Diocesan Basketball League teaches high schoolers about the game and the faith; registration open

By Bill Doyle | CFP Correspondent
 
Playing in the Diocesan Parish Basketball League teaches high school boys about more than just dribbling, passing and shooting the ball.

The league also deepens their faith.

The team from Our Lady of Hope Parish in Grafton is a perfect example.

Two years ago, Calvin Cadorette was a Millbury High School senior searching for answers in life and was considering becoming Catholic. Father Derek A. Mobilio, then associate pastor at Our Lady of Hope and now pastor at Our Lady of the Angels in Worcester, told him about the parish basketball league and urged him to start a team at Our Lady of Hope. So Calvin recruited two other Millbury High School seniors, Nate Souza and Cole Galicia, and together they formed a team. Father Mobilio recruited Our Lady of Hope parishioner Jamie DiPaoli to coach and he still does.

That first team reached the playoff semifinals, but more importantly, Calvin was baptized and confirmed that year and Mr. DiPaoli was his sponsor for both. Nate and Cole had already been baptized, but they had drifted away from the Church. Playing in the parish league brought them back to the Church and they were confirmed at the same time as Calvin.

“There’s always the benefits that come along with participating in sports,” Mr. DiPaoli said, “the teamwork, comradery and all those things, but the reason why we do it is to hopefully have stories like this and I think they’re out there.”

George Valery, basketball coordinator for the Diocesan Youth Ministry Office, assigns officials and schedules the games. He said the league helps Catholics grow their faith, but the league also welcomes non-Catholics.

“The Catholic kids rub off on them, so to speak,” he said. “It’s a comradery, they enjoy it, they see what we’re doing and they become part of that parish community.”

Mr. Valery credits Our Lady of Providence parishioner, Doug Hill, with introducing troubled high school students to the league.

Mr. DiPaoli said he’s willing to speak to other parishes to urge them to join the league.
“There’s got to be more stories like ours out there to bring more people into the Church,” he said.

Parishes in the Worcester diocese can register teams through Dec. 12 at neworcester.org/basketball. The link contains team registration, release forms, CORI, code of conduct and other diocesan safe environment information.

The cost is $1,500 per team. The first installment of $750 is due with the registration and the second installment is due by Jan. 26.

Games will be played at Our Lady of Providence Parish in Worcester beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturdays and noon on Sundays from Jan. 3 through the end of February, including the playoffs.

A coaches meeting will be held Dec. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Providence Parish.
Tim Messenger, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Worcester, handles the registration for the league.

Mr. Messenger said the diocese has tried to start a league for girls, but there hasn’t been enough interest. The league was cancelled because of the pandemic in 2021 and returned in 2022 with 10 teams, half the number of teams in 2020. Nevertheless, his ministry continues its mission of reaching out to high school students through basketball in the winter and volleyball in the summer.

“They are good pre-evangelization opportunities,” Mr. Messenger said. “You can get a kid’s foot in the door of a church, metaphorically, and not in a super deep way. It’s a good initial way to get them plugged into the church that can open doors later on for them to be more involved.”

Our Lady of Providence has won the league championship the past three years. Last year, the league had nine teams, including two from St. Rose of Lima in Northborough and one each from St. Matthew in Southborough, St. Bernadette in Northborough, Our Lady of Hope in Grafton, St. Mary in Shrewsbury and Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady of Providence and St. John in Worcester.

Mr. Messenger said CCD classes are a good way to teach youths about their faith, but basketball can do the same in an indirect way. He pointed out that Jesus didn’t walk up to people and immediately quote the Book of Isaiah.

“He forms a relationship with them and over time he calls people into a deeper relationship,” Mr. Messenger said.

That’s the goal of the parish basketball league.

“It’s all part of this overall process of building disciples,” Mr. Messenger said, “and it’s kind of like a different step along that way. For a lot of kids it’s that very first opportunity to be involved in the church in some way.”

Before games, the opposing teams gather at center court with the coaches and referees to pray.

They would like to add more teams. Interested parishes can contact Mr. Messenger at [email protected].

Mr. Valery said the league needs more referees and anyone interested can contact him at [email protected].