Special Olympics Athletics

Facts for New Athletes:  Special Olympics is an international program of year-round sports training & athletic competition for individuals with an intellectual disability or cognitive delay. The first Special Olympics games were held at Soldier field in Chicago in 1968. Since that time, Special Olympics chapters have been established in all 50 states & approximately 150 countries. For almost 40 years PTOEC has been a proud participant in Illinois Special Olympics. From the first Track & Field competition, to the present offering of a dozen different sports, PTOEC continues to serve over 100 athletes in the metro-east. For more information or if you are interested in joining, please contact a athletic director:

Special Olympics Athletic Directors
Tara Edwards, SOAD - robertandtaraedwards@gmail.com; 618-910-1957
Robert Edwards, SOAD - robertandtaraedwards@gmail.com

What sports are offered and when do they occur?   Here is the latest information.  Dates may shift a little but this gives a general idea...

Sport
Gymnastics 
 Swimming 
 Soccer 
 Track and Field 
 Golf 
 Bowling 
 Equestrian 
 Volleyball 
 Bocce 
 Snowshoeing 
 Basketball 
 Flag football

Season
January – May 
January –  March 
February – June
March – April 
April - June
June - August
July - September 
August - September 
August - October 
September - December 
November - February 
July - September

State Month
June 
June 
June 
June 
September 
December 
October 
October 
June 
February 
March 
No state competition

State Event
Summer Games @ Bloomington Summer Games @ Bloomington Summer Games @ Bloomington Summer Games @ Bloomington Outdoor Sports Festival @ Decatur State Bowling @ Peoria 
Fall Games @ Rockford 
Fall Games @ Rockford 
Summer Games @ Bloomington 
Winter Games @ Hanover
State Basketball @ Bloomington 
No state competition

What is required before participating?  A current annual physical is required to participate in Special Olympics (see Forms folder).  Once completed by a doctor and guardian turn in the form or mail to:

PTOEC 
PO Box 23424 
Belleville, IL 62223-0424  

Current PTOEC membership is also required. 

What does it cost? There is no charge for an individual to participate in Special Olympics however PTOEC does require a $40 annual membership fee to cover training facilities, uniforms, transportation, insurance, and meals & lodging when traveling to competitions. 

Who can participate?    To be eligible to participate in Special Olympics, a person must be at least 8 years old and identified by an agency or professional as having one of the following conditions: intellectual disabilities, cognitive delays as measured by formal assessment or significant learning or vocational problems due to cognitive delays that require or have required specially designed instruction. 

Are the athletes chaperoned? Parental & family support of all athletic activities is encouraged. The usual chaperon to athlete ratio is 1:4, however special exceptions may be made for wheelchair athletes, or others requiring 1:1 supervision. Athletes are never left unsupervised. 

Are there arrangements for transportation?  Parents or other family members are responsible for getting the athlete to practices, & to local or area competitions. Van transportation from a designated pickup point is provided for athletes for any activities that require an overnight stay. 

Where are practices held?  Practice session for all sports are held in various locations around the Belleville area. 

Are uniforms required?  PTOEC provides uniforms for all team sports. Athletes are also provided with a PTOEC t-shirt to be worn for all sporting events when uniforms are not required.