"We are not all identical. Others may have more ability than you have - they may be larger, faster, quicker, stronger and superior in other physical attributes - but no one should be your superior in such very important qualities and characteristics as team spirit, enthusiasm, industriousness, cooperation, loyalty, determination, honesty, sincerity, reliability and integrity. Acquire and keep these traits and success is assured."
- John Wooden, former UCLA Basketball Coach
Special Olympics Unified Sports® brings together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to train and compete on the same team. Throughout the year, in a variety of sports ranging from basketball to golf to figure skating, Unified Sports athletes improve their physical fitness, sharpen their skills, challenge the competition and have fun, too.
The concept of combining athletes with intellectual disabilities and those without (called Unified Partners) was first introduced in the United States in the mid-1980s to provide another level of challenge for higher ability athletes and to promote equality and inclusion. Today, the initiative includes virtually all Special Olympics sports, and Unified Sports competitions are an important part of Special Olympics World Games, as well as local, state, and national Games.
Unified Sports enables athletes to:
- learn new sports;
- develop higher-level sports skills;
- have new competition experiences;
- experience meaningful inclusion as each athlete is ensured of playing a valued role on the team;
- socialize with peers and form friendships (the program provides a forum for positive social interaction between teammates and often leads to long-lasting friendships); and
- participate in their communities and have choices outside of Special Olympics (Unified Sports programs often are initiated by community partners, including parks and recreation departments, schools Boys and Girls Clubs of America and community sports organizations. These partnerships help further include athletes in their community).
Special Olympics Indiana offers the following Unified Sports activities:
- Alpine Skiing
- Aquatics
- Athletics
- Basketball
- Bocce
- Bowling
- Cycling
- Equestrian
- Figure Skating
- Flag Football
- Golf
- Horseshoes
- Snowshoeing
- Softball
- Volleyball
To learn more information about these sports click here.