If athletes only train once a week with their coaches and do no training on their own, progress will be very limited.
An Athlete Handbook/Home Training Guide can be downloaded from the Special Olympics Web site to assist coaches in integrating home training into their season, as well as help athletes and families with ideas on how to practice between practices.
Nothing improves the athlete's sport ability like playing! Parents/guardians can include the athlete in family competitions for additional practice and social outings.
To be effective, coaches should run a home training orientation for family members and/or training partners. This should be an active session where partners receive hands-on experience with the different activities.
As a motivational tool, a coach may want to award a certificate of achievement to athletes and training partners who complete a set number of home training sessions during the season.
