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TRAINING SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES (TSOA) TRAINING

BEGIN

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Introduction – TSOA Training

Thank you for being a part of the Special Olympics family. It is through the caring, concern and talents of all our athletes, families and volunteers that Special Olympics has become one of the most respected sports programs in the world. Your participation in this program is just one more way that you demonstrate your dedication.

Please Note: The training and the quiz needs to be completed in one sitting.

Estimated time to complete training & quiz: 30-40 minutes.

Email volunteer@sosc.org with any questions.

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Training�Special Olympics Athletes

The better the coach……

The better the experience…

The better the athlete.

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Coach Education – Training Athletes�Overview

Unit 1 - The Athlete

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Unit 2 –Teaching & Training

Unit 4 –Managing the Program

Unit 3 – Preparing for & Coaching during Competition

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Coach Education – Training Athletes�Course Organization

Course Organization

Each unit begins with an introduction, which includes an overview of the learning objectives with interactive learning activities to help reference what you’ve learned.
Course materials and other resources can be accessed by clicking the appropriate icon.
At the end of the course you will be prompted to take a 100-question quiz that covers all 4 sections: General Orientation, Protective Behaviors, Concussion, and Training Special Olympics Athletes (TSOA).

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Coach Education – Training Athletes�Course Highlights

Benefits and Limitations

Volunteer screening is a tool Special Olympics uses to help protect athletes, but is not fool-proof.
Many predators do not have criminal records.
Your job as a volunteer is to be vigilant and report any behavior or activity that does not appear appropriate based on your personal experience or warning signs identified in this presentation.

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Coach Education – Training Athletes�Course Highlights

This training will highlight the following:

Identify how an individual with intellectual disabilities learns sports skills & rules; what a coach can do to facilitate learning (training sequence & levels of instruction).
Identify what obstacles may challenge an athlete to learn sports skills and rules; what to do to overcome them.
Identify necessary skills that a coach should develop.
Describe the importance of completing & sending registration information to meet deadlines.

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Coach Education – Training Athletes�Course Highlights

This training will highlight the following:

Develop a training plan for a season and for individual practices.
Development of a plan to provide appropriate supervision during a day or overnight trip.
Identify successful competition-day coaching strategies.
Identify necessary skills that a coach should develop.

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UNIT 1�The Athlete

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This unit will help you develop an understanding of athlete abilities and the challenges you may face as a coach. When you complete the unit, you should be able to do the following:

Identify the four psychological considerations that affect an athlete’s ability to develop the skill necessary for sport participation.
Recognize core medical considerations that most frequently influence individuals with intellectual disability.
Identify social considerations that affect an athlete’s participation.

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The Athlete

Important Considerations Concerning

Special Olympics Athletes

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Psychological

Social

Medical

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Psychological Considerations

As a coach of Special Olympics athletes, you must consider four psychological factors that affect your athletes. �

Motivation
Perception of surroundings and self
Comprehension
Memory

Due to varying types of disabilities, athletes may be affected in some or all of these areas. Furthermore, these difficulties may show themselves in different ways.

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Psychological Considerations

Each psychological issue has its challenges and action to take…..

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Psychological Item

Challenge

MOTIVATION

History of neglect & negative reinforcement, feeling of failure

PERCEPTION

Easily distracted by noise

Control Surroundings

Action

Focus on positive, appropriate reinforcement, catch the athlete doing well

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Psychological Considerations

Each psychological issue has its challenges and action to take…..

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Psychological Item

Challenge

Action

COMPREHENSION

MEMORY

Practice in different settings

Psychological Item

Challenge

Action

COMPREHENSION

Difficulty learning through verbal explanation only

MEMORY

Difficulty applying skills in different environments

Add demonstrations and/or physical manipulation

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Psychological Considerations

For challenges in MOTIVATION – the goal is helping athletes maintain interest.

May have a shorter attention span; harder to keep independently ‘on task’.

May be motivated more by short-term rather than long-term.
May learn better with more frequent positive reinforcement.

Strategies...

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Keep drills short

Establish short term goals

Provide positive reinforcement

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Psychological Considerations

For challenges in PERCEPTION – the goal is helping athletes understand the sport in which they are participating

May have impairments in sight or hearing.
May have difficulty focusing attention on the appropriate object or task.

Strategies...

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Provide cues or prompts for sensory impaired athletes

Control environment to minimize distractions

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Psychological Considerations

COMPREHENSION – helping athletes remember and perform the skill they have learned.

