Special Olympics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year- round training and competitions to more than 4. Special Olympics competitions are held every day, all around the world—including local, national and regional competitions, adding up to more than 9. Like the International Paralympic Committee, the Special Olympics organization is recognized by the International Olympic Committee; however, unlike the same Paralympic Games, Special Olympics World Games are not held in conjunction with the Olympic Games, and regional Special Olympics committees are not closely modeled on national olympic committees. These competitions include the Special Olympics World Games, which alternate between summer and winter games. Special Olympics World Games are held every two years. The most recent World Summer Games were the Special Olympics World Summer Games, held in Los Angeles, California (The largest event in LA since the 1.
Special Olympics; Founded: 1968: Founder: Eunice Kennedy Shriver: Location. English and the host country's official language when necessary. Washington State Winter Games is the culmination of the Special Olympics winter season. Nearly 1,500 athletes converged on Wenatchee and Leavenworth Washington to. 20th MSP Polar Bear Plunge. The 20th Annual MSP Polar Bear Plunge will occur on January 30th, 2016. Click here for more information. What is the Polar Plunge? The Polar Plunge is a unique opportunity for individuals, organizations, and businesses to support local Special Olympics athletes by.
Olympic Games), from July 2. August 2, 2. 01. 5 and for the first time were part of ESPN daily coverage. The most recent Special Olympics World Winter Games were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea from January 2. February 5, 2. 01.
At the same time, the first Special Olympics Global Development Summit was held on "Ending the Cycle of Poverty and Exclusion for People with Intellectual Disabilities," gathering government officials, activists and business leaders from around the world [3]Graz and Schladming, Austria will host the next Special Olympics World Winter Games from March 1. History[edit]In June 1.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver started a day camp called Camp Shriver for children with intellectual disabilities at her home in Potomac, Maryland.[5] She started this camp because she was concerned about children with intellectual disabilities having nowhere to play and that they could benefit from sports activities. Using Camp Shriver as an example, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who was head of the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation and part of President John F.
Kennedy's Panel on Mental Retardation, promoted the concept of involvement in physical activity and other opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities.[6] Camp Shriver became an annual event, and the Kennedy Foundation (of which Eunice became director in 1. Meanwhile, in 1. 95. Dr. James N. Oliver of England was conducting pioneering research, including a ground- breaking study showing that physical exercise and activities for children with intellectual disabilities had positive effects that also carried over into the classroom ("The Effects of Physical Conditioning Exercises and Activities on the Mental Characteristics of Educationally Sub- Normal Boys, British Journal of Educational Psychology, XXVIII, June 1. Dr. Oliver would later (1. Camp Shriver, the forerunner to Special Olympics.[8]The 1. Dr. Frank Hayden, a Canadian physical education professor from London, Ontario, had shown that persons with intellectual disabilities can and should participate in physical exercise.
Moreover, he believed that the benefits of such activity would be seen in all areas of the athletes’ lives.[9] And so, with the help of a local school that offered space in its gym, the first organised sport program floor hockey for intellectually disabled individuals became available in the fall of 1. It was also in the early 1. Eunice Kennedy Shriver wrote an article in the Saturday Evening Post, revealing that her sister—also President John F. Kennedy's sister—was born with intellectual disabilities.[1.
This frank article about the President's family was seen as a "watershed" in changing public attitudes toward people with intellectual disabilities. Though Rosemary was born with intellectual disabilities, she had later undergone a lobotomy; the brain damage inflicted by the operation caused her to be permanently incapacitated.[1. It has often been said that Rosemary's disability was Eunice's inspiration to form Special Olympics (as the movement came to be called), but she told The New York Times in 1.
The games should not focus on one individual,"she said.[1. The first International Special Olympics Summer Games were held in 1. Soldier Field in Chicago. About 1. 50. 0 athletes from the U. S. and Canada took part in the one- day event, which was a joint venture by the Kennedy Foundation and the Chicago Park District.[1. Anne Mc. Glone Burke, a physical education teacher with the Chicago Park District and recipient of a Kennedy Foundation grant,[1. Olympic- style athletic competition for people with special needs.
Glenn Robinson III (who also goes by GRIII), is strongly encouraging the community to take the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Indiana. If you remember, GRIII. Support an Athlete Support Joy, Courage and Determination. Raise $2,500 and be matched with a World Games athlete. See how easy we've made it. Start your Support An. Special Olympics is Changing the World! Every day, in more than 170 countries, Special Olympics sports are bringing together millions of people with intellectual.
Burke then approached her to fund the event. Eunice, in turn, encouraged her to expand on the idea and the JPK Jr.
