Ryan O’Connor, MBA, M.Ed
Founder & President
In founding this ministry in 2016, Coach O’Connor combined his love for Jesus Christ and His Church with his passion for sports and adventure. Mr. O'Connor has 20 years of experience teaching grades 3-8, as well as 19 years of coaching experience in South Bend, Los Angeles, Guatemala City, and Denver. He was an Illinois All-State high school basketball player before earning a scholarship to play at Dominican University in River Forest, IL. He is a 2013 graduate of the Denver Catholic Biblical School and serves as a teacher and athletics director at Our Lady of Lourdes. He and his wife were married in 2007, and with their six children, are parishioners at Holy Name Catholic Parish in Sheridan, CO.
Maddie Arellano
Athletic director
Maddie has a passion for sports, family, the Catholic faith, and working with athletes of all ages. She grew up playing numerous sports including gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, and most notably, softball, which she played while earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at Texas A&M San Antonio. Coming from a faithful Catholic family of six, she has been blessed with great older siblings as examples. After attending and playing sports at public schools, she is excited to help young athletes glorify and serve the Lord through sports. Maddie is a parishioner at Our Lady of Lourdes in Denver.
Katie Sixta
Operations manager
Having her children participate in Highlight’s fall soccer league, summer camps and competitive baseball for seven years, Katie joins the apostolate as part-time Operations Manager. Grateful for her children’s experiences integrating faith and sports, Katie looks forward to helping continue Highlight’s mission to give children joyful Catholic witness. She previously worked with ACE Scholarships, empowering families to send their children to local Catholic schools. She and her family are parishioners at St. Mary Catholic Parish in Littleton, CO.
Aaron Mikita
Summer camp director
Coach Mikita has over 17 years of coaching and leadership experience. He has coached youth from age 4 to middle school. As a two-sport athlete in high school (basketball and soccer), he excelled at soccer as an All-State Defensemen and led his high school team to their first state championship appearance in 30 years. Mr. Mikita has been coaching with Frassati Sports since its inception and was named a 2019 Coach of the Year by the Colorado Soccer Association. He and his wife of 20 years, along with their four children, are parishioners at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Parish in Littleton, CO, where Mr. Mikita has served as a religious education instructor. He is currently the Athletic Director at Bishop Machebeuf High School.
Jayce Rastrelli
Summer camp Missionary
Coach Jayce felt the impact of prayer through sport as a volunteer at the first-ever Frassati Basketball Camp in 2016. This experience led him to change majors from Graphic Design to Exercise Science: Human Performance and Sport Coaching, earning his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 2021. Being the youngest of seven in a large Catholic family, he has been blessed to be surrounded by great role models of strong faith. Being able to be that role model for these young athletes has been a blessing for Jayce and they continue to help him grow in his faith. Jayce is also the Athletic Director for Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory and a parishioner at St. Thomas More Catholic Parish in Centennial, CO.
To support his mission, see his mission support page here.
Sarah O’Connor, M.Ed
Secretary & Tennis director
Coach O'Connor has over 7 years of teaching experience and 13 years of experience coaching in Indiana, Maine, Mississippi, and Colorado. While earning 9 varsity letters in high school playing volleyball, basketball, and tennis, she and her doubles partner advanced to the Indiana State Tennis Finals. She earned a scholarship to play Division I tennis at the University of Dayton where she was an Academic All-American. Mrs. O'Connor taught Catholic marriage prep for 5 years. She is currently a homeschooling mother of 6 children. She and her husband, Ryan O'Connor, have been married for over 17 years and live in Littleton, CO.
Fr. Christopher Gama, O.F.M. Cap.
Chaplain
Fr. Gama is a Capuchin Franciscan friar, currently in charge of post-novitiate formation for the St. Conrad Mid-America province. He is a 2013 graduate of Denver's St. John Vianney Theological Seminary and previously served as a hospital chaplain for the United States Army in Fort Carson, CO. As a three-sport athlete in high school, Fr. Christopher helped his baseball team win the 1997 Colorado 4A State Championship.