SOMN @ Home | For Coaches

Need some help keeping your team motivated and moving? Here are a selection of activities that coaches and team leaders can use to engage athletes!

Note: Many of these activities can be completed by athletes with or without the support of their coaches. If your team members are already doing some of them, ask if they’ve seen a difference in their mood or health.

• Fit 5 – Use these tools to help your athletes track their movement, nutrition, and hydration.
• SOfit – Designed for SOMN teams and delegations, this program is an eight-week Unified approach to health based on four pillars of wellness.
• Walk and Roll – Join your fellow athletes, coaches and Unified partners across the state as we go on a walk, run or roll during the month of April!
• Facebook, Twitter & Instagram – Check out our social media stories for lots of stay-at-home inspiration and ideas.
• Health @ Home newsletter – Have you been receiving our weekly health-related eblast? If not, sign up today!

Core coaching resources

• Coaching Unified Sports (NFHS)– Unified Sports is an inclusive sports program that unites Special Olympics athletes (individuals with intellectual disabilities) and partners (individuals without intellectual disabilities) as teammates for training and competition. This course will help you understand and implement Special Olympics Unified Sports in your school.
• A Coach’s Playbook: Introduction to Autism and Instructional Strategies for Coaching (Special Olympics Virginia)– As the diagnosis of autism is becoming more prevalent, it is important that our coaches and volunteers are trained to work alongside our athletes who have Autism Spectrum Disorders. An Introduction to Autism plus General Strategies for Coaching Athletes with Autism are covered.
• Concussion in Sports (NFHS) – Proper concussion management; suspected concussion management
• Sports Nutrition (NFHS) – Proper nutrition can optimize athletic performance. This course contains practical tips on how you can model & teach proper nutrition to your athletes.
• Sportsmanship Course (NFHS) – The NFHS developed a complimentary course to give a better understanding of sportsmanship and how it impacts your specific role in modeling all practices and competition.
• Positive Sport Parenting (NFHS) – Course provides information and resources to help educate you on the importance of proper behavior by parents in school sports and the role you must play to ensure your child has a positive sport experience.
• Positive Coaching Alliance ($30) – PCA offers six online courses, all developed by experts and designed to help coaches, parents, athletes and officials ensure that winning happens both on and off the field in youth sports. Whether you simply want to improve your youth sports experience, or whether your school/organization has directed you to these courses, they will benefit you and the youth you serve!
• Foundations of Coaching (USA Swimming; $15) – Foundations of Coaching 101 is an introductory coaching course required of all new USA Swimming member coaches. The course contains four lessons including the roles and responsibilities of a coach, effective communication, growth and development, basic stroke technique and swim practice design. This multimedia course is presented entirely online and includes a required test.

Sport-specific online resources