Young Athletes Overview - Special Olympics Florida

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Young Athletes Program

Overview

The Young Athletes Program is an innovative sports play program for children ages 2-7 with intellectual disabilities (ID) and developmental disabilities (DD) and their peers, designed to introduce them into the world of sports. The benefits to this program have been proven worldwide. First and foremost, these activities will help the children improve physically, cognitively and socially. This program will also raise awareness of the Special Olympics program and serve as an introduction to the resources and support available within Special Olympics Florida to families, agencies, and schools.

Program Goals

This program is designed to address two specific levels of play. Level 1 includes physical activities focused on developing fundamental motor tracking and eye-hand coordination. Level 2 concentrates on the application of these physical activities through a sports skills activity program and developing skills consistent with Special Olympics sports play. The activities will consist of foundational skills, walking & running, balance, and jumping, trapping & catching, throwing, striking, kicking and advanced skills.

Types of Programs

There are two ways the program may be offered.

The Young Athletes Program (YAP) can be offered at home by a family member or friend. These volunteers become play pals on a one-on-one basis with their family member. This would be called a Young Athletes Home Program.
The second option is offer a YAP as a site program. A site program may be a school or agency such as a Parks & Recreation Department, Hospital, Daycare, ARC, UCP, YMCA, and Church, school or Camp. The agency agrees to offer the program under the name of Special Olympics Florida Young Athletes Program. A site program may also be under the direction of a volunteer approved by Special Olympics Florida County or Area Program who finds a donated site to conduct activities. Such sites might include but not limited to a church, community center, YMCA, playground, ARC, UCP, or Housing Development Community Room.

Both types of groups will follow all guidelines for the Special Olympics Young Athletes Program. Group site must have at least 6 registered Young Athletes to begin a program as they will receive an equipment kit free of charge.

Start a Young Athletes Program

Contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and let them know that you are interested in starting a program.
Attend a training program/informational workshop offered at a state or regional site. Training is based on the Young Athlete Curriculum Guide w/DVD (provided by Special Olympics Florida) offering training tips and descriptions of how to do the program. (Trainings may also be available upon request depending on the size of the program and the amount of interest expressed by your agency/school).

Next class is being offered on January 28, 2012
Learn more about this training class and View/Download Registration Form
Complete the Program Start-Up forms (see right column) and email or fax forms to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at 866-725-1402
Upon completion of forms and registration of 6 Young Athletes with Intellectual Disability and 2 Class A Volunteers (Play Pals), an equipment kit and banner is sent to you courtesy of Special Olympics Florida.
Program: Once you receive your equipment, you can start conducting your sessions. You must conduct 24 sessions. More than one session can be completed each week. For example, if you choose to have 2 sessions per week, then your program will run for 12 weeks.
- Level 1 Play: Physical activities focused on developing fundamental motor tracking and eye-hand coordination.
- Level 2 Play: The activities consist of foundational skills, walking & running, balance, and jumping, trapping & catching, throwing, striking, kicking and advanced skills which are a pre-requisite to developing the sports skills needed for Special Olympics training and competition.
Culminating Event: Once you have completed 24 sessions, you are ready to host your Culminating Event. (Please notify This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it a month prior to the Culminating Event so that you can receive the forms necessary to receive your t-shirts, certificates, and ribbons)
- This final event showcases the young athletes and unified young athletes learned skills for their parents and the community at large. Each athlete receives a T-shirt to wear at the event. County Commissioners, city councils, school board members and elected officials are invited to attend. This brings awareness to the program.
Certificates of Participation and Ribbons are provided and are given to all Young Athletes at the awards ceremony held at the end of your Culminating Event.
Evaluation: A Site Program Evaluation form is returned to the state office after 24 sessions and Culminating Event.