About Us

Special Olympics is an international nonprofit organization* dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Special Olympics offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round training and competition in 30 Olympic-type summer and winter sports. (*Special Olympics is recognized as a tax-exempt organization under U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).)

Special Olympics is a program of year-round sports training and athletic competition for more than one million children and adults with intellectual disabilities in more than 160 countries worldwide. More than 1,400 athletes and 3,000+volunteers participate in North Dakota.

Our mission is ... to provide year-round sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities by giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, talents, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.

Our goal is ... for all persons with mental retardation to have the chance to become useful and productive citizens who are accepted and respected in their communities.

The benefits ... of participation in Special Olympics for people with intellectual disabilities include improved physical fitness and motor skills, greater self-confidence, a more positive self-image, friendships, and increased family support. Special Olympics athletes carry these benefits with them into their daily lives at home, in the classroom, on the job, and in the community. Families who participate become stronger as they learn a greater appreciation of their athlete's talents. Community volunteers find out what good friends the athletes can be. And everyone learns more about the capabilities of people with mental retardation.

To be eligible to participate ... in Special Olympics, an athlete must be at least eight years old and identified by an agency or professional as having one of the following conditions: mental retardation, 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.

Special Olympics North Dakota (SOND) provides year-round training ...and competition in 15 official sports: soccer, bocce, bowling, basketball, down-hill and cross-country skiing, figure and speed skating, team handball, snow shoeing, swimming, gymnastics, power lifting, volleyball and track and field. Unified competition is offered in the sports of bocce, team handball, soccer, and volleyball. Unified Sports® combine people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team.

Competitions are conducted on five levels: local, area, district, state, national and World Games. Athletes are required to compete minimally in one area or district competition prior to advancing to state-level competition. National games will begin in 2006 with Summer Games in Ames, Iowa. World Games are conducted every two years, alternating between winter and summer games. Athletes in Special Olympics must train and compete in an eight to ten-week training program designed to increase physical fitness, sports skills, and knowledge of rules and regulations.

Special Olympics is the only organization authorized by the International Olympic Committee to use "Olympics" worldwide.

For more information about your Special Olympics Program, call 746-0331, or visit the Special Olympics website at http://www.specialolympics.org/ or AOL keyword: Special Olympics.