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Coaches Training

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Introduction

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YOU are Coaching Excellence

As a Special Olympics coach you…

• Help athletes with Intellectual Disabilities find their own strengths and abilities and teach them how to build upon them every day.
• Bring enthusiasm, commitment and a positive attitude to each practice and competition
• Enhance athletes’ sport techniques, tactics and fitness
• Enrich the lives of our athletes in many life-changing ways

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Initial Requirements

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Initial Requirements

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Certification Requirements for Class A Volunteers and Adult Unified Partners

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HODs, Coaches, Caddies, Volunteers and Unified Partners

18 years of age and older must complete the following:

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• General Orientation Training (Only needs to be taken once)
• Protective Behaviors Training (renews every 3 years)
• Concussion training (renews every 3 years)
• Criminal Background Check (renews every 3 years)
• https://www.sotx.org/volunteering-2020

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Requirements for Unified Partners under 18 years old

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Unified Partners under the age of 18 will need to download and submit the Minor Volunteer Form (renews every 3 years)

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Youth Unified Partner Form (Under 18)

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Requirements for Athletes

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• Athlete medicals and consents (renews every 3 years)
• Legible: Doctors must be able to read
• Complete - filled out entirely and signed
• Athlete Registration form
• Athlete Release form
• Health History
• Physical Examination
• Further Examination form (if required)
• Keep medicals up to date:
• Medications
• Allergies
• Emergency Numbers
• Emails (athletes and family email)
• English Copy
• Spanish Copy (does not have to be translated before submitting)

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Medical/Volunteer Reports

Medical and Volunteer reports will be run in January, April, August and November.

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Submit all Athlete Medicals to:�Director of Data Management

Eve Vance

Address: 2090 North I-35 Suite 5122 New Braunfels, TX 78130

Phone: 512-788-3243

Email: Evance@sotx.org

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Training Education Coordinator:

• Eve Vance �Phone: 512-788-3243�Email: evance@sotx.org

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HOD, Coaches, and Volunteer Requirements:

• Darlene Gilbert �Phone: 512-783-4424�Email: dgilbert@sotx.org 

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11 / Special Olympics Program Name

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• Athlete Safety
• First Aid (Including someone First Aid certified)
• Medical Release on hand (All SOTX related)
• Emergency Phone Numbers
• Appropriate Practice Facility
• Proper sport uniform + shoes – Strictly enforced @ All Games
• Adequate Assistance on-site during training sessions (4:1 Athlete:Coaches ratio)
• Commitment to proper training- 8 weeks minimum
• Complete Registrations correctly & turn in by deadline
• Positive motivation of athletes & positive attitude- Sportsmanship
• Coach Code of Conduct

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Coaches Responsibility

• Accident/Incident Form

First Report of Accident/Incident

13 / Special Olympics Program Name

Sport Certifications

• Sport Certifications - Renew every 3 years
• Options for renewing:

a. Attend in-person training

b. Complete virtual training video and quiz

c. Take online recertification quiz only

• 10 to 15 questions in length
• Must score at least 80% or better to pass
• Free of charge

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SIG 2.0

1. Athlete Medical - English

2. Athlete Medical - Spanish

3. Unified Partner under 18 years old

4. Unified Partner over 18 years old

5. Requirements for Caddies/HODs/Coaches/Volunteers

6. Area Registration Forms (Entry Forms)

7. State Registration Forms

8. SOI Sport Rules

9. SOI Sport Rules Changes

10. SOTX Rule Modifications

11. Event Codes

12. Code of Conduct for Athletes/Unified Partners

13. Code of Conduct for Coaches

14. Code of Conduct for Parents

15. Code of Conduct for Volunteers

16. SOTX Protest Form

15 / Special Olympics Program Name

Training and Lesson Plans

1. Coaching Guide
2. 1 hour lesson plan
3. 8- Week Training Plan

16 / Special Olympics Texas

Heating/Divisioning

• Athletes are divisioned with no more than 8 in a Heat
• Heats are based on:
1. Gender
2. Age
3. Ability Level
• Quick Scores

17 / Special Olympics Program Name

Unified Program Models:

