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Through a dynamic partnership between schools, business and Special Olympics Pennsylvania (USA), there's a new football (soccer) league in town. With a generous grant of $12,500 from Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, youth are gearing up for a different kind of sports experience, called Special Olympics Unified Sports, which pairs people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same teams.
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Four young players in Austria with and without intellectual disabilities,(from left) Milijazim Shaquiri, athlete; Vinzenz Härtel, partner; Fabio Fartely, partner; and Nino Maier, athlete, are part of a Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia project that was successfully launched in 2005 that brings young people with and without intellectual disabilities together onto the football pitch in an effort to promote tolerance, acceptance and friendship. (Photo courtesy of Special Olympics Austria) |
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Special Olympics New Hampshire Unified Sports partner Shannon McAloon (left) and her cousin, athlete Sean Costello (right), competed in softball, winning second place in their division at the 2006 Special Olympics USA National Games. |
The innovative program will target eight schools located in and around Warrendale, Pennsylvania. The soccer league will pair as many as five students with intellectual disabilities and five students without intellectual disabilities to form a soccer team roster. A minimum of eight teams will be in the league, which will run through the summer. Each team will practice on a regular basis and compete against other Unified Sports teams in the league. A culminating championship tournament will be held.
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Special Olympics Paraguay's Unified® tennis teammates José Sanabria, 25 (left), and Oscar Benítez, 29 (right), met at the International Tennis Club in Asunción, where each of them started playing tennis in 1996. Eight years ago, Oscar first noticed how hard José was hitting, and recounts, "I thought it would be fun to play against him!" The two have been playing together ever since. José's strong volley is complemented by Oscar's speed in moving around the court, and they are quite evenly matched. (Photo courtesy of Special Olympics Latin America) |
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Special Olympics Slovakia athlete Milan Panencan (goalkeeper) (left) and his Unified Sports football (soccer) partner Matus Bires (right). Milan and Matus competed on a Unified Sports football team at the 2006 European Youth Games in Rome, Italy. "At the European Youth Games, I've gained an even deeper understanding and point of view about people with intellectual disabilities, and I feel good about it," said Matus. (Photo: Adam Nurkiewicz) |
Mitsubishi Electric power Products, Inc. support helps Special Olympics attain a vital goal: to positively change society's attitudes about individuals with intellectual disabilities. When members of the general public see Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities training and competing in Unified Sports they become more enlightened about the value each individual possesses and the contributions every person can make to society.
Everyone can play
The idea of Unified Sports was developed by Special Olympics Massachusetts and further refined in 1989 when the Founder of Special Olympics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, announced her endorsement of the program. The goal of the program was to integrate people with and without intellectual disabilities because it was thought that interaction was a key to improving self-confidence among athletes and could lead to breaking down misperception in the general population.
Special Olympics Unified Sports teams are composed of approximately equal numbers of Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (called partners) of similar age and ability. Most sports offer the option of Unified Sports. |
How to get involved
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Contact your state or national Special Olympics Program by going to www.specialolympics.org and click on “Find a Location.” The state or national Program will put you in touch with your local Special Olympics. |
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Find out if there is an existing Unified Sports team in your sport. If there is, sign up to play! |
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If there is not an existing Unified Sports team, start one! Your local Special Olympics can provide a “How To” guide on DVD to get you started. |
Are you a potential Unified Sports partner?
- Interest in a low-stress sports experience
- Didn't like physical education in school, but still wanted to do sports
- Want to play, but don't have to be the “star” of the team
- Enjoy a social outlet
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Special Olympics Indiana athlete Brandon Suttles (left) with his Unified Sports partner Aaron Milborn have competed in golf together since 2005. | |
