SPECIAL OLYMPICS UTAH INC
1400 S FOOTHILL DR NO 238, SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84108 www.sout.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITION IN A VARIETY OF OLYMPIC-TYPE SPORTS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES GIVING THEM CONTINUING OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP PHYSICAL FITNESS, DEMONSTRATE COURAGE, AND EXPERIENCE JOY. AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IS THE MOST COMMON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY AND INCLUDES AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS, FRAGILE X SYNDROME, DOWN SYNDROME, FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME, APERT SYNDROME, WILLIAMS SYNDROME, PRADER-WILLI, PHENYLKETONURIA (PKU), CEREBRAL PALSY AND A SEVERE HEAD INJURY, INFECTION OR STROKE IF MANIFESTED BEFORE THE AGE OF 18. SPECIAL OLYMPICS IS UNIQUE FROM OTHER SPORTS PROGRAMS BECAUSE: (1) ITS FOCUS IS TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, (2) THERE ARE PROGRAMS FOR ATHLETES OF ALL SKILL LEVELS, (3) COMPETITIONS ARE STRUCTURED SO THAT ATHLETES COMPETE WITH OTHER ATHLETES OF SIMILAR ABILITY IN EQUITABLE DIVISIONS.

SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITION FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.SPORTS ARE TRANSFORMATIVE. PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS SHIFTS THE FOCUS TO WHAT A SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETE CAN DO. THROUGH SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITION, INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES DEVELOP MOTOR AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS, DISCOVER NEW STRENGTHS AND ABILITIES, AND EXPERIENCE THE JOY AND SATISFACTION OF MEETING A GOAL, ALL OF WHICH LEADS TO GREATER CONFIDENCE. AS ATHLETES ENGAGE AND PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS WITH OTHERS THEY BECOME PART OF A COMMUNITY. THROUGH THIS NEW COMMUNITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF GREATER CONFIDENCE AND INTERACTIVE SKILLS, MANY ATHLETES GO ON TO HOLD JOBS OR VOLUNTEER POSITIONS. WITNESSING THESE SUCCESSES ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO CONSIDER THE POTENTIAL OF THOSE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. IN ADDITION, WHEN INDIVIDUALS WITH ID AGE OUT OF SCHOOL AT 21 THEY LOSE THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS BECOMES THEIR COMMUNITY, OFFERING CONTINUING FRIENDSHIP.

2019 WAS A VERY POSITIVE YEAR. ATHLETES COMPETED AT STATE AND AREA COMPETITIONS. SO UTAH HOSTED 26 AREA AND STATE LEVEL EVENTS SEEKING TO FULFILL THE MISSION OF YEAR-ROUND SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITION IN OLYMPIC-TYPE SPORTS. 2019 BEGAN WITH TRAINING IN SNOWSHOE, WHICH CULMINATED IN AN INVITATIONAL COMPETITION AT SOLDIER HOLLOW NORDIC CENTER. THE BASKETBALL SEASON INCLUDED AREA AND STATE COMPETITIONS. THE STATE TOURNAMENT IN MARCH WAS HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH. THE SUMMER SEASON QUICKLY FOLLOWED WITH SPRING TRAINING IN SWIMMING, ATHLETICS (TRACK AND FIELD), AND SOFTBALL. AREA GAMES WERE HELD FOR BOTH SWIMMING AND ATHLETICS. THE STATE SUMMER GAMES WERE HELD IN JUNE IN OREM. THREE AREA BOWLING INVITATIONALS WERE HELD IN JULY AND AUGUST. TRAINING FOR THE FALL SPORTS OF SOCCER, GOLF, AND BOCCE BEGAN IN AUGUST. AREA GAMES WERE HELD IN BOCCE. THE STATE FALL GAMES WERE IN OCTOBER IN SOUTH SALT LAKE. TEAMS THEN STARTED TRAINING FOR SNOWSHOE AGAIN IN DECEMBER. SO UTAH'S STRATEGIES SET IN 2017 FOR YEAR-ROUND SPORTS WERE ACHIEVED IN 2019. ATHLETES IN UNIFIED SPORTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS THROUGH UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS: UNIFIED SPORTS IS WHERE THOSE WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES TRAIN AND COMPETE ON THE SAME TEAM. WITH SUPPORT FROM GENEROUS DONORS, WE WERE ABLE TO MEET THE ONE-TO-ONE MATCH TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND MEET OUR GOALS TO ADD MORE HIGH SCHOOLS OFFERING UNIFIED SPORTS FOR 2018-2019 AND 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR. WITH THE FUNDS RECEIVED FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS WE WERE ABLE TO ADD BASKETBALL AS AN AVAILABLE SPORT FOR UNIFIED HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES. ATHLETE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: SO UTAH PROVIDED ATHLETE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TRAINING IN SPEAKING AND COMMUNICATION, AND SPEAKING EXPERIENCES. ATHLETES WERE TRAINED IN UTAH TO BE SPECIAL OLYMPICS UTAH GLOBAL MESSENGERS. GLOBAL MESSENGER ATHLETES SPEAK AT EVERY EVENT WHERE ATHLETES GATHER, AND TO COMMUNITY, BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS TO SHARE THEIR STORY OF INVOLVEMENT WITH SPECIAL OLYMPICS. ATHLETES ALSO TRAINED, CERTIFIED AND SERVED AS ASSISTANT COACHES AND COACHES FOR OTHER SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES, AND TWO ATHLETES SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.ATHLETE HEALTH AND FITNESS: FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS AND REFERRAL SERVICES WERE OFFERED TO ATHLETES AND UNIFIED PARTNERS AT TWO STATE LEVEL COMPETITIONS BY VOLUNTEER CLINICIANS. HEALTH SCREENINGS ARE OFFERED THROUGH THE HEALTHY ATHLETES PROGRAM AND PROVIDED BY VOLUNTEER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND HEALTH SERVICES STUDENTS IN GENERAL PHYSICAL THERAPY, NUTRITION AND GENERAL HEALTH, HEARING, VISION, AND DENTAL. A UTAH PRACTITIONER OFFERED THE REQUIRED MEDICAL EXAM AND COMPLETED MEDICAL FORM FOR ATHLETES TO QUALIFY TO PARTICIPATE IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS UTAH. ALL THESE FREE MEDICAL SCREENINGS PROVIDE PREVENTATIVE CARE AND NECESSARY REFERRALS FOR FREE FOLLOW-UP CARE AT NO COST TO THE ATHLETES.YOUNG ATHLETES: THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, IN 2019 SO UTAH PROVIDED AN INTRODUCTORY PROGRAM FOR YOUNG ATHLETES AGES 2 TO 7 TO LEARN BASIC SPORTS MOVEMENTS AND SKILLS THAT BUILD LARGE MUSCLE STRENGTH AND COORDINATION, AND PREPARE ATHLETES TO TRAIN AND COMPETE IN A SPORT STARTING AT AGE 8.

