Last week, four JPII student-athletes—seniors Sebastian Slusne and Caylin Gecy, and juniors Evelyn Melnick and Andrew Boyden—stepped off the court and into the classroom to deliver a powerful message on faith-filled sportsmanship to the 5th-grade students at St. Gregory the Great Catholic School.

Invited by SGG School Counselor Heather Stone, the JPII students were invited to be a part of a six-week unit on sportsmanship and the Play Like a Champion Today program, a nationally recognized, faith-based character development initiative for young athletes. The goal? To help younger students understand what it means to compete with integrity, heart, and humility.

"Our athletes were incredibly thoughtful and encouraging," said Madelyn Bowman, JPII's Social-Emotional Counselor. “They talked about everything from handling rude comments during games, staying positive through a losing season, and why it's more important to play with joy than to focus on the scoreboard.”

Among the advice that resonated most with the SGG fifth graders were real-life strategies like:

• “Teammates are like family.”
• “Write Bible verses or calming reminders like ‘3 seconds’ on your shoes.”
• “Walk away from poor sportsmanship and brush it off.”
• “Ignore the trash talk—it doesn’t define you.”
• “It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, just have fun.”

The 5th graders were so inspired, many stayed behind after the talk to chat one-on-one with the JPII athletes, asking questions about their sports, positions, and personal experiences on and off the field.

Participation in athletics during school years has been shown to offer significant benefits to students’ physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), student-athletes have higher GPA averages, better attendance, and stronger time-management skills than their non-athlete peers. More importantly, programs like Play Like a Champion teach that sports can—and should—be an avenue for character formation and discipleship.

“It was more than just a talk—it was an opportunity for our students to live out their faith and leadership,” said Mrs. Bowman. “They weren’t just sharing advice; they were modeling what it means to be a Catholic athlete—resilient, respectful, and rooted in values.”

Caylin Gecy, who will continue her volleyball career at Coker University, shared about her own motivation, struggles, and how her faith and teammates have helped her persevere through tough seasons.

Perhaps the most touching part of the visit came when Sebastian Slusne’s father reflected on the opportunity: “It was a fitting closure to his Catholic education going all the way through PK to 12th with SGG and JPII.”

"That full-circle moment is a reminder of what Catholic education is all about—building strong students, strong athletes, and strong disciples who can carry what they’ve learned into the world," said Mrs. Bowman. "From the sidelines to the classroom, these Warriors continue to lead with heart."