Skip To Main Content

Play Like a Champion

John Paul II Catholic School Athletics and The University of Notre Dame's Play Like A Champion Today have been in partnership since 2023. JPII's  assistant principal and head varsity baseball coach, Stephen Gaylets, kicked off the partnership by completing the Educational Series at The University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Today, JPII head boys lacrosse coach, Dan Kenny, is the JPII facilitator. 

Play Like A Champion Today is dedicated to providing leadership in a worldwide effort to change the culture of youth sports through education and consultancy. Since 2006, Play Like A Champion Today has served over 130,000 coaches and parents through a network of 230+ partners across the United States and Canada. Play Like A Champion Today moves beyond the "X's and O's" of coaching to address the core elements of effective coaching. The JPII Athletic Department utilizes the Play Like A Champion Today "GROW" approach: Goals + Relationships + Ownership = Winning

The first-ever JPII Parent Like A Champion Today and JPII Coach Like A Champion Today Clinic was held in 2023. Through these trainings, parents will have the opportunity to complete their Parent Like A Champion Today workshop. The JPII athletic department meets with every JPII coach throughout the year, so that they will not only complete their training but continue to hear the message from Play Like A Champion Today. 

JPII Athletics and Play Like A Champion Today

  • Mission-Driven Athletics
  • Building Character in Athletes through Sports
  • Forming Teams as Moral Communities
  • Trauma-Informed Best Coaching Practices
  • The Spirituality of Sport
  • The GROW Approach to Athlete Motivation
  • Whole Adolescent Development
  • Promoting Faith Formation through Sports

Scientifically based and ethically directed, Play Like A Champion Today and JPII designs its educational and athletic programs to promote children's physical, social, emotional and moral development to last a lifetime.

https://www.playlikeachampion.org/

The Parent Like A Champion Today workshop

curriculum and handbook aim to:

  1. Identify what to look for in a positive sports program and what parents can expect from a well-formed coach.
  2. Alert parents to behaviors that contribute to toxic sports climates and provide alternative supportive and positive behaviors.
  3. Offer strategies for parents to emphasize character development in their child's sports journey.
  4. Provide parents with advice on nutrition, exercise, and motivation that can help their children develop wellness habits of physical literacy to last a lifetime.

Play Like A Champion Today Coach Clinics are nationally accredited by NCACE

February, 2025 - JPII Senior Caylin Gecy Earns National Recognition from Notre Dame for Mental Health Advocacy

John Paul II Catholic School senior Caylin Gecy is making history with her Capstone project on mental health in athletics. Her powerful work has earned her national recognition from the University of Notre Dame’s Play Like A Champion Today (PLAC) program, an initiative that promotes character development, leadership, and holistic well-being in student-athletes. This summer, she will receive a prestigious award at the PLAC conference at Notre Dame, an honor that highlights the impact and importance of her advocacy.

At JPII, the Senior Capstone Project is the culmination of a student’s academic journey—an opportunity to explore a passion, conduct in-depth research, and create meaningful change. “Caylin’s project focused on the mental well-being of student-athletes, a critical issue in today’s competitive sports environment,” said Steven Gaylets, JPII dean of students for middle school who initiated the school’s Play Like A Champion program in 2023. “Through her research and outreach, she has sparked important conversations about the challenges athletes face beyond the scoreboard and how mental health plays a key role in athletic success.”

Caylin’s passion for leadership and advocacy doesn’t stop with this award. As part of her recognition, she will attend the PLAC conference at Notre Dame, where she will become a certified Play Like A Champion Today instructor, equipping her with the tools to continue mentoring and supporting athletes at all levels. A standout student-athlete, she has served as President of JPII’s Servant Leadership Council and will continue her volleyball career at Coker University this fall.

“Caylin’s dedication to athletics, leadership, and well-being is a testament to the values of JPII—faith, service, and excellence,” said Coach Gaylets. “Her work will leave a lasting impact on the JPII community and beyond, ensuring that mental health remains a priority for future generations of student-athletes.”

Way to go, Caylin! Your hard work, passion, and leadership are an inspiration to us all!