May find it difficult to understand purely verbal explanations of new skills. Often find it easier to learn through visual demonstrations and physical prompts.
May have difficulty in understanding complex, multi-part actions or explanations.
Often take a longer time between learning one piece of information and the next.
Less able to generalize skills learned in one situation to a different situation.

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Psychological Considerations

For challenges in COMPREHENSION – helping athletes remember and perform the skill in appropriate time.

Strategies...

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Break down instructions into parts to promote understanding

Apply appropriate level of instruction

Use repetition & reinforcement to affect learning

Provide progression opportunities to develop skills

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Psychological Considerations

For challenges in MEMORY – helping athletes remember and perform the skill they have learned.

Strategies...

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Provide progression of situations in which skills are applied

Repeat previously learned skills frequently

Provide competition opportunities to encourage application of skills

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Medical Considerations

What are Intellectual Disabilities?

According to the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), intellectual disability is characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning (reasoning, learning and problem solving) and adaptive behavior, which can cover a range of everyday social and practical skills. Individuals with intellectual disabilities are unique just like everyone else.

The following slides will provide you with additional information as to common medical considerations that affect Special Olympics athletes.

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Medical Considerations

Down Syndrome

Most recognizable condition associated with Special Olympics.
May have additional medical problems.
Atlanto-axial Instability (AAI) - approximately 10% of individuals with Down Syndrome may have this condition.
Mal-alignment of the cervical vertebrae C-1 and C-2 in the neck.
May cause injury if they participate in activities that hyper-extend or radically flex the neck or upper spine.
An athlete with AAI cannot participate in these prohibited sports – equestrian, gymnastics, diving, pentathlon, butterfly stroke and dive starts in aquatics, high jump, alpine skiing/snowboarding, squat and lift and soccer.

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Medical Considerations

Down Syndrome – Behavioral Awareness

Can communicate well using the spoken word
May be mature socially
May have difficulty expressing themselves
Learn by mimicry
Can be extremely stubborn

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Medical Considerations

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or autism, is a complex neurological and developmental disorder that affects how a person acts and interacts with others, communicates and learns.

20% of athletes exhibit one or more of the autism spectrum disorders.

ASD affects the structure and function of the brain and nervous system. Because it affects development, ASD is called a developmental disorder. ASD can last throughout a person's life.

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Medical Considerations

Autism Spectrum Disorders – Behavioral Awareness

Engagement in repetitive activities, such as, hand-flapping, rocking, jumping and twirling, arranging and rearranging objects, and repeating sounds, words, or phrases. Sometimes the repetitive behavior is self-stimulating, such as wiggling fingers in front of the eyes.
Resistance in environmental change or change in routine
Unusual response to sensory experiences
May exhibit self-stimulatory behaviors
May exhibit obsessive compulsive behaviors

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Medical Considerations

Orthopedic Impairments

Condition is defined by permanent disabling symptoms resulting from damage to the motor control areas of the brain.

Abnormal reflex development - the presence and strength of a reflex is an important sign of nervous system development and function. Many infant reflexes disappear as the child grows older, although some remain throughout adulthood. A reflex that is still present after the age when it would normally disappear can be a sign of brain or nervous system damage.

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Medical Considerations

Orthopedic Impairments

Condition is defined by permanent disabling symptoms resulting from damage to the motor control areas of the brain.

Difficulty in coordinating and integrating basic movement patterns
Intellectual disability
Seizures
Speech and language disorders
Sensory impairments

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Medical Considerations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Condition is defined in which athletes display hyperactivity behaviors, have difficulty attending to a task at hand and tend to be impulsive. ADHD is characterized by a discrepancy between academic potential and achievement that is not caused by intellectual disability, emotional disturbance or environmental disadvantage. Core symptoms of ADHD are:

Inattention
Impulsivity
Hyperactivity

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Medical Considerations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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ATTENTION DEFICIT

Failure to pay attention to details or making careless mistakes

Unable to keep attention on tasks

Difficulty listening when spoken to directly

Inability to finish tasks or follow instructions

Trouble organizing activities

Avoidance of things that require long periods of mental effort

Losing things you need

Being easily distracted

Forgetting things in daily activities

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Medical Considerations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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HYPERACTIVITY

Fidgeting with hands or

feet

Unable to remain seated when it is expected

Feeling restless

Difficulty with quiet leisure activities

Feeling ‘on the go’ as if ‘driven by a motor’

Talking excessively

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Medical Considerations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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IMPULSIVITY

Blurting out answers before the question is finished

Unable to wait your turn

Interrupting other�people’s conversations

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Medical Considerations

Medications

Very important to know medications athletes are taking.
A list of all medications an athlete is taking will be listed on the athlete medical form. Keeping the athlete medications list current is important.
Understand the physical side effects of an athlete’s medication, i.e., hyperactivity, lethargy, photosensitivity, dehydration.

