Be An Athlete

Whether your interest is competitive or social in nature, we’ve got you covered. Special Olympics Virginia organizes and runs nearly 2,000 competitions each year for athletes of all ages at no cost to the participants.

Unified Sports, Young Athletes, Urban Programs, Healthy Athletes and Global Messenger initiatives create additional opportunities for personal development both on and off the playing field.

Come join us as we open hearts and change minds across Virginia.

Eligibility

Special Olympics training and competition is open to every person with intellectual disabilities who is at least eight years of age and who registers to participate in Special Olympics.

A person is considered to have intellectual disabilities for purposes determining his or her eligibility to participate in Special Olympics if that person satisfies one of the following requirements:

1. The person has been identified by an agency or professional as having intellectual disabilities as determined by their localities; or



2. The person has a cognitive delay as determined by standardized measures such as intelligence quotient or "IQ" testing or other measures which are generally accepted within the professional community in Virginia as being a reliable measure of the existence of a cognitive delay; or



3. The person has a closely-related developmental disability, which means having functional limitations in both general learning (such as IQ) and in adaptive care (such as recreation, work, independent living, self-direction, or self-care).

Registering an Athlete

Registering an athlete with Special Olympics Virginia is a simple process. You can download the Application for Participation from this web site, or you may obtain Athlete enrollment kits by contacting the appropriate office:

POTOMAC
Beth Frank, Potomac Region Director -
1-800-526-6131

RAPPAHANNOCK
Danielle Pokusa, Rappahannock Region Director -
1-888-479-6918

SHENANDOAH
Daniel Leake, Shenandoah Region Director -
1-800-526-6133

JAMES RIVER
Tina Andes, James River Region Director -
1-800-932-4653

PIEDMONT
Josh Walker, Piedmont Region Director -
1-434-582-4712

TIDEWATER
Carl Earnshaw, Tidewater Region Director -
1-877-874-7462

SOUTHWEST
Nancy Morehouse, Southwest Region Director -
1-800-526-6132




Steps to Enrollment

1. Complete the OFFICIAL SPECIAL OLYMPICS RELEASE FORM. A Parent or Guardian must sign this for minor athletes. Adult athletes may sign the form themselves. This form represents that the athlete is physically and mentally able to participate in Special Olympics activities. It also authorizes emergency medical treatment and gives permission for Special Olympics to use the athlete's likeness, name, voice or words for media, promotional and fundraising purposes.
   
   
2. Arrange an appointment with a physician to complete the APPLICATION FOR PARTICIPATION IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS FORM. This form asks for emergency contact and insurance information as well as a health history. A physician must sign the form to certify that the athlete is able to participate in Special Olympics activities. Many physicians will perform the necessary examination free or at a reduced cost when asked to do so for Special Olympics. A Public Health agency may perform this service when asked. Also, many local Special Olympics programs arrange free physicals each year for participating athletes. Contact your Area Coordinator (see Local & Regional information).
   
   
3. All completed forms should be returned to your coach or Area Coordinator. They may also be returned to Special Olympics Virginia at either of these addresses:
   
   
   • Special Olympics Virginia
     Northwest Office
     PO Box 1906
     Harrisonburg, VA 22801
     
     
   • Special Olympics Virginia State Headquarters
     3212 Skipwith Road, Suite 100
     Richmond, VA 23294
     
   
   

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