February's SOAR Scoop: Unified Sports
Last month, we learned about the different competition levels of Special Olympics, and this month we will get the scoop on Unified Sports and Unified Champion Schools®. This is your chance to the SCOOP on all the ins and outs of Special Olympics Arkansas!
What's the Scoop on Unified Sports?
Most people are familiar with Special Olympics Traditional Sports. These sports are designed specifically for athletes with intellectual disabilities to compete with and against each other. This model was the original one created by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968.
View all competitions and trainings in your area, region, and statewide by visiting Special Olympics Arkansas' calendar and following us on Facebook and Instagram!
What's the Scoop on Unified Sports?
Most people are familiar with Special Olympics Traditional Sports. These sports are designed specifically for athletes with intellectual disabilities to compete with and against each other. This model was the original one created by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968.
- In 1989 Unified Sports were added to official Special Olympics Sports. Unified Sports brings together people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by the principle that training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.
- Special Olympics Arkansas hosts Unified Sports year-round in several different sports: Unified Softball, Unified Flag Football, Unified Tennis, Unified Floorball, Unified Pickleball, Unified Bocce, Unified Swimming, Unified Golf, Unified Cheerleading, Unified Powerlifting, Unified Basketball, Unified Soccer, and Unified Volleyball.
- Who can compete in Unified Sports: Any team that is made up of people with and without intellectual disabilities, that meets the standard requirements for competition and has submitted an entry through the proper channels on the area or state level. If you would like to learn more about competing in Unified competitions, please reach out to [email protected].
- Unified Champion Schools is a program that promotes social inclusion through intentionally planned and implemented activities affecting systems-wide change in K–12 schools and across college campuses. The program includes three interconnected components: Special Olympics Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership, and whole school engagement.
- Unified Champion School competition opportunities include Unified Athletics, Unified Basketball, Unified Bowling, and Unified Esports.
- If your school would like to be a Unified Champion School, start by contacting [email protected] to learn about the resources and support available for implementing the UCS program.
View all competitions and trainings in your area, region, and statewide by visiting Special Olympics Arkansas' calendar and following us on Facebook and Instagram!
Published February 2025