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Medical Considerations

Seizures

Incidents tend to occur more frequently among individuals with intellectual disabilities as compared to the rest of the population.

DURING A SEIZURE

Protect the person from injury.
Keep him or her from falling if you can, or try to guide the person gently to the floor.
Try to move furniture or other objects that might injure the person during the seizure.

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Medical Considerations

Seizures

DURING A SEIZURE (CONTINUED)

If the person is having a seizure and is on the ground when you arrive, try to position the person on his or her side so that fluid can leak out of the mouth. But be careful not to apply too much pressure to the body.
Do not force anything, including your fingers, into the person's mouth. Putting something in the person's mouth may cause injuries to him or her, such as chipped teeth or a fractured jaw. You could also get bitten.

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Medical Considerations

Seizures

DURING A SEIZURE (CONTINUED)

Do not try to hold down or move the person. This can cause injury, such as a dislocated shoulder.
Pay close attention to what the person is doing so that you can describe the seizure to rescue personnel or doctors.

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Medical Considerations

Physical Disabilities

Some athletes also have physical disabilities which may affect the sports they can participate in or the methods of teaching a coach must use.
Muscle strength may be needed for particular sports and some athletes may not have the strength for those sports. This is often due to lack of use rather than permanent disability.
Consult parents or care provider to determine the details of any physical disability.

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Medical Considerations

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Some athletes may have a birth defect caused by prenatal alcohol exposure.
Diagnosis is based on a cluster of physical anomalies, growth deficiencies and central nervous system problems.

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Medical Considerations

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (continued)

These athletes consistently function better on performance tasks compared with verbal tasks. The more the concrete task, the better the performance.
Tend to have poor verbal comprehension skills, despite being comfortable and chatty around people.
Tend to have attention and memory deficits; and often display poor judgment in distinguishing right from wrong.

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Social Considerations

Social Skills

May lack basic social/adaptive skills due to a lack of opportunities or training
Lacking communication and positive interaction with others

Physical Recreation at Home

Lack of physical activity
Lack of encouragement

Economic Status

May lack financial means
May not have access to independent transportation

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Social Considerations

All of the following social considerations may impact an athlete’s participation in Special Olympics:

Inappropriate responses to social situations
Physical activity being modeled
Lack of endurance
Lack of access to transportation

Our challenges as coaches is to develop a full understanding of our athletes and the strengths and weaknesses they bring with them to a Special Olympics program. By doing so we can begin to develop a training and competition program that the athlete will benefit from and enjoy.

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UNIT 2�Teaching & Training the Athlete

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There are many ways to organize a training session for Special Olympics athletes. Because of some of the things previously identified concerning comprehension and memory, there is considerable value in developing a consistent training routine that provides familiarity, stability and comfort.

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Organizing a Training Program

Task

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Skill

Application

Competition

The key is to break down skills into small tasks or steps. Tasks are then put together to form skills. Practice skills in situations that are related to the game or event.

Small steps leading up to skill

Several tasks put together

Games/drills where skills are applied

Scrimmages, leagues, games

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Training Sequence

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Training Sequence

Action

TASK

Break essential sport competencies down into individual parts or steps

SKILLS

Work on essential sport competencies to perform the sport

APPLICATION

Add demonstrations and/or physical manipulation

COMPETITION

Provide scrimmage opportunities in practice

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Preparation

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Post-Season

Culminating Competition

Pre-Season

Review

Goal Setting Season Plan

Training Competition

In-Season

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Organizing a Training Program

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ATHLETE ASSESSMENT

Conducting a pre-season athlete skill assessment is a valuable method to evaluate and measure an athlete’s skill and fitness levels.