Foundation provided a grant of $2. The advisory committee to the Chicago Special Olympics included Dr. William Freeberg, Southern Illinois University; Dr. Frank J. Hayden, Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation; Dr. Arthur Peavy; William Mc.
Fetridge, Anne Mc. Glone Burke and Stephen Kelly of the Chicago Park District; and Olympic decathlon champion Rafer Johnson. Eunice Kennedy Shriver was honorary chairman. At the July 1. 96.
Welcome to the Special Olympics Washington website. Athletes Landing Page. Become an Athlete Begin the adventure of a lifetime, start learning new skills and.
Shriver announced the formation of Special Olympics and that more games would be held every two years as a "Biennial International Special Olympics.".[1. In 1. 97. 1, The U. S. Olympic Committee gave the Special Olympics official approval to use the name “Olympics”.[5]The first 1. Special Olympics World Winter Games were held in February 1. Steamboat Springs, Colorado, U. S.[5]In 1. 98. 8, the Special Olympics was officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).[5]In 1.
Healthy Athletes became an official Special Olympics initiative, offering health information and screenings to Special Olympics athletes worldwide.[5][1. By 2. 01. 0, the Healthy Athletes program had given free health screenings and treatment to more than 1 million people with intellectual disabilities. In 2. 00. 3 the first Special Olympics World Summer Games to be held outside of the United States took place in Dublin, Ireland. Approximately 7,0. The Dublin games were also the first to have their own opening and closing ceremonies broadcast live, performed by the President of Ireland, Mary Mc.
Aleese. Most significantly the 2. The opening ceremony of the 2. Games has been described by President Mc.
Aleese as "a time when Ireland was at its superb best".[1. On October 3. 0, 2.
President George W. Bush signed into law the "Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act," Public Law 1. The bill authorized funding for its Healthy Athletes, Education, and Worldwide Expansion programs.[1.
Co- sponsored by Representatives Roy Blunt (R- MO), and Steny Hoyer (D- MD), and Senators Rick Santorum (R- PA) and Harry Reid (D- NV), the bills were passed by unanimous consent in both chambers. In July 2. 00. 6, the first Special Olympics USA Games were held at Iowa State University.
Teams from all 5. District of Columbia participated.[1. In 2. 00. 8, Special Olympics and Best Buddies International launched the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign to encourage individuals to stop using the word "retard" in everyday speech. In 2. 01. 1, Senators Tom Harkin and Roy Blunt and Representatives Steny Hoyer and Peter King introduced the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act to authorize federal funding for Special Olympics Programs and Best Buddies Programs. Symbols[edit]The Special Olympics logo has gone through several changes in its lifetime.
The "stick figure" is an abstract but humanistic form designed to convey the impression of movement and activity. The logo is a symbol of growth, confidence and joy among children and adults with disabilities who are learning coordination, mastering skills, participating in competitions and preparing themselves for richer, more productive lives.
The spherical appearance of the logo is a representation of Special Olympics' global outreach.[original research?]Participation[edit]Special Olympics programs are available for athletes free of charge. More than 4 million athletes are involved in Special Olympics sports training and competition in approx.
The organization offers year- round training and competition in 3. Olympic- style summer and winter sports.[2.
People with intellectual disabilities are encouraged to join Special Olympics for the physical activity, which helps lower the rate of cardiovascular disease and obesity, among other health benefits. Also, they gain many emotional and psychological benefits, including self- confidence, social competence, building greater athletic skills and higher self- esteem.[2. The motivations for joining the Special Olympics vary from one individual to the next; yet, there are common themes among individuals and their families that encourage them to either participate or abstain from the Special Olympics. Special Olympics competitions are open to athletes ages 8 and up. For young people with intellectual disabilities ages 2–7, Special Olympics has a Young Athletes program—a sport and play program with a focus on fun activities that are important to mental and physical growth.[2. Children engage in games and activities that develop motor skills and hand- eye coordination. Parents say their children in Young Athletes also develop better social skills.
The confidence boost makes it easier for them to play and talk with other children on the playground and elsewhere .[2. A study by the Center for Social Development and Education (University of Massachusetts, Boston) found that the activities also had the effect of helping children with intellectual disabilities learn routines and approaches to learning, along with how to follow rules and directions.[2. Families can also get involved with the Special Olympics experience. Family members support their athletes to the best of their ability, which may involve attending or volunteering at the events.
Welcome - Special Olympics Pennsylvania. Elena Delle Donne, professional basketball player with the WNBA Chicago Sky and 2. WNBA Rookie of the Year, hosted a Girls Basketball Camp for ages 9 – 1. Sunday, December 1. Cardinal O'Hara High School, located in Springfield, PA. The focus of these camps is to..