St. Peter Parish participates in the South Central District of the St. Louis CYC. The St. Peter Athletic Association, an entirely volunteer organization, administers the parish's participation. The youth of St. Peter Parish, as well as non-parishioner residents living within the parish boundaries, participate in baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, track & field, lacrosse, golf and volleyball. Although each youth pays a small fee for participation, the association is strongly funded by volunteer fundraisers. Two of the most important fundraisers are the annual Christmas Tree Lot and the annual fall Golf Tournament. For more information contact Paul Ardekani at president@stpsports.com.
(Additional sport specific FAQ's are listed under each sport under the 'Sports' tab)
Who is eligible to play on a team?
All youth, boys and girls, of any faith, living in the St. Peter parish boundaries are eligible for participation, though participation fees for non-parishioners are slightly higher than for parishioners. The minimum age varies for each sport (see the FAQ's under the sport of interest). All sports play through the 8th grade.
How can I register my child for a sport?
Registration sessions are held for each sport several months in advance of the sport (see the FAQs under the sport of interest). The registration session is announced in the St. Peter Parish bulletin and on this website at least 2 weeks in advance. In addition, an email is sent to all known email addresses for participants of the previous year. The normal registration period lasts 2 weeks. An additional late registration session will follow a few weeks later.
We are not Catholic. Can our child still join a St. Peter team?
If you live within the boundaries of the St. Peter Parish, you are eligible to play for a St. Peter team. However, non-parishioners do pay a slightly higher fee. Also, please note that St. Peter teams usually join in team prayer. Please call the rectory at 314-966-8600 to determine if your residence is within the parish boundaries.
Do we need to buy a uniform?
The STPAA provides the major components of the uniforms. These must be returned at the end of the season. Players must provide some parts of the uniform on their own. The latter typically are socks, shoes, belts, and sometimes shorts.
How are teams decided?
This is complex and varies depending on the child's grade. Please see the Athletic Association ByLaws.
We really like Coach XXXX. Can we specify that our child play for this coach?
Many times there are legitimate reasons for requesting a specific coach. Other times, the reasons are less legitimate. In the interest of fairness to all players, the STPAA does not accept requests for placement on teams with a specific coach.
We missed the registration sessions. Can we still register for a sport?
That depends. Generally, we will accept late registrations (subject to a late registration fee) if there is room on a team for an additional player and regular league play has not begun. In order to avoid situations where families register late so that they can control which team their child is assigned to, the STPAA may move players from one team to another to accommodate a late registration. Please contact the director for the sport in question for specific information.
Are there minimum playing times that each player is guaranteed to receive?
Each coach has their own mechanism for determining playing time. The minimum guidelines vary for each sport. Please see the FAQs for the sport of interest for more information.
Are your teams selected by the child's ability?
For grades 5 and up, yes, our teams are selected by the child's ability, as well as their cooperation and attitude in practice. These are not "select" teams, though. All youth that register on-time will be assigned to a team. For grades 4 and under, all teams are selected by random draw. The STPAA does not permit requests for a specific team or a specific coach.
We registered for a sport but have not heard back about a team. What should we do?
Normally the head coach will contact each player on his/her team shortly before the start of pre-season practices. Our registration periods are held several months in advance of the start of pre-season. If you believe that you've fallen through the cracks, please contact the Director of the sport.
When is the General Assembly Meeting for the Athletic Association?
The General Assembly Meeting takes place in May. If you would like to propose a change to the by-laws please read the change procedures that are included in the current by-laws.