St. Thomas CYO offers an instructional, competitive travel basketball experience for children in grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 in the St. Thomas parish and school community.  In addition to our travel program, we offer a basketball clinic on Saturday mornings to eligible students in grades 2, 3 and 4.  There are no try-outs for the clinic.

To be eligible for participation, families must either be registered parishioners for at least one year (unless they have moved into the parish in the past year) or have a student at the school.  There is a reasonable registration fee set annually to fund the program.

The goal of the program is to field at least four travel teams each year; a biddy (grades 5 & 6) team for girls, a junior (grades 7 & 8) team for girls, a biddy team for boys, and a junior team for boys.  Each team has a maximum of 15 players.  Depending on demand, gym and coach availability, we may field more teams in order to accommodate more players. However, due to a constraint on coach availability, this is not always possible. 

The team practices and plays home games in the school gymnasium and plays against other parish teams in the Albany CYO and in the Schenectady CYO programs.  Our season runs from mid-October to mid-March, with a short playoff season for eligible teams.  Starting in early December, each team plays about 15 games, in addition to tournament and scrimmage games.  Also, in mid-January, the program hosts the annual Kathleen Pallante basketball tournament at St. Thomas.

The Annual Pallante Tournament typically takes place in mid January  at the St. Thomas School.

This tournament is held in memory of beloved teacher Kathleen Pallante. Kathy was a member of our parish family and a St. Thomas teacher for twenty years. She was a gentle woman, who loved her students and taught them reading, writing and math. More importantly she taught them prayer and the wonder of God. She will always be remembered fondly by all whose lives she touched.

Proceeds from this tournament benefit the Pallante Scholarship Fund.

We invite you and your family to attend games throughout the tournament. The tournament features some of the best youth basketball in the area and is excellent, reasonably-priced family entertainment. Concessions will be available, as well as 50/50 raffles, in addition to exciting basketball!

Calling all Alumni! The St. Thomas Tigers Alumni can be strong supporters of the program. Come back to enjoy a game or keep your eyes open for the Alumni Game typically held in mid January during the Pallante Tournament.

Interested in taking part? RSVP to [email protected].

Parental participation is an important element of the program. Every parent helps out in some way -- with admissions, concessions, keeping book, or running the game clock during the season. Your Team Parent will be assigning you responsibilities throughout the season. Thank you for your help.

Remember: MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK!

In addition, we are always looking for people to join a committee to help with one of our three big events each season:

1. Tiger Fest (beginning of the season)
2. The Pallante Tournament (January)
3. The final celebratory banquet (end of the season)

Please email [email protected] with any questions or to offer to help.

You are encouraged to sign up for various committees. MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK!

In particular, we are always looking for people to join a committee to help with one of our three big events each season:

1. Tiger Fest (beginning of the season)
2. The Pallante Tournament (January)
3. The final celebratory banquet (end of the season)

Please email [email protected] with any questions or to offer to help.

Game schedules and results 

For  game schedules, results and locations, visit the Regional CYO website at http://Schenectadycyo.net

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

Interested in joining the CYO basketball board for the upcoming season? Or would you like to help out on a specific event or task? We need coaches, team parents, concession help, Pallante Tournament assistance, and more to make the season a success.

Each team needs help as well! Find out more about how you can help your child's team this season.

Please contact the board at [email protected] for more information or to express interest.

 

"The Church looks at sport with great sympathy, since it considers the human body as the masterpiece of creation.... The Church sees sport as a mighty element of moral and social education."
Pope John Paul II, Address to the International Olympic Committee. May 27, 1982.

"Sport, properly directed, develops character, makes a person courageous, a generous loser and a gracious victor... it also makes the mind itself a more refined instrument for the search and communication of truth and helps a person to achieve that end to which all others must be subservient, the service and praise of his or her Creator."
Pope Pius XII, Sport at the Service of the Spirit. July 29, 1945.

"Run so as to win." 1 Corinthians 9:24.