• Obtain necessary facilities and equipment for training.
• Help to recruit athletes and assistant coaches.
• Assist athletes in learning sports skills and applying them in competitions (see the Coaching Guides section of this Web site).
• Encourage confidence and self-esteem through sport.
• Conduct demonstrations in the community.
• Help start Partners Clubs of peer coaches with their athletes.
• Start Unified Sports® teams.

Special Olympics coaches often find that the personal rewards received are equal to or even outweigh the benefits they offer the athletes. Special Olympics coaches have a unique opportunity to work with athletes in competitive situations to assist in their training for life.

How to Become a Certified Special Olympics Coach

Special Olympics coaches often find that the personal rewards received are equal to or even outweigh the benefits they offer the athletes. Special Olympics coaches have a unique opportunity to work with athletes in competitive situations to assist in their training for life.

Special Olympics coaches often find that the personal rewards received are equal to or even outweigh the benefits they offer the athletes. Special Olympics coaches have a unique opportunity to work with athletes in competitive situations to assist in their training for life.

The key to improving athlete performance and well being is based on the quality of training and experiences provided by the Special Olympics coach. The Special Olympics Coaches Education System identifies basic standards and competencies necessary and essential for being a Special Olympics coach.

Becoming a certified Special Olympics coach involves the following components:

• Attend a Special Olympics General Orientation
• Participate in an approved course
• In most cases, complete a minimum of 10 hours in teaching and coaching Special Olympics athletes
• Complete the Special Olympics Application for Sports Training Certification and submit it to the local Special Olympics Program.

Upon completion, you are eligible for certification. Education and certification is looked at as an ongoing experience. In order to provide the best experiences for athletes, continuing education (updating, or upgrading education) is necessary and essential.

Special Olympics is committed to developing approaches that will directly address its 1.3 million athletes’ fitness and health. To gather information to help develop an effective strategy, Special Olympics surveyed 304 Special Olympics coaches from 71 countries (182 coaches from the United States and 122 coaches from 70 other countries). The results provide a baseline assessment of coaches’ perspectives, interest and involvement in athlete physical fitness and conditioning. The survey:

• Reflects the key role coaches play in the ongoing participation of athletes in Special Olympics; and
• Helps determine the role they will need to play if a greater commitment were to be made to athlete fitness and conditioning.

The survey was conducted from November 2002 to June 2003. Coaches surveyed represent all 26 Special Olympics sports. .

For more information concerning coaching please contact:

- Mohamed Nasser, Sports and Training Manager, Middle East
nasserso@inco.com.Ib

- Dr Emad Mohi El-Din, Sports and Training Manager, North Africa
emohy@specialolympics.org