What Convinced Us

Virtues:

SportsLeader has recently partnered with a number of schools all over the country.

Our first school from California is Sacramento St. Francis.

We asked Athletic Director Mark McGreevy, "What convinced you?"

He said, "After reviewing various options, we chose SportsLeader because it represented an opportunity to approach coach formation in a way that would positively effect our whole athletics culture. We could envision our coaches, our student-athletes, our families, our whole school, benefiting from this very intentional approach to our underlying mission.

We recognized to do this well, to produce a deep and lasting effect, the best approach would be to commit to 4 years with the program. We expect an evolution throughout this time, adding and revising elements each year to to craft the best possible athletics experience, consistent with our values, for everyone involved."

St. Francis Athletics Partners with SportsLeader
Press Release

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis High School and the Troubadour Athletic Department will partner with SportsLeader over the next four years to implement their Catholic virtue-based formation program for coaches.

“In offering athletics programs at St. Francis we seek to use sport as a context for physical, intellectual, and spiritual growth,” said Athletic Director Mark McGreevy. “Our partnership with Sports Leader represents a continuation of that great Troubie tradition in a very intentional way.”

SportsLeader, based in Louisville, Ky., will work with McGreevy and the St. Francis coaching staff to incorporate the methods and curriculum based on the four pillars of the program: Virtue, Mentoring, Ceremony and Catholic Identity.

“Through virtue-based formation of our coaches and student-athletes we will create opportunities for mentorship and ceremony while embracing our Catholic identity in an inclusive manner,” said McGreevy. “Our goal is that the student-athlete experience will significantly contribute to St. Francis graduating young women who change the world for the sake of peace and goodwill.”

McGreevy will coordinate the efforts with the SF coaches as the initial Director of Sports Ministry for the program.

Mark McGreevy, Athletic Director & Director of Sports Ministry at Sacramento, CA St Francis High School.

“The more we can help our young people grow closer to Christ through the platform of sports, the more we are accomplishing our mission within Catholic school athletics,” said Lou Judd, the Director of SportsLeader.

SportsLeader has worked with public and private universities and colleges across the country including The Ohio State University and Michigan State. They have also partnered with high schools nationwide and in Canada. St. Francis is the first California school to incorporate the program.

The program will be introduced to the student-athletes via the coaching staffs of all 12 sports programs during the 2016-17 season and to the parents at the respective parent meetings.

Judd will be the keynote speaker at the SF Coaches Retreat in August. SF will introduce several SportsLeader traditions, activities and events throughout the year.

SportsLeader was founded in 2004 and is endorsed by the Vatican Office of Church and Sport. They are a charitable nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.