Play Unified

Training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding. Special Olympics Unified Sports® bring people with and without intellectual disabilities together to train and compete. Every player is given an opportunity to contribute to the success of the team through their unique skills and qualities, with minimal rule modifications to ensure integrity and a truly authentic sports experience.

Interscholastic Unified Sports: the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) recognizes Unified Sports as an official interscholastic offering. Across NY state, we currently offer Unified Basketball and Unified Bowling.

Unified Physical Education: An inclusive physical education offering that provides students with a unique opportunity to meet the national physical education standards and grade-level outcomes in an setting that brings together students with and without intellectual disabilities in the same class to participate for equal credit.

Unified Intramurals/Fitness: Unified Champion Schools across the state have expanded their Unified sports to include: Esports, Fitness competitions, Unified Soccer, Unified Bocce, Unified Cross Country, Unified Volleyball and more. These programs can be offered as a Unified club sport/intramural or as a Unified P.E. option.

Young people of all abilities have the opportunity to become leaders in their schools and communities. They find their voices and learn to become change agents by promoting equity and acceptance. Activities within the classroom, school and community are designed and implemented by a diverse group of students to foster social inclusion.

Youth Activation Committee – Youth leaders with and without intellectual disabilities in the same school/community form a committee to plan activation events and strategies for inclusion.

Youth Leadership Summits – A annual student-led conferences that brings together youth leaders from schools across the state to empower their peers and share their successes in building inclusive communities within their school districts.

Additional Leadership Opportunities – Special Olympics New York consistently amplifies the voices of our Youth Leaders through programs like Capitol Hill Day, US Youth Ambassadorship, Statewide Athlete Leadership and Youth Leader Experiences at our State Games events.

Events and activities usually run by the Youth Activation Committee that engages members of the school and surrounding communities to raise awareness of Unified and create an inclusive school climate that fosters respect and understanding for all.

Cool School Challenge – a friendly competition between local schools as part of Special Olympics NY’s Polar Plunge Fundraisers where students and staff create a team of “Plungers” and work together to recruit as many participants as possible, while raising money and awareness for Special Olympics New York!

Spread the Word Inclusion – An annual global social awareness campaign focusing on the power of language; originally a push to stop the use of the r-word and more recently broadening to promote inclusive language through a pledge based, student-led initiative.

Fans in the Stands – Intentional events/activities to invite members of the school community, local businesses and surrounding community members to support Special Olympics interscholastic Unified sports competitions throughout the season.