“Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” – Athlete Oath
Sports are an incredible tool. They provide growth and development in self-esteem, social skills, physical fitness and leadership. But most importantly, sports give people the chance to be included and build relationships and friendships that last a lifetime.
We would love for you to join the inclusion revolution and get involved! Review the information below and reach out if you have any questions.
Need help getting started? Contact us!
Emma McConville | Delegation Services Manager
[email protected] | 763.270.7188

Traditional athlete
To be eligible to participate in Special Olympics, athletes must be at least 8 years old and identified by an agency or professional as having one of the following conditions:
- intellectual disability;
- cognitive delay as determined by standardized measures such as intelligence quotient or other accepted measures;
- or a closely related developmental disability which means functional limitations in both general learning and adaptive skills.
Please review our athlete eligibility information (PDF) for more information.
Those who qualify as a traditional athlete must register by completing and returning an athlete application (PDF). Each sports season has placement deadlines for new athletes.
Watch our Athlete Application Walkthrough
Application checklist (PDFs)
Cover letter
Athlete application
Athlete placement deadlines
Athlete placement sport interest survey – new athletes only
Unified Partner
Special Olympics Unified Sports combine athletes with and without disabilities (Unified Partner) on the same team. Are you ready to #PlayUnified #LiveUnified?
Young Athlete
A Young Athlete is a child ages 2-7 years of age with or without an intellectual disability who takes part in a sports skills-based Young Athletes program.
Need help getting started? Contact us!
Emma McConville | Delegation Services Manager
[email protected] | 763.270.7188