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Alpine skiing is an exciting winter sport that challenges an athlete's balance and coordination. |
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Individual events in aquatics range from 15 to 400 meters and most distances are offered in all strokes. Special Olympics aquatics competitions are fast-paced and hold something for everyone. |
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Athletics events range from a 10-meter assisted walk to the 1,500-meter run, from shot put to high jump and from long jump to relays. For athletes of lower ability levels, there are walking, throwing and wheelchair events. |
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One of the world's most popular sports, basketball is a big favorite in Special Olympics. The sport enables athletes to learn teamwork while improving athletic ability. |
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Bocce is a game of skill and strategy that can be played almost anywhere and throughout one's lifetime. There can be two to eight players in a game. |
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Special Olympics bowling is one of the movement's largest sports. Although there are some modifications made for athletes with physical disabilities, most athletes compete under the same rules as athletes on a professional tour. |
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Special Olympics athletes who compete in equestrian events learn to ride, develop sports skills and gain the self-confidence to direct and control a horse. Athletes are able to compete in a variety of English- and Western-style events. |
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Figure skating is one the few judged Special Olympics sports. Special Olympics figure skating features single's and pair's jumps, lifts and various feats of strength and precision. Ice dancers concentrate on interpreting the rhythm and tempo of music through dance steps on the ice. |
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Among Special Olympics sports, golf provides one of the greatest opportunities for our athletes to train and compete among and alongside community members. The public setting of a golf course is a great venue for our athletes to demonstrate their skills and passion for the game. |
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Special Olympics gymnastics combines strength, flexibility and artistry. Competitions are offered for men in the artistic events and women in artistic and rhythmic events. |
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Poly hockey (floor hockey played with a polyurethane puck) is adapted from the games of ice hockey and ringette. It is a sport that has ability-appropriate levels ranging from beginner to high-level athletes. |
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Special Olympics powerlifting includes three basic lifts: the squat, the bench press and the dead lift. Training for this sport improves an athlete's overall physical fitness while giving him or her the experience of being on a team. |
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The physical demands of this fast-paced sport are challenging for any athlete. At a minimum, snowboarding requires a combination of quick reflexes, good balance and strong physical fitness. |
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Softball is an exciting team sport in Special Olympics. Athletes play slow-pitch softball, which involves two teams of 10 players. Athletes who cannot yet play the game have the opportunity to participate in tee-ball or individual skills competitions with events that emphasize the basics of the game, such as base running. |
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This is a fast-paced sport that requires excellent hand-eye coordination. There are elements of power and finesse which athletes must possess in order to play table tennis. A "kill" can reach speeds of 60 miles per hour, while a classic spin shot may send the ball spinning at hundreds of revolutions per minute. |
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In addition to offering traditional singles and doubles events, tennis offers individual skills competition to allow athletes to train and compete in basic skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to match play. |
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Athletes participating in volleyball benefit from the camaraderie that evolves from a team sport as well as the training that enables them to successfully serve and return the ball. |
