I-2 Special Olympics of
Georgia
·
Contact
§
Special Olympics Cobb County
555 Nickajack Road
Mableton
,
GA
30126
770-819-3262
Fax 770-819-3218
http://www.specialolympicsga.org/
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About Special Olympics of
Georgia
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Special Olympics Georgia provides year-round
sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with
intellectual disabilities. There is no
cost to participate in the Special Olympics.
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Compete in Special Olympics of
Georgia
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Special
Olympics Georgia hosts five state-level competitions throughout the year.
Athletes may also compete in Southeast Regional events offered in alpine
skiing, ice-skating, tennis, sailing and power lifting.
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Every two
years, the Special Olympics World Games are held, alternating between Winter
and Summer Games. These are patterned after the traditional Olympic Games and
follow many of the same customs, rules and regulations.
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Athletes
are required to engage in an eight-week training program prior to any Special
Olympics competition to develop fitness and skills and learn rules and
strategies from their coaches.
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Sports Available
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Alpine
Skiing, Athletics, Aquatics, Badminton, Basketball, Bocce, Bowling, Cycling, Distance
Running, Equestrian, Floor Hockey, Golf, Gymnastics
– Artistic, Gymnastics – Rhythmic, Ice
Skating, Power lifting, Sailing, Soccer,
Softball, Speed Skating, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball
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Sign Me Up
Contact Regional Manager for
Cobb
& Cherokees
County
:
Lyndsey Puckett 770-414-9390 ext. 108 lyndsey.puckett@specialolympicsga.org
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Eligibility
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To be eligible to participate in Special Olympics, you must
be at least 8 years old and identified by an agency or professional as
having one of the following conditions: intellectual disabilities, cognitive
delays as measured by formal assessment, or significant learning or vocational
problems due to cognitive delay that require or have required specially
designed instruction.
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Individuals with profound disabilities can participate in
Special Olympics through
Special Olympics Motor
Activities Training Program (MATP), developed by physical educators, physical
therapists and recreation therapists. MATP emphasizes training and
participation rather than competition.
§
There is
no maximum age limitation for participation in Special Olympics. The minimum
age requirement for participation in Special Olympics competition is 8 years of
age. An Accredited
Program may permit children who are at least 6 years old to
participate in age-appropriate Special Olympics training programs offered by
that Accredited Program, or in specific (and age-appropriate) cultural or
social activities offered during the course of a Special Olympics event.
However, no child may participate in a Special Olympics competition (or be awarded
medals or ribbons associated with competition) before his or her 8th birthday.
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Competition Schedule
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May
Race
for Champions. Area
runners and Special Olympics Georgia supporters
participate in a 5K walk/run.
Law
Enforcement Torch Run. Police
officers carry the "Torch of Hope" 1,000
miles through
Georgia
and ends at the opening ceremony of Summer
Games.
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June
State
Summer Games. About
1,500 athletes meet at
Emory
University
to compete in aquatics, athletics, volleyball,
tennis, soccer, gymnastics, badminton and
table tennis.
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July
Master’s
Bowling, More than 600
adult Special Olympics bowlers compete
in Traditional and Unified bowling in
Columbus
,
Ga.
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August
Bocce
Fest,
Atlanta
,
GA
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October
State
Fall Games, Albany, Ga.: Over 1,000 Athletes head to
Albany
to compete in softball, bocce, cycling, long
distance run/walk and golf.
Southeast Power lifting,
Roswell
,
Ga.
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November
State Horse Show, Perry, Ga.: SOGA's most unique
competition, held in Perry, features over 125 riders in
dressage, showmanship, walking trail, and
English and Western style riding.
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Volunteer for the
Special Olympics of
Georgia
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Our volunteers take on numerous roles
within the organization – from assisting with competitions and special events,
to becoming certified coaches and serving on management teams. Whether a volunteer can commit to a single
afternoon’s event or to years of coaching a team, we have a place for
you.
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How can you
become a SOGA volunteer?
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The
first step is to obtain a volunteer
packet. Download
it here, or call the April Aiken at 770-414-9390 ext. 120
or 800-866-4400. The packet includes: a Volunteer and Coach Profile form,
a SOGA calendar of events, a SOGA fact sheet, a Special Olympics Young Leaders
(SOYL) fact sheet, and a list of volunteer job descriptions.
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Next,
fill out the Volunteer and Coach Profile form included in your packet and fax,
email, or mail it back to the state office. Be sure to include your email
address, as this is the primary way in which we communicate with our
volunteers.
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If
you have a group of people who would like to volunteer, please indicate that on
your form as well. We love to have groups participate in our events, and
we often have volunteer projects in which you can all work together.
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Once
you return your form, you should start to receive regular updates concerning
our upcoming volunteer opportunities. If you live outside the Metro
Atlanta area, we will pass your information along to the SOGA Regional Manager
in your area. He or she will be able to give you more information regarding
volunteer opportunities with Special Olympics in your hometown.
