How To Participate in the Special Olympics

Many children of all ages enjoy participating in group activities such as sports. Children who are identified as having special needs are no exception, but they may often have trouble playing sports with other children. These children can participate in the Special Olympics. Here's how to participate:

The Special Olympics offers 30 different sports for athletes to choose from. Some sports can be played by anyone with intellectual or physical challenges, while others are better suited for athletes with intellectual challenges only. To qualify for the intellectually challenged category of the Special Olympics, an athlete must have been identified as having an intellectual disability by a professional and have cognitive delays that can cause learning problems, as measured by testing.

Athletes who participate in the Special Olympics can compete in skiing, bowling, basketball, cycling, and other mainstream sports.  Athletes must be at least 8 years old to participate in the Special Olympics, and there is no upper age limit.  For beginning athletes ages 2-7, there is the Young Athletes program.

Once an athlete has decided to participate in the Special Olympics and chosen his or her sport, he or she is ready to begin. The Special Olympics website has links to Special Olympics locations in 120 countries around the world. Most states in the United States also have training and exhibition locations, and some states even have more than one. Each state's location page lists the sports that each particular location offers, and most have a link to a web site specifically for that location.

Now the athlete is ready to register. Registration forms are available at Special Olympics location websites. They must also be accompanied by a medical release form, also available online. This form is to be completed by the athlete's doctor, and certifies that the athlete is physically capable to participate in the Special Olympics.

Training is an important part of any athlete's regimen, and those who participate in the Special Olympics must undergo training as well. The Special Olympics offers sample training programs for each sport, and encourages each athlete to train for at least 6-8 weeks in the season of his or her chosen sport.

The motto of the Special Olympics is "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt". Athletes who participate in the Special Olympics develop a greater sense of self-esteem and pride, and get a lot of joy out of the experience. The Special Olympics is a wonderful experience for intellectually challenged people of nearly any age.