Special Olympics Unified Sports® is an initiative that combines
approximately equal numbers of Special Olympics athletes and
athletes without intellectual disabilities (called Partners) on
sports teams for training and competition. Age and ability matching
of athletes and Partners is defined on a sport-by-sport basis.
Throughout the year, in a
variety of sports ranging from basketball to golf to figure skating,
Unified Sports athletes improve their physical fitness, sharpen
their skills, challenge the competition and have fun, too.
The concept of
combining athletes with intellectual disabilities and those without
was first introduced in the mid-1980s to provide another level of
challenge for higher ability athletes and to promote equality and
inclusion. Today, the initiative includes virtually all Special
Olympics sports, and Unified Sports competitions are an important
part of Special Olympics World Games, as well as local,
State/Provincial and National Games.
Unified Sports enables athletes to:
- learn new
sports; develop higher-level sports skills;
- have new
competition experiences;
- experience
meaningful inclusion as each athlete is ensured of playing a
valued role on the team;
- socialize with
peers and form friendships (the initiative provides a forum for
positive social interaction between teammates and often leads to
long-lasting friendships); and
- participate in
their communities and have choices outside of Special Olympics
(Unified Sports programs often are initiated by community
partners, including parks and recreation departments, schools,
Boys and Girls Clubs of America and community sports
organizations. These partnerships help further include athletes
in their community).
Download Unified Sports Partner Form
Contact Information
Chris Hopkins, Director of Programs, (401) 823 - 7411 or email
Chris@specialolympicsri.org
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