would make solid Athletic Ambassadors. They would also need the appropriate grades for extracurricular participation. Students would sign a program contract at the beginning of the year with details of what was expected of them. At the close of the year, that same contract would be checked off by the Athletic Director for completion. Students would then receive a certificate for their service.

Selection Process: 3 to 4 girls and 3 to 4 boys as a guideline, would be selected (enough so that each participant has the opportunity to contribute in various areas).

• The Athletic Director and the principal would determine the ambassador group each year, taking into consideration student-athlete interest and the submitted nomination base from the coaches of each sport.
• Coaches would be given general description of possible candidates (hard-working, student of the sport, nurturing in nature).
• Program is not based on being the best athlete on the team – it is about being an attentive athlete who is interested in assisting others.
• An alternate girl and boy can be determined by the Athletic Director, in case a student-athlete is not able to participate.

Every class will be different in nature, so the ambassador total can remain generally flexible, within reason.