1. Unified Recreation - consists of recreational sport-related enrichment opportunities to promote social inclusion and increase sports skills and knowledge. Level: Athlete in Training
2. Unified Sports Player Development - refers to the local level where players of higher ability assist teammates to develop sports skills and tactics to successfully participate on a team. Level: local competition only
3. Unified Sports® - is a program that combines Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (Partners) on sports teams for training and competition. All players on a Unified Sports® team must have attained the requisite sports skills and play without modification. Levels: local, area, state, national and world competitions

Comparison among Unified Competitive, Player Development and Recreation Models

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Unified Age Differentials

• If any member of a team is between the ages of 8-13, the variance of the youngest and oldest member of the team must be no more than 3 years
• If any member of a team is between the ages of 14-17, the variance of the youngest and oldest member of the team must be no more than 5 years
• If all the members of a team are 18 and older the variance between the youngest and oldest member of the team should be no more than 20 years.

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Unified Bench Coaching

• Old Rule: Unified Sports coaches are allowed to play on Unified Sports teams as long as they have a dual-certified bench coach. The dual-certified bench coach must be certified in the sport and in Unified Sports. The bench coach is responsible for the line-up and conduct of the team. The bench coach cannot be listed as a player for that game, and he/she cannot enter the game as a player.”
• Applies to :
• Basketball ○ Soccer ○ Volleyball ○ Floorball
• Flag Football ○ Softball ○ Tennis
• Rule ends on 1/1/2022
• Must be registered as either a coach or unified partner prior to competition

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State Entries Process

• Process of athletes advancing from area to state.
• All Athletes and Unified Partners who participate in an area competition will qualify for State.

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21 / Special Olympics Texas

Meaningful Involvement and Player Dominance

• Meaningful Involvement - An effort to optimize participation by all team members (athletes and partners) based on the principle that every player should contribute to the success of the team.
• Player Dominance
• Limits the roles and opportunities of other players
• Violates the intent and spirit of the Special Olympics Unified Sports rules and philosophy.
• Can be a judgement call, there is no cut and dry definition of dominance.

For example, when either player is not engaged while in play due to other players cutting into play, this could be cited as dominance.

• If an official determines that a player is dominating play, that official shall sanction the player and/or coach. Sanctions include but are not limited to:
• Warning the player and/or coach
• Citing the player and/or coach for unsportsmanlike conduct
• Removing the player and/or coach from the game
• Sport-specific enforcement procedures for meaningful involvement will be covered in the coaches’ meetings

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Hydration & Nutrition

23 / Special Olympics Program Name

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• Fluids are lost through sweat and lungs while athletes train and compete
• Ensuring that athletes are adequately hydrated is a critical responsibility of coaching
• Particularly important
• Prior to practice and competition
• During practice and competition
• After practice and competition

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Hydration

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A decrease in the volume of blood circulating through the body.

• Exercised muscles do not receive enough oxygen
• Athlete’s performance suffers

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Common Symptoms:

• Dry mouth
• Dizziness
• Inability to produce tears, saliva, sweat
• Delirium
• Rapid Heart rate

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Substances and drugs may put athletes at risk for dehydration. This list includes some (not all) in the following categories:

• Alcohol
• Asthma medications
• Blood pressure medications
• Psychotropic medications
• Vitamin D derivatives

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Dehydration

Food as Fuel

• Food selection before, during and after an event is important in helping athletes:
• Build energy to perform the workout
• Maintain energy
• Recover

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Travel Snacks

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• Dried fruit, nuts, seeds
• Fresh/canned fruit, vegetables
• Water, fruit juice
• Bagel, pita bread, ready to eat cereals, cereal bar, crackers
• Yogurt, string cheese, humus (may need refrigeration)
• Peanut and other nut butters

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** Be aware of any food allergies or special dietary needs**

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Basketball Training

28 / Special Olympics

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• Individual Skills - 8ft , 10ft
• Team Skills - 8ft , 10ft
• 3v3 Team - 8ft (Traditional only)
• 3v3 Team - 10ft (Traditional and Unified)
• 5v5 Team - 10ft (Traditional and Unified)

�Note: As a part of our entry requirements, each team must submit completed Athlete Assessment forms, itemizing scores for each athlete / partner competing in Team Competition and Unified Sports™ Team Competition.