Helps in making an appropriate selection of a sport or event
Helps in setting appropriate goals for the season
Helps in tracking progress and measure effectiveness of training
Provides valuable record when an athlete moves on to a new coach

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Organizing a Training Program

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GOAL SETTING

Set specific goals for each athlete based on fitness and skill levels and mental and physical abilities.
Involve athletes in goal setting.
Make goals readily attainable, short term, concrete and individual.
Goals incorporated into ‘Season Plan’.

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Organizing a Training Program

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PLANNING A TRAINING SESSION

Current medical records must be completed before the start of the training season and must be available on site in case of accident/injury.
Identify how much training time is needed during a season and prioritize which skills to focus on each week.
Components: warm up/stretching, skills instruction, competition experience and cool down.
There are many ways to organize a training session for athletes. There is value in developing a consistent training ‘routine’ that provides familiarity, stability and comfort.

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Organizing a Training Program

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Components

Layout of Drill or Activity

WARMING UP & STRETCHING

Specific to sport, repetitive and involve athletes in learning activities

Break skills into smaller tasks, involve as many athletes at a time & practice skills related to event situations

SKILLS INSTRUCTION

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Organizing a Training Program

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Components

Layout of Drill or Activity

COMPETITION EXPERIENCE

Scrimmage, simulate event/game situations & work towards what the competition will look like

Playing a game related to that sport & ending each training with a cool down activity and stretch

COOL DOWN & STRETCH

After each training session, it is important that coaches review the accomplishment of the athletes and discuss issues or adjustments to the training plan for the next practice.

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Organizing a Training Program

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Dynamic Stretching

Before any physical activity engage in stretching through movement similar to what the sport calls for.

It is important to raise the heart rate and body temperature by moving joints through a comfortable range of motion.

Light stretching. A great time to make announcements and recognize athletes for their effort.

After any physical activity.

Static Stretching

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Organizing a Training Program

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DOs

DON’Ts

Perform warm-up activity for 5 minutes (walk or run slowly)

Do not begin a practice by immediately playing or conducting drills this can cause injury

Do not bounce when stretching, this can cause injury

Perform stretches for 10-30 seconds each

Do not start with the smaller muscle. Progress from large to small muscle stretching

Start with the large muscle groups, such as legs then move to shoulders, etc.

WARMING UP & STRETCHING

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Organizing a Training Program

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DOs

DON’Ts

WARMING UP & STRETCHING

Breathe while stretching

Do not hold breath

Avoid hurdle stretches, deep knee bends, straight leg sit-ups, sit-ups pulling on the neck and lying on the back and moving legs overhead as if riding a bicycle

Perform stretches in a ‘safe’ position and through range of motion

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Organizing a Training Program

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IMPORTANCE OF STRETCHING

To increase flexibility

To increase circulation of blood

To reduce muscle pain after physical activity

To reduce risk of injury

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Organizing a Training Program

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SKILL INSTRUCTION

Training Sequence: Tasks...Skills...Application...Implementation
Break down skills into small tasks or steps; tasks are put together to form skills.
Use drills and activities that involve many athletes at all times.
Practice skills in situations that are related to the game or an event.

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Communication

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Communication is key to immediately reinforcing desired behavior.�Coaches should apply the five (5) C’s when communicating with athletes and be:

CONCISE
CONSISTENT
CLEAR
CONCRETE
COMMAND-ORIENTED

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Communication

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The 5 C’s

Description

Sport Example

CONCISE

Use keywords that cue a desired action that an athlete can understand

“Go to the free throw line.” OR “Reach for the sky.” Showing the athlete where and how to stand

CONSISTENT

Use the same words or phrases for the same action

CLEAR

Use easy to understand words that have one meaning

Coach constantly says “Breathe”, teaching an athlete when to take a breath in Aquatics

Use ‘See the Ball” or ‘Get Set.’

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Communication

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The 5 C’s

Description

Sport Example

CONCRETE

Use words that are specific to something physical and/or real

Teaching about the 3-second rule in Basketball, a coach can use the words ‘HOT and COLD’ to elicit an action to avoid staying too long in the key.

COMMAND - ORIENTED

Connect words to something defined or tangible

“Keep your hands up” on defense – refers to drills conducted at practice.

Make sure athlete is looking at you when making a coaching point.

Ask athletes questions rather than provide directions. Lead them to think for themselves.

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Levels of Assistance

Verbal

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Demonstration

Partial Physical Assistance

Full Physical Assistance

It is important to use the appropriate level of instruction and assistance.

