A highlight on the Diocesan calendar every year, Catholic Youth Parramatta’s LIFTED Sports Day, was full of fun, fitness, faith and fellowship.
Sixteen teams and more than 250 young people from across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains competed in a round-robin tournament of basketball, soccer, volleyball and touch football at Parramatta Marist High School, Westmead, in late April.
Racking up their third win in their short history, ‘The Ashtons’ from Sacred Heart Parish, Mt Druitt South, claimed overall victory on the day by winning the most rounds.
“It’s good to see our community building in our parish – seeing a lot of youth in our parish alongside new faces from the Samoan chaplaincy and the Neocatechumenal Way,” Ashtons team member Jeremy said.
Members of “The Ashtons” from Sacred Heart Parish, Mt Druitt South, with the overall trophy, following the 2024 LIFTED Sports Day, hosted by Catholic Youth Parramatta at Parramatta Marist High School, Westmead. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
“We don’t necessarily have a youth group in our parish, but it’s good that we have the sports day to come together and hopefully we can grow from here and reach out to others.”
Fellow teammate Mitchell said, “I think we played really well as a team, which was grounded by our really tight community. It was a great day for all of us.”
Team ‘Credo’ from St Patrick’s Cathedral Parish, Parramatta, were the winners of the Holy Spirit Plate, which honours good sportsmanship and team spirit.
Credo team member Vaine said: “We’re a really passionate team, so it was good that those attributes were noticed, and it was good to see the young people get involved and give it a crack even though we didn’t get the overall win.
“‘Credo’ means, ‘I believe’ and I think those words are a true testament to our team, because if we didn’t believe, we wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t have shown up and played our best.”
Members of “Credo” from St Patrick’s Cathedral Parish, Parramatta with the Holy Spirit Plate, following the 2024 LIFTED Sports Day, hosted by Catholic Youth Parramatta at Parramatta Marist High School, Westmead. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
Team member Susanna added: “It’s been a blessing to play alongside our Credo family team. It’s been a while since we’ve been back at sports day, so to be able to win something like this proves the community of God’s spirit within us.
“A lot of us really wanted to win, but there was half of our team that just wanted to make sure we were having fun. There were times when we were unhappy, but it was our communication that was encouraging us to get back up and keep going in the game.
“It’s a blessing for our team to be known for their compassion, their drive and their communication.”
Growing community a key factor in signing up
There were several new faces in the competition this year, with teams from St Madeleine Sophie Barat Parish, Kenthurst, Mary Immaculate Parish, Quakers Hill-Schofields and The Good Shepherd Parish, Plumpton, joining veterans in Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Rouse Hill, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Kellyville, and Mary, Queen of the Family Parish, Blacktown.
“We decided to give sports day a go because we’ve been growing as a community and we wanted to come together and bond more,” said JR from Good Shepherd.
Brandon from St Bernadette’s, Castle Hill, said: “Sports day is a great opportunity to get to know other young people who share our faith and to see a real Catholic presence in our day-to-day lives.”
Members of the team from St Bernadette’s Parish, Castle Hill (in pink) play soccer during the 2024 LIFTED Sports Day, hosted by Catholic Youth Parramatta at Parramatta Marist High School, Westmead. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
Fellow St Bernadette’s teammate Jacob appreciated the chance to meet new people, but also using sport as a way to strengthen communication and confidence among their youth group.
Fr Adam Carlow, Assistant Priest at St Madeleine’s, was very proud of his team, which was primarily students from Marian Catholic College.
“We’ve got 1800 students on site at Kenthurst, so I thought why not get a team together and get them involved,” he said.
“I’ve seen a lot of relationships being formed among our young people.
Members of “St Mads” from St Madeleine Sophie Barat Parish, Kenthurst, during the 2024 LIFTED Sports Day, hosted by Catholic Youth Parramatta at Parramatta Marist High School, Westmead. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
“Our players are expressing the joy and love of their faith and they’re so full of life.”
Sport and faith
Alongside the competitiveness, passion and sometimes aggression that comes out at sports day, the participants felt that being able to express their faith kept them grounded.
“We all have a reason why we are here, which is through the grace and gift of God, and that really unites us,” Aiden, from Good Shepherd, said.
Members of the team from The Good Shepherd Parish, Plumpton, cheer their teammates during the 2024 LIFTED Sports Day, hosted by Catholic Youth Parramatta at Parramatta Marist High School, Westmead. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
“God has given us bodies, so we should use them and use them well,” said Brandon.
“Sport is a great way of connecting with each other and connecting with God. It also reflects our own journey towards heaven where we need to train, we need teamwork and we need to help each other to get to heaven – it’s a reflection of a divine reality,” said Fr Adam.
Transferring passion, energy off the field
Sebastian Duhau, MET Facilitator – Catholic Youth Parramatta, believes that the success of events like LIFTED Sports Day comes down to the grassroots groundwork of our local communities.
“LIFTED Sports Day isn’t just about winning – it’s about community and spirit and acknowledging the gift of sport in bringing people together. And if you can do that on the field, then you’re embodying what it means to play sport in a really authentic, loving and Catholic way.
“Our local parish leaders and groups are doing a good job at moving out of their normal spaces and trying to reach out to other young people who aren’t usually at their gatherings or events.
Supporters from the team from St Andrew the Apostle Parish, Marayong, during the 2024 LIFTED Sports Day, hosted by Catholic Youth Parramatta at Parramatta Marist High School, Westmead. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
“Our hope is that after LIFTED Sports Day, our parish ministries and youth groups can continue to walk with those young people that they have outreached to or joined their team for this day.
“I think the excitement, passion, energy and sometimes frustration and anger that comes from sports day is a gift from God. We are invited as young Catholics to use that same energy, passion, excitement, joy, youthfulness and frustration and channel it into doing something for the Church, for young people, for each other or for the broader community.”
View images from the LIFTED Sports Day here or below:
