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Special Olympics In the early 1960’s, Eunice Kennedy Shriver and her husband, Sergeant, began holding a day camp in their backyard for individuals with intellectual disability. They believed, and over the years they have converted hundreds of thousands to believe, that people with intellectual disability were far more capable in sports and physical activities than many experts believed. This day camp spawned Special Olympics in the United States and around the world. At the first International Games in 1968 1,000 athletes from 26 states and Canada competed in track and field, swimming, and floor hockey. The growth of Special Olympics since that time has been overwhelming - nearly one million athletes are now training and competing in more than 140 countries and 54 U.S. chapters. These athletes are aided by 500,000 volunteers and 250,000 coaches. The spirit of Special Olympics - skill, courage, sharing, and joy - incorporates universal values that transcend all boundaries of geography, nationality, political philosophy, gender, age, race, or religion. History of Special Olympics PennsylvaniaSpecial Olympics Pennsylvania became an official chapter of Special Olympics Inc. 1970 after hosting a track and field event for 135 participants. The growth of Special Olympics here in Pennsylvania has mirrored the growth worldwide. In 51 local programs from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, we have over 27,000 athletes training and competing in over 20 sports. At over 300 local, sectional, and state events, our athletes participate free of charge. TrainingAs stated in the mission statement, Pennsylvania Special Olympics offers year-round sports training. Training is the essential element of Special Olympics. Our athletes are well-prepared physically and psychologically before they enter competitions by completing the mandatory eight weeks of training prior to competing. Competition Special Olympics competitions use a unique divisioning system based on age, sex, and ability. By assigning athletes to divisions commensurate with their ability, every athlete is given a reasonable chance to win. Athletes compete in competitions at the local level and also have the opportunity to go on to sectional and state-level competitions. Special Olympics Pennsylvania hosts three statewide competitions 2,000 athletes compete at Summer Games, 700 at Fall Festival and 500 at Winter Games. World Games take place every two years alternating between Summer and Winter Games. |
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