The lower the ability athlete, the more assistance may be required
Verbal direction should always be accompanied by demonstration
Partial physical assistance may be needed to help the athlete get positioned properly
If all else fails, take the athlete through the complete motion.

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Levels of Assistance

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Best Practices – Basketball (example)

Evaluate player strengths
Design an offense based on those strengths
Place athletes on the court where they can be successful
Evaluate who can best play with whom
Design a substitution schedule so that all players on the court contribute to the team so that each line is effective

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Managing Athlete Behavior

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The goal is for coaches to meet each athlete where he/she is and treat him/her accordingly. However, a coach may often have certain expectations of an athlete that may not be realistic…not because the coach does not care, but because the coach does not understand or appreciate the difference that may exist.
When an athlete exhibits what is generally perceived as inappropriate behavior, the inappropriate behavior may not be defiance, acting out or silliness. These behaviors may simply be a reflection or part of the person and/or what is operating at the moment.
Coaches must be proactive with the athlete, family members, care providers to better understand outside elements that may have an impact on the athlete’s behavior.

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Managing Athlete Behavior

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Athlete Behavior Characteristics

Strategies to Improve Learning

Swimmer has a short attention span

Dwell on a stroke for short periods of time, provide activities focusing on the same task
Provide different opportunities for repetition and review, which is the key to gaining new skills
Work one-on-one to gain full attention

Basketball athlete yells if he/she misses a shot

Emphasize the other aspects of the game besides shooting
Work on shooting drills without a hoop
Begin to shoot at hoop but in non-game setting with a one-on-one coach

BEST PRACTICES

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Managing Athlete Behavior

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Athlete Behavior Characteristics

Strategies to Improve Learning

Bowler doesn’t wait his/her turn

Have a coach at the lane help with the order of bowlers and explain whose turn it is
Have the bowler wait with a coach behind the bowling area until it is his/her turn
Emphasize the order and that the bowler will always follow the same individual

Softball athlete has a hearing impairment

Establish eye contact when talking
Use signs, pictures or sign language
Demonstrate drills
Develop sport specific signs (think of the third base coach during a game)

BEST PRACTICES

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Managing Athlete Behavior

SUMMARY

Special Olympics athletes share many more similarities than differences with traditional athletes. Sport is sport; coaching is coaching. The more you learn about general coaching techniques, the more you will be able to assist your athlete’s development.
By paying attention to some of the unique challenges faced by athletes with intellectual disabilities highlighted in this course, you will be able to fine tune effective coaching practices to meet the needs of each athlete.
Use the detailed strategies matrix on pages 12-14 of the Participant Guide for more detailed information.

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UNIT 3�Preparing & Coaching for Competition

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Strategies to improve the quality of an athlete’s competition experience.

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Competition Experience

COMPETITION

A key goal of Special Olympics is to provide an opportunity for all athletes to experience success in competitions
A Special Olympics athlete can benefit from many aspects of a competition including meeting new people, participating in the festivities of an Opening Ceremony and other social events, the excitement of traveling to new places and staying away from home.
The opportunity to compete should be as important to the coach as the focus on the participation in the competition itself.

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Preparing for Competition

REGISTRATION

Provide accurate registration/entry and team roster information, qualifying times and skills assessment scores.
Help the competition committee prepare a successful competition for your athletes by meeting registration deadlines

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Preparing for Competition

OFFICIAL COMPETITION RULES

A good competition committee will instruct its officials/referees to enforce official Special Olympics Rules and SOSC modifications.
Teach your athletes the rules and, during training, phase out your verbal reminders about the rules.
At competition, coaches may have little or no opportunity to assist athletes when they are not following the rules.

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Preparing for Competition

SUPERVISION

Discuss the challenges associated with participating in competitions away from home, and why adequate, non-coaching support personnel are needed
Helps in making an appropriate selection of a sport or event
Transportation
Lodging (need for same-sex supervision)
Social Activities
Coaches Meetings (who will supervise the athletes)
Multiple events to supervise

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Preparing for Competition

SUPERVISION

Design a supervision worksheet with the essential elements referenced

PRIORITY #1 - SAFETY

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Preparing for Competition

TRAVEL & OVERNIGHT STAYS

Discuss overnight concerns with parents or group-home supervisors.
Write up a simple checklist of items to bring and distribute to athletes and parents.
Make sure all special medication needs are understood. Coaches may have to assist with handling medications. Have all medical forms and information readily available at all times.
Work out the most effective rooming arrangements, taking into account athlete choice, behavioral and personality clashes, etc.

