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Part II: What To Expect From The Athletes Learning Considerations (Motivation; Perception; Comprehension; Memory) Motivation: We all learn faster when we want to. It is important to help athletes (this would be any athlete, not just the Special Olympics athlete) see how much fun they will have once they master what you are teaching. Factors that may affect motivation include the athletes' reasons for coming to practice. Is it because they asked to be there? Did someone else sign them up? Do they feel comfortable that they know this sport? Or is it a new experience for them? While it may be helpful to know the answers to all those questions, your task as a coach remains the same: No matter what the motivation was for coming to the first practice, make the reason for coming to the second practice the fun and sense of success they felt at the first one.   Medical Considerations (Down Syndrome; Medications; Seizures; Physical Disabilities; Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) All of these terms are defined in the table at the end of this section titled Intellectual Disability and Other Related Developmental Disabilities. The most important things to remember regarding these issues are safety, dignity and expectations. Safety is dealt with by talking to parents, guardians and athletes themselves about what you should be aware of. You are not expected to be a physician, just use common sense. Be sure to read the required Special Olympics Medical Release Form so you will know if there are restrictions on activity. Dignity is an easy thing to deny or to give. The best gauge of ability comes from talking to your athletes about what they like, how they feel during a workout or what they want to accomplish in this sport. When you talk to athletes, labels like Down syndrome, FAS, or  "seizure prone" become less necessary. Expectations come from many sources. You will set expectations for your athletes. They will set them for themselves. Their families may have expectations about what they can or cannot do. As a coach, you need to set expectations that will challenge and push your athletes, then design workouts to help them meet those expectations. Be aware of restrictions that are noted on the Medical Release Form, but don't let them define the athlete.   Social Considerations (Social Skills; Physical Recreation at Home; Economic Status) All of these issues and their challenges are part of any athlete's reality, including a Special Olympics athlete. Where there are challenges in social skills, fitness, economic status or nutrition habits at home, you simply adjust the tools you use to help athletes meet expectations.

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