Special Olympics Tennessee
Programs
Description
The organization coordinates 36 volunteer training schools annually for coaches in all sports and other volunteers in areas of management, public relations, and fundraising to certify all to work with Special Olympic athletes.
Program Areas Served
None
The organization coordinates 36 volunteer training schools annually for coaches in all sports and other volunteers in areas of management, public relations, and fundraising to certify all to work with Special Olympic athletes.
Program Areas Served
None
Description
Special Olympics Athletes have the opportunity to serve on boards, local area committees or other leadership roles with the support of a mentor. The Global Messenger Training Program invites outside facilitators to work with Special Olympics athletes in the ALPS program in the areas of public speaking, speeches and presentations. Athletes can also participate in training programs to become officials for competitions as well as coaches or assistant coaches.
Program Areas Served
None
Special Olympics Athletes have the opportunity to serve on boards, local area committees or other leadership roles with the support of a mentor. The Global Messenger Training Program invites outside facilitators to work with Special Olympics athletes in the ALPS program in the areas of public speaking, speeches and presentations. Athletes can also participate in training programs to become officials for competitions as well as coaches or assistant coaches.
Program Areas Served
None
Description
Athletes train in 17 sports locally and compete to qualify for state-wide events. Program includes Traditional Sports made up of Special Olympics qualified athletes and Unified Sports made up of Special Olympics athletes and peers without disabilities. In Tennessee there are 37 area programs that coordinate competitions and training for a specific county or region. Year-round sports programming includes alpine skiing, snowboard, ice skating, basketball, track & field, swimming, golf, flag football, bocce, powerlifting, Tennis, volleyball, soccer, bowling, equestrian, softball and rollerskating. Special Olympics TN and TSSAA now offer high school sanctioned unified sports competitions. In 2018 Special Olympics launched a new Unified Champion Schools program in public schools to foster inclusion for athletes with intellectual disabilities. This program was created to develop inclusive school environments for ALL students with and without disabilities.
Program Areas Served
None
Athletes train in 17 sports locally and compete to qualify for state-wide events. Program includes Traditional Sports made up of Special Olympics qualified athletes and Unified Sports made up of Special Olympics athletes and peers without disabilities. In Tennessee there are 37 area programs that coordinate competitions and training for a specific county or region. Year-round sports programming includes alpine skiing, snowboard, ice skating, basketball, track & field, swimming, golf, flag football, bocce, powerlifting, Tennis, volleyball, soccer, bowling, equestrian, softball and rollerskating. Special Olympics TN and TSSAA now offer high school sanctioned unified sports competitions. In 2018 Special Olympics launched a new Unified Champion Schools program in public schools to foster inclusion for athletes with intellectual disabilities. This program was created to develop inclusive school environments for ALL students with and without disabilities.
Program Areas Served
None
Description
In 2010, Special Olympics began a program to engage youth at the high school and middle school levels to become engaged with Special Olympics athletes in their schools as Unified Sports partners and friends. These 'activation' activities include in-school campaigns to build respect and understanding for all people with disabilities. Most recently, participating schools have conducted in-school campaigns of Special Olympics' 'Spread the Word to End the Word', a campaign to end the use of the word retarded in jokes and everyday language...teaching that words can hurt and the role of words in bullying. In 2018 Special Olympics TN and the TSSAA partnered to start Unified Sports programs in high schools and sanctioned select high school competitions. Additionally, Special Olympics launched a Unified Champions School program for high, middle and elementary schools. These school based programs will promote inclusion and friendship.
Program Areas Served
None
In 2010, Special Olympics began a program to engage youth at the high school and middle school levels to become engaged with Special Olympics athletes in their schools as Unified Sports partners and friends. These 'activation' activities include in-school campaigns to build respect and understanding for all people with disabilities. Most recently, participating schools have conducted in-school campaigns of Special Olympics' 'Spread the Word to End the Word', a campaign to end the use of the word retarded in jokes and everyday language...teaching that words can hurt and the role of words in bullying. In 2018 Special Olympics TN and the TSSAA partnered to start Unified Sports programs in high schools and sanctioned select high school competitions. Additionally, Special Olympics launched a Unified Champions School program for high, middle and elementary schools. These school based programs will promote inclusion and friendship.
Program Areas Served
None
Description
Young athletes programs were started in 2009 to meet the demand for activities for 3 to 7 year old children with intellectual disabilities. These community-based programs consist of weekly 'play' activities involving child and parent...ideally with a maximum of 12 families involved. The program introduces 'young athletes' and their parents alike to Special Olympics activities as well as bringing them together socially as they learn the health, physical fitness and self-confidence building values of Special Olympics.
Program Areas Served
None
Young athletes programs were started in 2009 to meet the demand for activities for 3 to 7 year old children with intellectual disabilities. These community-based programs consist of weekly 'play' activities involving child and parent...ideally with a maximum of 12 families involved. The program introduces 'young athletes' and their parents alike to Special Olympics activities as well as bringing them together socially as they learn the health, physical fitness and self-confidence building values of Special Olympics.
Program Areas Served
None
Description
In 1990, Special Olympics introduced its first Healthy Athletes program with vision screening whereby volunteer specialist screen athletes attending state events and then provide them with glasses if needed free of charge. The program has been expanded over the years to include hearing and dental screenings, and most recently in 2010, a fitness and nutrition education effort to combat the obesity issues affecting all Tennesseans, but especially citizens with disabilities who have less access to resources. This project has been done in conjunction with the Governor's statewide program of 'Get Fit TN'.
Program Areas Served
None
In 1990, Special Olympics introduced its first Healthy Athletes program with vision screening whereby volunteer specialist screen athletes attending state events and then provide them with glasses if needed free of charge. The program has been expanded over the years to include hearing and dental screenings, and most recently in 2010, a fitness and nutrition education effort to combat the obesity issues affecting all Tennesseans, but especially citizens with disabilities who have less access to resources. This project has been done in conjunction with the Governor's statewide program of 'Get Fit TN'.
Program Areas Served
None
CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments
| Since its founding in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics has always been structured as a sports training and competition program that focuses on the physical, mental, and social growth of individuals with intellectual disabilities (in 2005, Special Olympics adopted language change from mental retardation to intellectual disabilities...one of the first organizations in the US to do so). Since that time, Special Olympics has added sports offered during all seasons of the year...17 total sports in Tennessee. In addition to traditional sports (in which all athletes are Special Olympians), Unified Team Sports have been developed whereby athletes with and without disabilities participate as teammates. They train together, play together, and travel together. This unique structure fosters greater opportunities of inclusion into the community than ever before, and at the same time provides the Unified partners the chance to know, appreciate, and respect Special Olympics athletes for their abilities. Each year, more than 250 local, area, regional, and state events are conducted in Tennessee. Over 17,000 Special Olympics athletes, and 3000 Unified Partners, trained and competed in one or more Special Olympics sports. In addition to Special Olympics competitions in Tennessee, athletes from the state have participated in World Winter and Summer Special Olympics Games held in the US, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Austria, China, and Greece. For these athletes it has truly been the experience of a lifetime which none of them would have without Special Olympics. Through the work of volunteers, and the friendships fostered during their work with those who have intellectual disabilities, these special athletes and their communities have been changed for the better! In addition to the basic sports programs focusing on individual athlete development, Special Olympics has added Athlete Leadership development, Healthy Athletes Education/Screening, Fitness and Nutrition Education, and a new Young Athletes Development program in 2009 which continues today. |
