By - CSN Staff Reports: 

The Catholic Sports Network began its second season  with the addition of two new schools on the webcast schedule.  Joining the Academy of Holy Angels (AHA) and Benilde-St. Margaret’s (BSM) is Holy Family Catholic  (HF) and Providence Academy (PA). The four schools will be featured on the Catholic Sports Network website with fall, winter and spring sports live streamed each week.  

Developed last season by AHA’s Michael Kautzman and BSM’s Jerry Pettinger, the Activities Directors decided to take a team approach to providing additional exposure for their athletes and schools.  The website allows for a multi-media approach to providing live games for families, friends, fans and even scouts. Podcasts with participating coaches of the teams can also be heard on the website as well.  

“The goal of putting the Catholic Sports Network (CSN) together is to continue to increase the Catholic High School’s exposure to our area Catholic and  elementary and middle schools and also provide exposure for our student-athletes,” AHA’s Kautzman said. “Last year, Jerry (Pettinger) and I decided to take the first step forward to get it started and go from there in hope of adding more Catholic High Schools.  We are happy to have Holy Family Catholic and Providence Academy join us and we will continue to have more of the schools be a part of it as well in the near future.”

For activities, Catholic schools do not have the luxury of youth programs from which their student-athletes are developed like in the public school setting.  Rather, the rely on enrollment to the school and develop their program in an organic way. The CSN provides each school an opportunity to market themselves to their potential future students and families who are making decisions on their school choices.

AHA and BSM have been in existence for some time and they are pleased to welcome two of the newer schools from the West Metro in HA and PA.  “Our School philosophy is to partner with other mission similar schools,” PA Activities Director Rick Johns said.  “Through this, it is our belief that our school communities will develop excellence within their mission and values. Partnering with the schools involved in CSN is a great example of how Providence Academy stands together with partner schools in order to a develop quality experiences.”

Holy Family Catholic Activities Director Nick Tibesar looked to the tradition of  Catholic schools and the value to student athletes. “We are thrilled to work together with our partner schools in the area,” he said.  “There’s a rich tradition of Catholic education and education-based-athletics in the area, and we’re proud to be able to work together to carry the torch forward, and to use the conveniences of digital technology to find more ways to provide access to and awareness of the many great things happening within the schools in the St. Paul Minneapolis Archdiocese.”

For Johns the live streaming experience engages everyone as he explained, “Live streaming provides Providence Academy with the ability to engage attendees unable to come to our events. This technology will provide a great opportunity for those of in our community who travel, for out of town relative or even siblings away at college to keep up with their favorite Lion or PA  team. Ultimately, our hope is that live streaming and then archiving these contests will increases the number of people who can enjoy our events.”

Fall Live Streaming Schedule
Friday August 31st - Football Providence Academy vs St. Croix Lutheran 7pm
Friday September 7th - Football Academy of Holy Angels vs South St. Paul 7pm
Friday September 14th - Football Benilde-St. Margaret’s vs DeLaSalle 7pm
Friday September 14th - Football Academy of Holy Angels vs St. Louis Park 7pm
Monday September 17th - Volleyball BSM vs Woodbury 7pm
Tuesday September 18th - Volleyball Holy Family Catholic vs Dassel-Cokato 7pm
Thursday September 20th - Boys Soccer Holy Family Catholic vs Hutchinson 5pm
Thursday September 20th - Girls Soccer Holy Family Catholic vs Hutchinson 7pm
Friday September 21st - Football Providence Academy vs Patrick Henry 7pm
Friday September 21st - Football Holy Family Catholic vs Delano 7pm
Friday September 28th - Football BSM vs St. Louis Park 7pm
Friday October 5th - Football Academy of Holy Angels vs BSM 7pm
Friday October 5th - Football Providence Academy vs St. Paul Johnson 7pm
Friday October 12th - Football BSM vs Richfield 7pm
Friday October 12th - Football Providence Academy vs Highland Park 7pm
Friday October 12th - Football Academy of Holy Angels vs Waconia

A new piece of technology was added to the CSN with the delivery of the Pixellot Camera System.  AHA, BSM and PA all will have a form of the system in play beginning in the fall. The automated camera is cutting edge technology that seamlessly films and provides 8 mega-pixel HD video for live streams and coaching video tools.  It allows for each of the school’s to provide games and events for all levels of activities.

The CSN will webcast traditional productions and also provide access to the games delivered from the Pixellot system that is managed in partnership with the National Federation of High Schools.  

“Live streaming provides Providence Academy with the ability to engage attendees unable to come to our events,” Johns said. "This technology will provide a great opportunity for those of in our community who travel, for out of town relative or even siblings away at college to keep up with their favorite Lion or PA  team. Ultimately, our hope is that live streaming and then archiving these contests will increases the number of people who can enjoy our events.

Pettinger said that growth and exposure are key to the success of building the network.  “BSM's goal is to increase exposure for Catholic Schools. We anticipate being able to broadcast a select number of games through the Pixellot system in the winter and spring.  As we get a handle on this, very excited to have other Catholic Schools join us.”