Earning a Certified Coaches Lanyard
In order to become a CYO Coach, you must complete the following.
- Speak with your Parish or School Athletic Director
- Create a Virtus Account
Set-up a New Virtus Account: English Version | Spanish Version
or Log-in to an Existing Virtus Account: English Version | Spanish Version - Complete Background Check through Virtus - Completed every 5 years
- Complete Protecting Youth Course through Virtus - Completed every 5 years
- NFHS Concussion In Sports Course - Completed every 3 years
Click Here to Download Instructions
Click Here to Access Course - Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Class - Completed every year
Click Here to Access Course - **NEW** Online CYO Certification Class -Completed every year
Click Here to Access Course - **Link Coming Soon** - Attend Sport Specific Coaches Meeting - Completed each season
2025 Fall Sport Specific Coaches Meeting Details
Coaching Recertification Course
Anyone interested in coaching must contact their parish or school athletic director to sign up for the coaching recertification course. The AD and/or pastor/principal must give approval before you take this course.
The Diocese of Toledo along with CYO Athletics, has partnered with Franciscan at Home online learning platform, to create an online CYO Coaching Recertification Course. This course is designed for coaches who have already gone through their Initial in-person Coaching Certification Course, and need to renew their CYO Certification status. If your coaching certification has expired for more than three years, you must complete the Initial in-person Coaching Certification Course.
Once you have watched all the videos and answered all the questions, you will sign the bottom and click “Save”. Once you have done that, the CYO Office will be in touch with you. This may take some time as we will be looking to make sure all the requirements have been completed.
CYO Coaches Lanyard
What does a CYO Coaches Lanyard signify?
It means that the person wearing a lanyard is committed to ministering to youth through coaching in the CYO program. It also means these people have met several diocesan requirements for coaching kids.
FAQ
Q: Why does a coach need to attend certification?
A: It is a requirement of the Diocese of Toledo that all coaches (including high school students serving as coaches for service hours) must be fully certified.
Q: Which class does a coach need to attend?
A: Coaches who are new to CYO or have not attended a certification class in the past 3 years must attend an INITIAL certification class. These classes generally are 3 hours in length. If a coach has certified in the past 3 years, he/she must complete the online Recertification Course on Franciscan at Home.
Q: Does a coach have to be present for the entire class?
A: Yes. If a coach is attending an INITIAL class, he/she must be in attendance from beginning to end. The only exception to this would be if the coach attended a “Protecting Youth and Those Who Serve Them class” (PY) within the 12 months prior to the INITIAL class. PY is the last session of an INITIAL class. If the coach has taken PY previously, but not within the past 12 months, the coach must stay for PY to be considered certified.
Q: What if a coach misses all the certification opportunities before the start of their season? A: Unfortunately, the coach will not be permitted to coach. The schedule of CYO certifications includes at least two opportunities before Fall, two before Basketball, and one before Spring to attend an INITIAL class and the Recertification Course which is now online at Franciscan at Home. No classes will be added to the certification schedule and no individual meetings with the CYO Staff will be arranged.
Q: What if a prospective CYO coach also coaches high school sports and therefore already has a Pupil Activities Permit (PAP). Will this exempt the coach from attending CYO Certification?
A: CYO will accept a copy of a current Pupil Activity Permit to get started, but the coach will need to take Protecting Youth & Those Who Serve Them and also complete the online Recertification Course on Franciscan at Home before they will be issued a lanyard and therefore eligible to coach in the CYO program.