Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.
ALPs give individuals with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to stand up and let their voices be heard, as well as teach them the leadership skills to help shape the direction and movement of Special Olympics. These programs put athletes in an environment where people listen to them and value them as individuals.
Athletes are encouraged to choose the type of leadership opportunities that they are most interested in pursuing. Training classes are offered to help the athlete learn the skills that are needed to be successful in the role they will fill. Special Olympics Texas also helps train volunteers, coaches, committee members, and others to work with athletes in a way that values athlete participation.
Click here to learn more.
Food for Fitness is a nutrition program geared toward Special Olympics athletes. These lessons, paired with the Food for Fitness placemat, are designed to teach everyone how the food we eat can improve training and lead to more successful competition.
Click here to learn more.
This program was designed for athletes training to compete in the Special Olympics but everyone can benefit!
FUNdamental Sports includes three core principles:
- Foundational Skills
- Unified Partners
- No Limits.
This program establishes individualized programs for athletes ages two and older who, due to their physical and/or developmental abilities, are working on foundational motor skills to prepare them for possible competitions in official Special Olympics events.
As the athlete learns the sport progressions, he/she comes closer to acquiring skills considered essential for participation in official Special Olympics competitions and daily life activities.
FUNdamental Sports athletes participate in a variety of sports that have been adapted to accommodate all ability levels.
Participation is accomplished through the use of adapted equipment and physical assistance that are matched to the individual’s level of need. Athletes are not limited in the number or types of equipment and assistance that is used in order to achieve success.
Through the inclusion of Unified Partners as one-on-one assistants, the athletes and partners have the opportunity to develop friendships. Additionally, the Unified Partners will have the opportunity to grow in their awareness of the athletes’ unique abilities.
Healthy Athletes is a Special Olympics program that provides free health screenings in a fun, welcoming environment that removes the anxiety and trepidation people with intellectual disabilities often experience when faced with a visit to a doctor or dentist.
The Healthy Athletes program has become the largest global public health organization dedicated to serving people with intellectual disabilities.
Call or click here to learn more.
This program is for children, youth, and adults with intellectual disabilities.
This is a year-round sports training and athletic competition program for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.
This program is for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Athletes may begin training as early as six years old but must be eight years old to compete.
Athletes must be 12 years old to attend statewide competitions.
Children ages two through seven can participate as “athletes in training” where the Young Athletes Program (YAP) is available.
Special Olympics Texas has partnered with a state agency, the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), on a 12-week program designed to keep the athletes and those currently not involved within Special Olympics active without having to use exercise equipment or join any fitness clubs or gyms. While the program is primarily geared to the older individual, many of these are very good for all including family members and providers.
Click here to learn more or here to order your FREE How-To Texercise Handbook.
Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools is an opportunity for schools pre-K through university-level to intentionally promote meaningful social inclusion. This is accomplished by bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities to create accepting school environments, utilizing three interconnected components:
- Special Olympics Unified Sports
- inclusive youth leadership
- whole-school engagement
(Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools and Special Olympics Unified Sports are registered trademarks.)
Click here to learn more.
Young Athletes is an athletic play program designed to introduce children ages two to seven to the world of physical activity through basic sports skills like running, kicking, and throwing.
The program is based entirely on participation; there is no competitive element.
This program offers families, teachers, caregivers, and people from the community the chance to share the joy of sports with all children.
Students work on skills as part of their school day. These skills may be in line with the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals. Once or twice times a year there will be a culminating Future Stars Sports Day, during which all students will demonstrate the skills they have learned for family and friends.
Click here to learn more.
Children with and without intellectual disabilities participate together, prior to and regardless of Special Olympics eligibility at age eight.
Healthy LEAP (Lifestyle, Education, and Practice) is a series of health, nutrition, fitness, and safety lessons and practical applications created specifically for youth with and without intellectual disabilities.
The curriculum includes topics dedicated to educating and encouraging athletes (individuals with intellectual disabilities) and partners (individuals without intellectual disabilities) to maintain a healthy lifestyle through increased physical activity, improved nutrition, and overall emotional and social health.
Healthy LEAP lessons are delivered by coaches/teachers over the course of eight weeks. Each coach/teacher is given a manual with the complete health lessons, and every participant will receive their own student kit to support them during the program.
Participants will learn about food groups, maintaining a healthy weight and obesity, behavior and stress management, bone health, sports nutrition and hydration, exercise and injury prevention, sun safety, and prevention of tobacco and alcohol use.
Benefits of the program
- Positive health changes in participating students
- Students gain an increased awareness of health and wellness topics
- Promotes inclusion by engaging athletes of all ages and abilities
After completing a minimum eight-week training program, athletes participate at the Infinitus Games. Infinitus, which means unlimited, offers athletes a culminating event to display learned skills in a variety of sports.
Athletes receive awards for participating and striving towards demonstrating their personal best efforts at the Infinitus Games.
These games are now offered outside of the school-based program at Area, Regional, and State Level Personal Best Events.
Objectives
- Provide opportunities for athletes to acquire abilities considered essential in the skill progressions leading to participation in official Special Olympics sport competitions.
- Provide opportunities for athletes to improve daily life skills.
- Provide opportunities for athletes to develop friendships with Unified Partners.
- Provide opportunities for athletes to demonstrate the acquired skills at the Infinitus Games culminating event.
- Inform coaches, teachers, parents, and others of the goals and objectives of FUNdamental Sports and how it fits into Official Special Olympics sport programs.
- Provide coaches with the necessary skills to organize and conduct FUNdamental Sports programs and Infinitus Games events.
Motor Skills and Daily Life Activities
Through the support of their families and community members, the athletes are enabled to transfer acquired motor skills into their daily activities at home and in the community. FUNdamental Sports focus on five areas of basic motor skills which improve the athletes’ sport skills as well as daily life activities. Following are examples of sports and life activities impacted by improved motor skills:
- Mobility – increased movement can lead to Track & Field, Cycling, Gymnastics, rolling over, sitting up, and wheelchair independence.
- Dexterity – control of an object can lead to Basketball, Golf, Tennis, using a spoon to eat, and picking up a pencil.
- Striking – can lead to Softball, Bowling, Volleyball, Badminton, hitting a switch, playing video games, and activating a communication device.
- Kicking – can lead to Soccer, Flag Football, and improved balance.
- Swimming – can lead to skills competition, along with increased endurance, muscular strength, and relaxation.
Sample Lessons
- Warm-Up Activities: General awareness activities, relaxation activities, and stretching
- Skill Stations: Activities that develop basic motor skills of Mobility, Dexterity, Striking, and Kicking
- Group Game: A fun way for participants to apply the skills practiced at the skill stations. Also provides an opportunity for participants to learn the rules of a certain game and interact with peers and volunteers
- Conclusion: Conduct range of motion/stretching and relaxation activities to cool down