The Illinois Special Olympics is a beacon of inclusivity, hope, and achievement for athletes. As part of the global Special Olympics movement, Illinois is committed to providing people with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports and training programs.
Founded in 1968, Special Olympics has grown into the world’s largest sports organization for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In Illinois, the movement began to take root shortly thereafter. The Illinois Special Olympics offers year-round sports training and athletic competitions with more than 23,000 athletes actively involved in its programs. The organization provides a platform for athletes to showcase their abilities in an atmosphere that emphasizes acceptance and understanding.
Illinois Special Olympics provides athletes the chance to compete in traditional sports like basketball, track and field, swimming and soccer. Additionally, the program also includes more specialized sports, such as bocce, volleyball and bowling.
The athletes are given the opportunity to train year-round, either in group settings or through individualized coaching. Each athlete is paired with a coach who ensures they receive the personalized instruction and encouragement needed to succeed.
One of the key elements of the Illinois Special Olympics is its focus on Unified Sports, a unique program that brings together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to compete as teammates. Unified Sports promotes inclusion and builds relationships by pairing athletes of varying abilities. These teams highlight the values of teamwork, mutual respect, and inclusion.
Unified Sports exemplify the Special Olympics’ philosophy that everyone deserves the opportunity to be part of a team.
While the athletes are the heart of Illinois Special Olympics, volunteers and families play a crucial role in the success of the program. Volunteers and families are essential in helping with everything from coaching and event organization to cheering on athletes at competitions. Without the unwavering support of volunteers, the Illinois Special Olympics would not be able to offer the high level of service and programming that it does.
“I feel—I’m definitely happy. I’m definitely grateful for the opportunity to come back,” said 20 year athlete MJ Palmquist. “Back to my roots of swimming and being here in general itself. It was pretty frustrating, but most of the time it was a very good experience. It was fun. It was great to see everybody doing their best and making the best out of everything.”