OUTREACH AND PARTNERSHIPS: IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ONE TO THREE PERCENT OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION HAS AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY ("ID"). EVEN ONE PERCENT OF UTAH'S POPULATION, WHICH WAS 3.161 MILLION IN 2019, WOULD INDICATE 31,000 INDIVIDUALS COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR AND BENEFIT FROM SPECIAL OLYMPICS UTAH PROGRAMS. IT IS A GOAL OF SO UTAH TO BROADEN ITS REACH AND SERVE MORE ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS. THROUGH OUTREACH TO BUSINESSES, CORPORATIONS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH PRIVATE, GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SO UTAH IS WORKING TO REACH AND SERVE UTAH'S POPULATION WITH ID. OUTREACH ACTIVITIES INCLUDE VOLUNTEERS (AGE 14 WITH AN ADULT, OR 16 AND OLDER) WHO COACH AND HELP AT AREA AND STATE COMPETITIONS. ATHLETES SUPPORTED BY VOLUNTEERS.: WITH A VERY SMALL STAFF, VOLUNTEERS THROUGHOUT UTAH ARE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE SPORTS OPPORTUNITIES TO ATHLETES. SO UTAH INVOLVES INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE GROUPS AS VOLUNTEER HEADS OF DELEGATIONS, COACHES, MENTORS, UNIFIED SPORTS PARTNERS AND DAY-OF VOLUNTEERS AT GAMES AND COMPETITIONS. OTHER CAPACITIES, INCLUDE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DOING TORCH RUNS WITH OUR ATHLETES TO RAISING COMMUNITY AWARENESS. IN 2019, NEARLY 92,000 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME WERE CONTRIBUTED TO SPECIAL OLYMPICS UTAH; THIS INCLUDES OVER 650 YOUTH VOLUNTEERS. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE VOLUNTEERS WHO RETURN EVERY YEAR TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS (UCS) FOCUSES ON SCHOOL AGE THROUGH COLLEGE, HAS THREE COMPONENTS, AND BUILDS ON SPECIAL OLYMPICS' VISION FOR INCLUSION FOR THOSE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY IMPLEMENTING INCLUSIVE SPORTS, INCLUSIVE YOUTH LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND WHOLE SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS. THE FIRST PART IS UNIFIED SPORTS WHICH UNITES INDIVIDUALS WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES WITH SIMILAR AGE AND ABILITY TO TRAIN AND COMPETE ON THE SAME TEAM. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UTAH HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION, UNIFIED SOCCER AND ATHLETICS ARE SANCTIONED SPORTS AND HIGH SCHOOLS CAN CHOOSE TO ALLOW UNIFIED SPORTS COMPETITORS TO LETTER. THE SECOND PART IS INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP WHERE STUDENTS LEAD A SCHOOL CLUB FOR STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AND CONDUCT CLUB ACTIVITIES AT LEAST THREE TIMES A SCHOOL YEAR. THE THIRD PART IS A WHOLE SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY WHERE STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES PLAN AND LEAD A SCHOOL ACTIVITY WHICH CAN BE A PEP RALLY FOR THE UNIFIED SPORTS OR A SPREAD THE WORD TO END THE WORD CAMPAIGN WHERE STUDENTS SIGN A BANNER PLEDGING NOT TO USE THE "R" WORD.

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