Pioneered in 2012 by Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, Land O’Lakes, the Catholic Youth Soccer League (CYS) brings children and their families into competitive sports while maintaining Catholic values. In 2019, the North Central Deanery (now the North Tampa Deanery) expanded the reach of the program as an initiative of the diocesan Mission, Courageously Living the Gospel.

The league is designed for children between the ages of 4 and 18. Registration costs are kept reasonable and scholarships for those who cannot afford the registration fees have been provided by generous donors. On average, 500 children sign up to play in either the fall or winter season.

Children from St. Mary (Tampa), Santa Maria Mission (Tampa), St. Paul (Tampa), St. Mark the Evangelist (Tampa), and Our Lady of the Rosary (Land O’Lakes) are consistently part of the program, with occasional participation from St. Timothy (Lutz) and Most Holy Redeemer (Tampa).  

In fall of 2024, students from Santa Maria Mission won the championship game and were recognized at Mass on Sunday, December 15th and were presented with the Catholic Cup trophy.

Building on the success of CYS, a 5–6-week summer soccer camp will be introduced in 2025 at St. Mary (Tampa). The camp will combine athletic training with discussions on Catholic values, demonstrating how Catholic principles can be woven into all aspects of life, including sports. 

For more information, visit https://www.cystampa.org/.