Special Olympics

We plan to offer bowling in Fall of 2022 and basketball in Spring of 2023. Any eligible middle or high school athlete can participate. Athletes practice once a week at a specified practice facility.  Transportation is provided by the district in busing students to practices. Parents are responsible for picking students up after practice and transporting them to the game sites.

• Eligibility is limited to people who have closely related developmental disabilities such as those who have functional limitations, both in general learning and in adapted skills such as recreation, work, independent living, self-direction or self-care.
• General learning limitation refers to substantial deficits and conceptual, practical and social intelligence that will result in performance problems in academic learning and/or general life functioning. Learning limitations may be assessed by standardized test. 
• Adapted skill limitations refers to ongoing performance deficits in skill areas considered essential to successful life functioning. 
• People with functional limitations based solely on a physical, behavior, emotional, specific learning disability or sensory disability are not eligible.

• According to the World Health Organization, intellectual disability is a condition of arrested or incomplete development of the mind characterized by impairment of skills and overall intelligence in areas such as cognition, language, and motor social abilities. Intellectual disability can occur with or without any other physical or mental disorders. Although reduced level of intellectual functioning is the characteristic feature of this disorder, the diagnosis is made only if it is associated with a diminished ability to adapt to the daily demands of the normal social environment.
• Visit https://www.sotx.org/ for more information 2008 Special Olympics Texas Sports Information Guide, pg B-1

Special Olympics was created and developed to give individuals with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to train and compete in sport activities. Athletes must compete in an area program and events within the geographical boundaries where they live.

Athletes must be a minimum of 12 years old by the first day of the Games to participate in chapter level competition.