Special Olympics Arizona

The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

For people with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics is often the only place where they have an opportunity to participate in their communities and develop belief in themselves. For athletes, Special Olympics sports provide a gateway to empowerment, competence, acceptance and joy. The lessons learned in Special Olympics also impact their life skills. Sports training enhances focus and gives participants a structure for learning important lessons about perseverance, endurance and setting goals. Many people are surprised to know, more than half of adult Special Olympics athletes in the United States are employed, versus 10 percent of intellectually disabled persons who do not participate in Special Olympics. Today, Special Olympics Arizona offers 21 sports, four statewide competitions, three regional competitions, and over 300 area competitions for 14,000+ athletes and over 21,000+ active volunteers annually. SOAZ also provides free health screenings, health education, leadership opportunities & advocacy programs. SOAZ's vision for social change starts with youth leadership & inclusive programs which will increase access to new initiatives & programs, build new audiences, and showcase the talents of the SOAZ athletes & Unified partners statewide. We work so that we may realize founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver's vision: to improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities everywhere, and, in turn, transform the lives of everyone they touch - building a better, more accepting world for all of us.

Testimonials

I GOT INVOLVED IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS WHEN I WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL. I PLAYED UNIFIED BASKETBALL AND RAN IN UNIFIED TRACK.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU COME FROM, OR WHAT YOU CAN OR CAN'T DO. EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE SHOWN KINDNESS AND TO FEEL THE LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE THAT COMES WITH INCLUSION. INCLUSION IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS BREAKING DOWN THE MOLD AND EXCEPTION OF PERFECTION. WHEN EVERYONE IS INCLUDED THEN EVERYONE WINS. INCLUSION IS ACCEPTANCE, INCLUSION IS KINDNESS, INCLUSION IS NECESSARY AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS ARIZONA STRIVES TO TEACH THE COMMUNITY THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSION.
BRITTANY AYERS, UNIFIED ATHLETE AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS ARIZONA COACH

Special Olympics is important to me because it has helped me build confidence in my abilities and I have made tons of friends. Mentors and coaches I have met throughout the years have taught me a lot of lessons about where to go with my life and to become successful. Being a leader in the community is important to me because you get to see others succeed and that makes me happy along with fact of making things enjoyable for everyone all around. It's a big part of my life and has helped me with a lot of things in my life in a good way.
Carla Simon, Special Olympics Arizona athlete