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Preparing for Competition

COMPETITION – DAY COACHING

GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS

Teach Responsibility & Independence

Assist athletes in dressing appropriately, understanding what is happening at the competition site, maintaining focused attitude and appropriate behavior.

Arrive Early

Allow time for putting on uniforms, warm-up and stretching routine and focusing on the competition.

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Preparing for Competition

COMPETITION – DAY COACHING

GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS:

Encourage Maximum Effort in divisioning and competition per the ‘Honest Effort’ Rule as follows:

If a Competition Manager determines that an athlete or team has not competed with maximum effort in a preliminary and/or divisioning rounds with the clear intent to gain an unfair advantage in the divisioning process, he/she has the right to sanction that athlete or team.
Sanctions may include: Verbal Warning to the player and/or coach, adjusted division placement, final placement or disqualification based on ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’.

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Preparing for Competition

COMPETITION – DAY COACHING

GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS

Let athletes compete without direct supervision

Not running down the side of the track shouting instructions, allowing the competition officials to conduct the competition and allowing athletes to make mistakes and helping them learn from their mistakes.

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Preparing for Competition

COMPETITION – DAY COACHING

GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS:

Help athletes deal graciously and realistically with winning and losing (including disqualification)

Focus on effort made
Recognize accomplishments and new skills that were performed
Taking something positive away from every experience

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Preparing for Competition

COMPETITION – DAY COACHING

GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS

PROTESTS

Make any Official Protest calmly:

If you think there is a valid reason to protest the outcome within 15 minutes of the completion of the event following the competition guidelines and not involving athletes in the disputes with officials.

Protests can be made only concerning the following:

A misinterpretation of a playing rule
Failure of an official to apply the correct rule to a given situation
Failure of an official to impose the correct penalty for a given violation

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Preparing for Competition

COMPETITION – DAY COACHING

GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS

PROTESTS

Judgement calls, disagreement with divisions, improper entry scores, and matters involving the accuracy of an official’s judgement are not conditions for a protest.
The Head Coach is the only person who can file a protest to the Sports Venue Manager.
Competition Manager, Head Sports Official/Technical Delegate and Competition Director will evaluate a protest and make a decision. All decisions are final.

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Preparing for Competition

COMPETITION – DAY COACHING

GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS

Reinforce an athlete’s self image as an ‘athlete’; encourage responsibility and independence. Assist athletes in:

Dressing appropriately
Understanding what is happening at the competition site
Maintaining a focused attitude and appropriate behavior
Eating correctly and drinking sufficient water

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Preparing for Competition

COMPETITION – DAY COACHING

The coach can be the key person who makes any competition experience a good one.

Taking time to adequately prepare for competition and plan for on-site supervision is time well spent.

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UNIT 4�Managing�the Program

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Information and tools designed to help effectively manage a local program.

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Managing the Program

The successful Special Olympics coach:

Is knowledgeable about the sport and basic coaching principles
Is knowledgeable about Special Olympics philosophy, principles and rules
Helps recruit and train other coaches and sports assistants.
Recruits eligible athletes; always tries to expand participation
Helps athletes select an appropriate sport and level of participation
Offers activities for all abilities

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Managing the Program

The Successful Special Olympics Coach:

Provides safe training and competition programs
Conducts high-quality trainings and competitions
Involves families and other outside support groups
Assists with community inclusion

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Managing the Program

Head Coaches are responsible for:

Conduct pre-season meeting with other coaches and sports assistants
Develop plans/goals for the season
Review medical information on each athlete
Maintain contact information for parents/care providers
Use available time wisely
Involve assistant coaches/sports volunteers effectively
Develop a familiar routine
Develop training session plan (warm-up, skill development, competition and cool down)

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Training�Special Olympics Athletes

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Improved Performance and Well-Being

Training the key.
Competition the means
Outcome skill, confidence, courage & joy
Goal better preparation for life
Results lifelong skills, acceptance & increased�independence

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Resources

Additional resources are available!

Coaching Special Olympics Athletes Participant Guide
Athlete-Centered Coaching Guide
Quick Reference Coaching Guide

All resource materials are available on the�SOSC Website at: www.sosc.org/coachescorner

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QUIZ��Complete the Training Special Olympics Athletes (TSOA) Training Quiz by clicking the box below.

TAKE THE QUIZ

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