Leading with Faith: St. Sebastian Captains Leadership Day 2026

January 20, 2026 | Today, on the Feast of St. Sebastian, we reflect on the St. Sebastian Captains Leadership Day held last Friday, January 16.

Each January, student-athletes across the Catholic High School League gather to celebrate leadership, faith, and athletics through the St. Sebastian Captains Leadership Day. While this year’s gathering looked a little different, the heart of the day — connection, reflection, and growth — remained strong.

Originally planned to take place in person at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, this year’s Leadership Day shifted to a virtual format due to winter weather. Even so, the experience continued to bring together student-leaders for a meaningful day centered on faith, perseverance, and servant leadership.

The Leadership Day itself was inspired by now-senior Xavier Evoy (UDJ), who envisioned an opportunity for like-minded student-athletes to grow together in faith and fellowship. It is fitting that the event honors St. Sebastian, the patron saint of athletes. A Roman soldier and martyr, St. Sebastian is remembered for his courage, unwavering faith, and physical endurance — qualities that continue to resonate deeply with young athletes striving for excellence both on and off the field.

With the modified format, the day featured three powerful testimonials from leaders in faith, athletics, and character formation:

• Ms. Kristin Sheehan, Program Director of Play Like a Champion Today, a character-based youth sports initiative from the University of Notre Dame
• Owen Carapelloti, a former UDJ student-athlete who played baseball at Georgetown University and is currently trying out for the Las Vegas (formerly Oakland) Athletics
• Molly Campbell, Notre Dame Prep graduate and Athletic Director at Marian High School

Each speaker shared personal insight on leadership, faith in athletics, and using one’s gifts to positively influence others — messages that resonated strongly with students, even through a screen.

Representing St. Catherine of Siena Academy were seven student-athletes, selected by our Athletic Director with input from their coaches for their leadership and commitment to their teams:

• Lizzy Burke
• Veronica DiFranco
• Brooklyn Mills
• Annika Ramirez
• Jane Janda
• Loren Nafso
• Megan Teed

Junior Veronica DiFranco, a leader on the cross country and track teams, reflected on the impact of the day, sharing:

“This retreat left me with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the opportunity given to me to be a leader in the sports I participate in. I was truly honored to participate in such a meaningful event. With advice from people who I can look up to, this retreat set me up to be a better athlete, teammate, and most importantly, leader to help bring up those around me.”

St. Sebastian Captains Leadership Day is a good reminder that athletics at SCA are about more than competition, they are about character, community, and leading with faith. We thank our student-athletes who represented SCA!

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