Special Olympics Athletics
Facts for New Athletes: Special Olympics is an international program of year-round sports training & athletic competition for individuals with mental retardation or cognitive delays. The first Special Olympics games were held at Soldier field in Chicago in 1968. Since that time, Special Olympics chapters have been established in all 50 states & approximately 150 countrie
s. For almost 55 years PTOEC has been a proud participant in Illinois Special Olympics. From the first Track & Field competition, to the present offering of twelve different sports, PTOEC continues to serve approximately 175 athletes in the Belleville area. For more information or if you are interested in joining, please contact: Tara and Robert Edwards @ [email protected]
What sports are offered? We currently offer...
Basketball
Bocce
Bowling
Flag Football
Golf
Gymnastics
Snowshoeing
Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Track and Field
Volleyball
What is required before participating? A current annual physical and paid PTOEC membership is required. What does it cost? There is no charge for an individual to participate in Special Olympics however PTOEC does require a $40.00 annual membership fee to cover training facilities, uniforms, transportation, insurance, and meals & lodging when traveling to competitions. Who can participate? To be eligible to participate in Special Olympics, a person must be at least 8 years old and identified by an agency or professional as having one of the following conditions: intellectual disabilities, cognitive delays as measured by formal assessment or significant learning or vocational problems due to cognitive delays that require or have required specially designed instruction. Are the athletes chaperoned? Parental & family support of all athletic activities is encouraged. The usual chaperon to athlete ratio is 1:4, however special exceptions may be made for wheelchair athletes, or others requiring 1:1 supervision. Athletes are never left unsupervised. Are there arrangements for transportation? Parents or other family members are responsible for getting the athlete to practices & to local or area competitions. Van transportation from a designated pickup point is provided for athletes for any activities that require an overnight stay. Where are practices held? Practice session for all sports are held in various locations around the Belleville area. Are uniforms required? PTOEC provides uniforms for all team sports. Athletes are also provided with a PTOEC t-shirt to be worn for all sporting events when uniforms are not required.
