In the last twelve years, the Holy Redeemer soccer program has grown to involve more than 330 children (from 4-years old through 8th grade) playing annually on as many as 20 teams. Keeping with the Athletic Councils mission of providing a healthy learning environment for children to develop their athletic skills, the program also emphasizes learning important values: Honor, Integrity, Respect, Humility, and Striving for Excellence.
Holy Redeemer soccer program was founded in 1972 by Father James Scott and quickly became a powerhouse within the CYO program, competing for City Tittles on an annual basis with Our Lady of Lourdes. As the CYO program experienced growing pains in the 80’s, Holy Redeemer shifted its’ developmental program to Montgomery Soccer (MSI).
In 1990, Gene Carlin and his wife Claire established the kindergarten clinic program. Throughout the decade, the younger Holy Redeemer children played in CYO, while the older grades played in the MSI league. This continued until 2001, when a fragmented Holy Redeemer soccer program was brought back into the CYO “fold” as Michael Carter worked with, then CYO Athletic Director, Tom Manko to create a more balanced approach that included a more competitive program for the upper grade teams.
Since that time, Holy Redeemer has become a model soccer program for CYO, not just based on number of participants, but also on the consistency in which our boys and girls teams have vied for City Titles. Father Scott would be very proud of our current student-athletes as three teams reached City Title game, culminating with two of the girls teams adding to the tradition he started more than fifty years ago.
Go Cardinals!
