Special Olympics Unified Sport
Special Olympics Unified Sport is an inclusive sports program that brings people with and without intellectual disabilities together through competition. It was motivated by the straightforward idea that friendship and understanding may be quickly attained via playing and training together. Teams in Unified Sports are composed of individuals with comparable ages and skill levels.
Through bringing people together, Unified Sport enables EVERY student to become part of their school's social fabric. Every student now has the opportunity to become an athlete, Unified Partner, or student leader while creating a more inclusive environment! Unified Sport benefits not just athletes but also our unified leaders and partners.
The concept of combining athletes with and without intellectual disabilities was first introduced in the mid-1980s to provide another challenge for higher-ability athletes and promote equality and inclusion. Unified Sport has become a transformative platform for breaking down barriers, fostering greater acceptance and promoting social inclusion and empowerment through sports. It is now a global movement that brings people together through sport. About 1.2 million people worldwide take part in Unified Sports. This program empowers individuals with and without intellectual disabilities to engage through the power of sports.
Many high-profile, professional sports organizations and events have also showcased Unified Sports as a vehicle to show the power of inclusive sports! Notably, the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) participate in unified programming. Click to watch Special Olympics' Play Unified video.
Components of a Unified Sports Program
A Special Olympics athlete is an athlete with an intellectual disability or challenge of any kind (all types are accepted, no documentation required).
Why Play Unified?
Unified Sport provides a pathway for full school engagement and meaningful inclusion and acceptance of people with disabilities and challenges. Notably, Unified Sport provides significant social benefits for both Special Olympics athletes and Unified Partners. Our athletes develop life-long friendships, are recognized as contributors, are received with acceptance and respect, and become a greater part of the school community. This program also offers students without disabilities an opportunity to be a leader, to learn, understand and appreciate differences, compete on a sports team, travel and develop meaningful relationships and connections. Special Olympics Sport is unlike any other. The sporting environment is more than just one team, school, or event; it's a movement that impacts everyone involved, regardless of wins or defeats.Â
In addition, Unified Sport is a competition pathway that allows athletes to compete at a higher level and have more opportunities to participate in sports. Overall, this program breaks down barriers every day, improving the self-esteem, social skills, and physical and cognitive abilities of individuals with intellectual disabilities and improving their quality of life.Â
Divisions
Teams are grouped in divisions according to their team ranking and selected classification. On the registration forms, schools will be asked to select what level their team would like to compete in. Teams can select more competitive play where athletes have a moderate-high skill- set and understanding of the rules, or less competitive play where athletes are new/learning the sport and Unified Partners take on a more faciliatory role.Â
Unified Partners are there to compete alongside higher-level SO Athletes. Unified Partners are intended to score points, impact the game meaningfully and compete in this category in both divisions. Unified Partners should be tasked with defending the opposing Unified Partner. Note: Unified Partners are not permitted to take over games but are expected to contribute to winning. Coaches are responsible for ensuring the correct involvement of their players.Â
How to Get Involved?
Embarking on the journey to get involved and build a Unified program is a straightforward process, follow these steps to get started!
- Form a team by reaching out to your school or teacher to initiate the program. Whether you are a parent, athlete, or partner, the first step is to reach out to your school or teacher to get the program off the ground.
- Pair a group of SO Athletes/Special Education Students with a smaller group of mainstream students.
- Select Unified Partners from leadership classes, sports teams, or through extracurricular sign-ups. Unified Partners are typically chosen from a leadership class, a sports team, or students can sign up for it as an extracurricular activity. Unified Partners range from the starters on the basketball team to student leaders to students who have never had the opportunity to play on a team.
- Participate in in-person sports, virtual events, athlete showcases, or qualify for school championships.
- Mentorship opportunities are available for those interested in starting a program - Unified Champions Schools and Teachers are available throughout the province.
How to Build the Program
Unified goes further than just attending events! A Unified program creates full school engagement and inclusion. This is how it’s done:
- Embedding Unified programming into gym classes (Unified PE) and leadership classes.
- Adopting consistent team practices and social events for relationship building.
- Creating afterschool and lunch break programs.
- Having Unified Partners advocate and spread awareness through fundraising, social media, and incorporating SO athletes into school activities.
Unified Sports
School Championships
Athlete Showcases
Our showcase events feature a Special Olympics Ontario-style 3-on-3 Unified basketball competition. These are regional weekend tournaments designed to highlight our athletes, bring parents to our events, and connect our communities with our schools. The Unified showcase is open to Unified teams, parings, individual SO athletes or partners to sign up. These events are available to recent graduates and current high school students.
For more information on Unified Sport, please visit our Unified Resources or see below:
- Special Olympics Ontario Unified Forum: Athlete, Partner & Educator ForumÂ
- Principal of Meaningful Involvement: SO Unified Sports Principle of Meaningful Involvement Â
- SO Learn Unified Coaching Course: Unified Coaching CourseÂ
- Unified Sports Coach Guidelines - Unified Sports Coach GuidelinesÂ
- SOI Unified Resource Library: Unified Youth Resources Â