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Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.
Special Olympics Oath

Who Can Participate in Special Olympics?

Athlete Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to participate in Special Olympics, you must be at least eight years of age and identified by an agency or professional as having a mental challenge.

Athletes who have physical disabilities but do not have mental challenges are not eligible to participate in Special Olympics.

There are opportunities for athletes without mental challenges to participate in Special Olympics through the Unified Sports® program.

Athlete Ability
SMSO provides a variety of competition opportunities for athletes of all abilities. By offering official events of various degrees of difficulty and challenge, SMSO aims to accommodate the needs of every eligible athlete in Idaho.

Most Special Olympics sports events have few differences from the same types of sports events offered to individuals without mental challenges. However, athletes who possess a lower degree of mobility can participate in events such as the 25m Assisted Walk (Athletics) or the 15m Flotation Race (Aquatics). These athletes may also participate in modified team sports. SMSO also offers a number of events for athletes who use wheelchairs.

The major distinction made in Special Olympics sports competitions is that whenever possible athletes compete against others of similar ability, a process called divisioning.

How to Become a Special Olympics Athlete

Participation Through Local Programs
Eligible athletes may join SMSO simply by registering through a Local Program. Local Programs (teams) are the grassroots level of our organization and are intended to allow athletes to train and participate within their own community. Volunteers from the community facilitate these Local Programs and provide the necessary support and guidance for the athletes.

SMSO has existing Local Programs (teams) throughout the state, grouped into seven distinct geographic Areas. In addition, we encourage and support the formation of new Local Programs wherever needed.

Registering
To find out more about how to register and participate in SMSO, contact your local office.