Powered by Grafix Web Works © 2012 - Saint Mary’s Catholic High School 2525 North Third Street - Phoenix, AZ  85004 - Phone: (602) 251-2500 calendar | parents | alumni | faculty St. Mary High School is governed by the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) and the Desert Valley Region of the 5A Section 1.  St. Mary's athletic program will be conducted in accordance with the spirit and rules of these associations.  In addition the St. Mary's Athletic Office offers the following objectives: • To realize the role of interscholastic athletics as participated at St. Mary's, a Catholic school; • To emphasize the role of interscholastic sports and athletics as a part of the total educational program; • To develop physical excellence and understanding of the positive values of competition by: o recognizing individual and group performance, o emphasizing educational values while trying to win and learning to compete, o implementing the goals of group cooperation; • To develop sportsmanship, citizenship, and respect for rules and authority by: o instilling principles of justice, fair play, and good sportsmanship in students, o providing the opportunity to adjust individual roles to corporate goals; o implementing the AIA program; o mandating all coaches comply with the National Federation Coaches Education Program; • To promote and contribute to the goals of the educational program by: o developing physical fitness and the realization that a healthy body increases the probability of effective learning, o providing strong interscholastic and intramural athletic programs that attract student body iInterest and contribute to a positive learning atmosphere, o providing student participation in the planning and the execution of the programs through the use of student leadership talents; • To promote community interest and involvement in St. Mary interscholastic athletics and support groups by: o providing safe, enjoyable experiences for participants and spectators, o establishing rules and standards that reflect behavior approved by the community, o 5A Conference, Desert Valley Region and the AIA, o providing opportunities to develop a strong sense of school spirit within the entire o St. Mary community which includes parents, students, faculty and coaches, o assisting St. Mary Boosters to display good sportsmanship at all events in which St. Mary participates, o cooperating with other schools in matters of transportation, facility use, support of their programs and their support of St. Mary's programs. Philosophy We believe that the opportunity for participation in a wide variety of student- selected activities is a vital part of the student's educational experiences.  Such participation is a privilege that carries with it responsibilities to the school, to the activity, to the student body, to the community and to the students themselves.  These experiences contribute to the development of learning skills and emotional patterns that enable the student to make maximum use of his or her education. Athletic competition plays an important part in the Saint Mary's Catholic High School experience.  Young people learn a great deal from their participation in interscholastic athletics.  Lessons in sportsmanship, teamwork, competition and how to win and lose gracefully are an integral part of each team in our athletic program.  Athletic competition plays an important part, too, in helping the individual student develop a healthy self-concept as well as a healthy body.  Athletic competition adds to our school spirit and helps all students - spectators as well as participants- develop pride in their school. Whether on the field, gym or on the court, St. Mary's coaches, faculty, administration, students, parents, alumnae, boosters and student athletes must represent themselves and St. Mary's in the most professional manner.  Behavior, dress and demeanor must be consistent with the values and philosophy of St. Mary High School as well as the Arizona Interscholastic Association's (AIA) and National Federation Coaches Education Program.