Athlete Leadership Programs (ALPs)
Athlete Sport Programs for Families and Friends

Special Olympics - ALPs programs allow athletes to explore opportunities to participate in Special Olympics outside sports. Such participation might come in the form of an athlete serving on the Board of Directors or local organizing committee; or it might find an athlete as a spokesperson, coach or official.

An ALPs program:

• Allows athletes self-determination of HOW and in What role they participate in Special Olympics, OR
• Puts athletes in meaningful positions of influence and leadership throughout the organizations to help determine policy and set direction, OR
• Creates a “culture of welcome” for athletes in leadership positions by providing training for existing leadership as they welcome athletes in their new, expanded roles.

Below are some program initiatives that Special Olympics programs have already started. An ALPs program takes these good ideas and standardizes them so that they can be available to more than just a few athletes.

• Athletes on the Program Board of Directors
• Athletes on Board Committees
• Athletes on Local/Area Committees
• Athletes on a Games Management Team
• Athletes on a Games Evaluation Team
• Global Messenger Training - Athletes as Speakers
• Athlete Congress or Input Councils
• Athlete track at Program’s Leadership Conference
• Athletes as Coaches
• Athletes as Officials
• Athletes as Volunteers
• Athletes as Donors
• Athletes employed by Special Olympics
• Athlete contributors to newsletters

Athlete Sports Programs for Families and Friends
Unified Sports® is a program that provides individuals with mental retardation (Athletes) and individuals without mental retardation (Partners) the opportunity to train and compete together as a team. The purpose of the program is to provide an environment in which all participants can improve sport skills through training and competition. Unified Sports® is most successful when all participants are matched according to ability and age. Teams are constructed in such a way as to provide training and competition opportunities that meaningfully challenge all participants and often lead to improved self-esteem, equal status with peers, and new friendships.

Partners Clubs®
Special Olympics Partners Clubs® are in existence in hundreds of schools across the United States and are beginning all over the world. Student groups volunteer their time to help as 1-on-1 peer coaching assistants and teammates. In addition, club members often conduct fund-raising events, plan social events and extend friendships beyond the sports program

Sports Partnerships
Special Olympics Sport Partnerships involve schools’ varsity and / or junior varsity teams. This concept makes Special Olympics teams part of the school’s existing sports program/league. Special Olympics athletes are given the opportunity to train and compete alongside their peers. They wear the same uniforms, ride the same team bus to competitions, compete against other schools Special Olympics athletes, qualify to earn athletic letters, and represent their school in local, area, sectional, and state Special Olympics competitions. Varsity / junior varsity athletes serve as mentors, peer coaches, scrimmage teammates, and boosters during competitions. In addition to schools, sports partnerships can be initiated between Special Olympics teams and collegiate, professional, or other organized sports organizations. Sports Partnerships with these out-of-school programs provide the same opportunities for peer interaction and quality training and competition.

For more information on how to get involved in Athlete Leadership Programs, contact us Toll Free 1-800-655-6742