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8 AUGUST 12-25, 2017 | DENVER CATHOLIC Around the Archdiocese Spain's Foremost Living Artist "Entrada de Jesus en Jerusalem" Oil on Canvas In this painting Alvar depicts Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. "The Religious Art of Alvar Suñol" New Book Release! Exhibit Continues! Exhibit Continues! Oils, Watercolors & Drawings Alvar Suñol Masters Gallery in Cherry Creek North 2616 E 3rd Ave. Denver, CO 80206 303-221-2449 mastersgallerydenver.com *Public Parking between 2nd & 3rd on Columbine* " W e must remember we are training for Heaven!" the kids at Frassati Sports Camp shout before charging into the day's fi rst session. The summer sports camp is part of Frassati Sports and Adventure, a noprofi t organization founded by Our Lady of Lourdes vice principal Ryan O'Connor in January 2016. Though only in its second year, the basketball and soccer camps that ran July 17-21 and 24-28 drew a capacity of 180 boys. They had a ton of fun, of course, but sports aren't just fun; they instill valuable life skills and are invaluable tools for dis- cipleship, virtue formation and as the boys learned, sanctifi cation. "I learned that sports can help you become a saint," one 6th grader said in a testimonial on the Frassati Sports website. "I used to just stand around on defense in both basketball and in life, but now I know how to defend the hoop and my soul," another 8th grader said. "From the beginning until now, the Church has always been clear about what the great value in sport is in form- ing disciples and virtue formation," O'Connor told the Denver Catholic. Unfortunately, sports culture as a whole has become a far cry from this. Instead of focusing on character building and fostering those important values that sports teach so well, many athletes maintain a "win at all costs mentality," O'Connor said. "At best, it's a wasted opportunity, and at its worst, rather than training for Heaven, it's the opposite. I've always felt strongly about sports being a great tool for forming disciples," he continued. This is why O'Connor felt led to start Frassati Sports and Adventure. He named it after Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati because of the model he is to young boys and men in bringing their faith into athleticism. Frassati Sports camp teaches sports as discipleship Training for Heaven BY AARON LAMBERT aaron.lambert@archden.org @AaronLmbrt Ryan O'Connor leads Frassati Sports Camp at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. The camp runs during the summer and teaches kids discipleship through basketball and other sports. PHOTO BY AARON LAMBERT