The Influence of School Catholicity on Sport Educator-Coaches

In practice, sports often play a major role in shaping the identity of Catholic schools. Theorists consider how to better integrate religious faith into sports programs. We argue that it is also imperative to investigate how the schools\u27 catholicity influences educator-coaches experiences of sport. Based upon analysis of a phenomenological research project in Edmonton, Canada, our study uncovered factors of lift (i.e., feeling part of something bigger, mentor-coaches as doers of the Word, and communal or relational elements) and drag (i.e., treatment of non-Catholics, seeking an authentic faith, and a lack of reflection on the integration of sport and faith). From these findings, we highlight how factors of lift and drag should effect the way Catholic schools shape their sports programs\u27 religious identity: the importance of the faith community, the value of implicit and explicit signs of faith in secular times, the need for deeper reflection, and possibilities for that reflection