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Events Offered

Roster Sizes

• 3v3 Traditional -
• 3 athletes on the court at a time
• Roster size shall be no larger than 6

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• 3v3 Unified -
• 2 athletes and 1 partner on the court at a time
• Roster size shall be no larger than 6. (must have an equal number of athletes and partners)

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• 5v5 Traditional -
• 5 athletes on the court at a time
• Roster size shall be no larger than 10

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• 5v5 Unified -
• 3 athletes and 2 partners on the court at a time
• OR 4 athletes and 1 partner on the court at a time
• Roster size shall be no larger than 10 (must have an equal number of athletes and partners)

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• Team Skills -
• Each team shall consist of a minimum of 5 athletes and have a maximum roster size of 8 athletes.

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Unified Sports Basketball Video

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Unified Basketball Additional Resources

• Unified Basketball Coaching Guide
• Assessing players and forming teams

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Competition Rules

• Traditional play will be 4 periods, each 6 minutes in length
• 1 minute break between quarters, 5 minute half-time
• Unified play will be 4 periods, each 8 minutes in length
• 1 minute break between quarters, 8 minute half-time
• Each player on a unified team MUST be given the opportunity for meaningful involvement and contribute to the overall performance of the team.
• Player dominance will not be allowed in any unified event.
• The length of overtime is half of the time of a regular quarter.

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Competition Rules Contd.

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• Jump ball will be used to start the game and for overtime.
• All other possessions will be based on possession arrow
• Timeouts
• Two, 30 second timeouts and three, 1 minute timeouts are allowed per game (cumulative)
• Coaches receive an additional timeout in overtime play
• All team members must be played in every game (except injured players)
• Games will use a traditional time clock

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Uniforms

• The uniforms must consist of a jersey/shirt, shorts and appropriate sport shoes (Traditional, non-marking basketball shoes should be worn).
• The number must appear on front and back of the jersey/shirt.
• The numbers on front and back should be clearly visible at least 6 inches high on back and 4 inches on the front.
• Teams must use plain Arabic numbers: 0,1,2,3,4,5, 00,11,12,13,14,15,20,21,22,23,24,25,30,31,32,33,34,35,40,41,42,43,44 ,45,50,51,52,53,54, and 55.
• A team member list shall not have both numbers 0 and 00.

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Full Court Press Restrictions

For lower Traditional and lower Unified Divisions:

• Full court press: defensive pressure in the backcourt on a change of possession.
• If a team rebounds the ball and immediately goes to a fast break, the defensive team is able to play defense (this is not considered a full court press)
• If the team rebounds the ball and “holds” it, the defensive team cannot play defense until half-court.
• Teams in the lower division may not full court press at any time.

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Modifications to Rules for Team Basketball

• Players are allowed to:
• Shuffle feet while holding the ball without changing position on the court. (Higher level Divisions have no modifications).
• Take one extra step when gaining possession of the ball from a dribble or a pass.(Higher level Divisions have no modifications).

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• Players occupying a marked lane space are restricted from moving until the ball touches the ring or backboard or until the free throw ends.

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Fouls

• There are no adaptations on fouls.  All fouls will be called and at all levels.
• Each player will be allowed 5 fouls per game, with the 5th foul resulting in removal from the game.
• On the 7th team foul of each half, the opposing team will shoot 2 free throws.
• An official has the right to call technical fouls on coach(es), player, team attendant or follower. Technical fouls result in 2 free throws for the opposing team shot by any member of that team.

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Individual Skills

The purpose of the Individual Skills Contest is to allow athletes to train and compete in basic basketball skills.

The development of these key skills are necessary prior to advancing to a team level.

Basketball Spot Shot Skill Assessment

• Purpose - To measure the athlete’s ability to shooting a basketball.
• Equipment
• Two basketballs
• Floor tape if needed
• Description
• Athlete attempts two field goals from each of six spots marked on floor. The attempts are taken at spots # 2, #4 and #6 (right side of basket) and then at spots #1, #3 and #5 (left side of basket).

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• Scoring is as follows:
• 4 points: For every field goal made at spots #5 and # 6
• 3 points: For every field goal made at spots # 3 and # 4
• 2 points: For every field goal made at spots # 1 and # 2
• 1 point : For any attempt that does not pass through the basket, but does hit either the backboard and/or hoop

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• The athlete’s score is the sum of the points from all 12 shots (Max score: 38)

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Basketball Target Pass Skill Assessment

• Purpose - To measure the athlete’s ability in passing a basketball.
• Equipment
• Two basketballs
• Floor tape if needed
• Description
• Athlete stands in square and throws ball at one-meter square marked on wall.
• Each athlete is given five (5) passes.
• Passes may be either overhand or underhand; one- or two-handed.

