Today more than 13,500 children and adults with intellectual disabilities participate in Special Olympics Mississippi programs in every county. State Offices administer their respective programs under the guidance of Special Olympics, Inc., headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Special Olympics program is divided into six levels: local, area, state, regional, national and world levels.
Special Olympics is unique in that it accommodates competitors at all ability levels by assigning them to competition divisions based on previous performances or preliminary heats. In this way, even athletes in the lowest division may advance to State, Region, National and World Games.
Locally Favorite Sport
- Canoeing
Official Sports
- Alpine Skiing
- Aquatics
- Athletics (Track & Field)
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Bocce
- Bowling
- Croquet
- Equestrian
- Figure Skating
- Floor Hockey
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Horseshoes
- Power Lifting
- Roller Skating
- Sailing
- Snowshoeing
- Soccer
- Softball
- Table Tennis
- Tennis
- Volleyball
Unified Sports
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Canoeing
- Golf
- Sailing
- Soccer
- Softball
- Table Tennis
- Volleyball
To become an athlete, please download and fill out the applications listed below. Please note several of the forms are more than one page. Mail all completed forms to Helen Parish at the mailing address listed below.
- Application for Participation (Medical Form)
- Unified Sports Partner Registration Form
- Official Special Olympics Release From
- Special Provisions Regarding Medical Treatment (Religious Objections Form)
- Atlanto-Axial Instability Release Form
- Atlanto-Axial Instability Status Form for Athletes with Down Syndrome
Mail the completed forms to
Special Olympics Mississippi
ATTN: Helen Parish
15 Olympic Way
Madison, MS 39110
Or Fax the completed forms to
Helen Parish
601-856-8132
Eligibility
Any individual eight years or older who has been 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 delay that require or have required specially designed instruction. The Special Olympics Young Athletes program was created for children with intellectual disabilities ages four through seven. Young Athletes is an innovative sports play program for children intellectual disabilities, designed to introduce them to the world of sports prior to Special Olympics eligibility at age eight.