At Stepinac, athletics go hand-in-hand with education. We believe that sports are a powerful tool for developing leadership, discipline, teamwork, and personal growth. Whether on the field, court, or track, our goal is to shape young men into well-rounded individuals prepared for success in life. Our athletic program is open to as many students as possible, offering them the opportunity to compete, represent their school with pride, and grow through the challenges and rewards of sport.

More Than a Game: Athletics as Education
At Stepinac, sports aren't just about the scoreboard—they're about life lessons. We see every practice and every game as a chance to teach our student-athletes what it means to work hard, respect others, bounce back from setbacks, and lead with integrity.

Our coaches are mentors first. They prepare our athletes to compete at a high level, while also helping them grow into confident, principled young men. Success isn't only measured in wins—it's measured in growth. We aim to bring out the very best in every athlete: on the field, in the classroom, and beyond.

Athletic Department Leadership
Mike O'Donnell
Athletic Director, Chair of the Athletics Department
stepcrusaders@aol.com

For more than 70 years, Stepinac has been home to one of the region's top interscholastic athletics programs. Our Crusader teams—especially in football, basketball, and baseball—have earned numerous championships, creating a legacy of excellence that continues today. But championships are only part of the story. Our alumni have carried the values they learned here—perseverance, sacrifice, determination—into their careers, their communities, and in some cases, the professional sports world.

Notable Crusader athletes include:

• Bob Hyland '63 – NFL and Super Bowl Veteran
• Marty Conlon '86 – Former NBA Player
• Ray Montgomery '87 – Former MLB Player & Coach 
• Brian Sweeney '92 – Former MLB player & Coach 
• Eric Ogbogu '94 – Former NFL Player
• Gavin Heslop '15 – Former Seattle Seahawk
• Malcolm Koonce '16 – Current Las Vegas Raiders
• Trill Williams '18 – Former Miami Dolphins, Current WWE Superstar
• Ajani Cornelius '20 – Current Dallas Cowboys
• AJ Griffin '21 - Former Atlanta Hawk

A student-athlete transfer is a student who represented his sending school in athletics. Stepinac follows the rules of the CHSAA in every sport & CHSFL in Football.
 
CHSAA-All Sports besides Football: A student athlete transferring from 9th to 10th grade is eligible to play all sports from public or private schools. Student must be in school the first 15 days of semester to be eligible for a sport that season. Catholic to Catholic transfers are not eligible.

Football - CHSFL: A student athlete transferring from 9th to 10th grade is eligible to play all sports from public or private schools & other CHSFL schools . Student athlete must be enrolled in the school the first 15 days of semester to be eligible for a sport that season. CHSFL Catholic to Catholic transfers are not eligible from 10 to 11 grade . They must sit out one year if you played that sport in the prior CHSFL school.  

CHSAA: A student athlete transferring from 10th to 11th grade is eligible to play all sports from a public or private school. Catholic school transfers must sit one year if they represented sending school in prior year in that sport.

CHSFL & CHSAA : A student athlete transferring into 12th grade is not eligible.

Exceptions to Rule: Family has made a significant move or moved out of a school district: the league will review case by case for eligibility by the executive board. Student must have proof of move, live with parents or legal guardians & be able to produce all proper paperwork that may be needed. Student transferring because of school closure or discontinuance of sport at his prior school.
* All transfers are subject to league approval

Age: A student shall be eligible for interscholastic competition on the varsity level up until his or her 19thbirthday.  If a student, however, attains the age of 19 on or after July 1st, he or she may continue to participate in all sports during that school year.

Freshman rule: Any student who attains the age of 16 before the July 1st date of his or her entrance into the ninth grade is ineligible for all freshman competition. A student is not eligible for freshman competition for more than two semesters.

Any student who attains the age of 17 before the July 1st date of his or her upcoming school year is ineligible for all Junior Varsity ("JV") competition. A student is not eligible for JV competition for more than four semesters from his or her entrance into the ninth grade.

Any other Athletic transfer questions or situations please email: Coach O'Donnell: stepcrusaders@aol.com