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• Scoring is as follows:
• 3 points: Athlete hits the wall inside the square
• 2 points: Athlete hits the lines of the square
• 1 point: Athlete hits the wall, but not in or on any part of the square
• 0 points: Ball bounces before hitting the wall or athlete steps out of square
• Extra Points: Athlete receives 1 additional point for catching the ball in the air or after one or more bounces while standing in the square
• The athlete’s score is the sum of the points from all five passes (Max score:20)

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Ten-Meter Dribble Skills Assessment

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• Purpose - To measure the athlete’s ability to Dribble a basketball.
• Equipment
• Two basketballs
• Floor tape if needed
• Description
• Athlete dribbles ball with one hand for 10-meter distance while being timed.
• Each athlete receives two (2) trials. Trials should be non-consecutive to allow for rest.
• Athlete begins from behind start line when official signals “Go”.
• Athlete must cross finish line between the cones and pick up ball to stop dribble.
• If athlete loses control of ball, stopwatch continues to run. If ball goes outside of lane, athlete can either recover errant ball or pick up nearest back-up ball.
• Wheelchair athletes must alternate 2 pushes with 2 dribbles for legal dribbling.

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• Scoring is as follows:
• Athlete is timed from the signal “Go” to when he/she crosses the finish line and picks up the ball to stop his/her dribble.
• A 1-second penalty is added every time the athlete illegally dribbles (i.e., two-hand dribbles, carries the ball, etc.)
• Each trial is scored by adding penalty points to the elapsed time and converting the total to points based upon the Conversion Chart (located on score sheet).
• Athlete’s score is his/her best of the two trials converted into points.

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Speed Dribble

• Purpose - The Speed Dribble event is a modification for athletes that are physically unable to perform the 10m dribble.
• Equipment
• Measuring tape
• Floor tape or chalk
• Basketball
• Stopwatch
• Counter
• Whistle
• On the whistle, the athlete has 60 seconds to dribble the ball as many times as possible
• The athlete must be standing or sitting in a wheelchair or another type of chair with similar dimensions while competing
• Only one hand may be used
• Athlete must stay in the designated circle while dribbling

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• Scoring is as follows :
• Athlete receives 1 point per legal dribble within the 60 seconds
• If the ball rolls out of the circle, it may be handed back to the athlete and the count will continue.
• If the ball rolls out of the circle 3 times before the 60 seconds is over, counting will stop and the event will end.

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Basketball Individual Skills Scorecard

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Team Skills

• Equipment
• Two basketballs
• Basketball goal
• Metric tape measure
• Floor tape or chalk
• Scoresheets
• Scoreboards
• Setup
• Mark 5 spots around the floor similar to a 2-1-2 defense. Each spot should be 4 meters apart. Position #5 should be marked 2 meters from
• Rules
• Two, five-member teams are set up on opposite ends of the court. Only one team should conduct a round at at at time

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Position 4

Position 3

Position 5

Position 2

Position 1

Rules

• Each player on the first five-member team attempts to catch the ball and then throw it accurately to the player stationed at the next position.
• The player in position #1 throws the ball to the player at position #2.
• The player at position #2 throws the ball to the player at position #3.
• This sequential throwing rotation continues until the ball reaches the player at position #5.
• Athletes may pass the ball in any manner, but each player must pass in numerical sequence. A bounce pass is allowed provided that there is only one bounce.
• If the ball is thrown past an athlete, the athlete or official may retrieve the ball. However, the athlete must return to his/her position before throwing the ball to the next player.
• A correct pass is defined as a ball that is thrown within reach of the receiving player.
• When the ball reaches the player in position #5, he/she then attempts a field goal.
• This procedure will continue for 5 rounds (each athlete has had an opportunity at each position) and two halves will be played

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Scoring

• 2 points - Each successful field goal
• 1 point - Each successful catch
• 1 point - Each correct pass
• A bonus point is given for each complete successful round of correct passing, catching and made field goal
• The Maximum score that can be accumulated by single team during one half is 55
• The final score is the sum of all scores over the 10 rounds
• Additional rounds are played if both team are tied until one outscores the other

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Any Questions

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Thank You!

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