WSO Sports
Westerville Special Olympics offers 14 Olympic-style individual and team sports that provide meaningful training and competition opportunities for persons with intellectual disabilities. Check out the sports we offer below and get in the GAME!
1
BASKETBALL: TEAM, SKILLS, KIDS
Basketball is one of the top sports at Special Olympics. Players take it up at all ages and at all abilities, from young players learning to handle the ball and keep it under control while dribbling to older, more experienced players who have the moves and know the strategies to play challenging ball.
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BASKETBALL SKILLS:
(beginners) January-March
Head Coach: Norman Cole westervillespecialolympics@gmail.com
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BASKETBALL TEAM:
November-March
Head Coach: Sean Moore smoore004@att.net
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BASKETBALL KIDS:
January - February
2
BOCCE
Bocce is an Italian game. The basic principle of the sport is to roll a bocce ball closest to the target ball, which is called a palina. Bocce as a Special Olympics sport provides people with special needs the opportunity to have social contact, develop physically and to gain self-confidence. Next to soccer and golf, bocce is the third most participated sport in the world.
April - June
Head Coach: Barb Church
3
BOWLING: TEAM, KIDS
Bowling's a competitive sport in which a player rolls a bowling ball down a wooden or synthetic lane with the objective of scoring points by knocking down as many pins as possible. Although Bowling does not belong to the Olympic sports, it is among the most popular sports in Special Olympics. It is a particularly beneficial sport to people with intellectual disabilities, irrespective of their age or sports abilities, since it ensures physical exercise and at the same time participation and social integration. Plus, it's great fun!
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September-October
Head Coach: Sean Moore smoore004@att.net
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KIDS
November - December
4
CHEERLEADING
Cheerleading is one of our newer categories. Athletes work together as a group on routines and cheer on our basketball and football teams. They also cheer competitively.
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August-March
Head Coach: April Merryman aprilmmerryman@gmail.com
5
EQUINE
Equestrian is one of the most fascinating sports. The balance, the stability and the right communication between the horse and the rider is a key element for success in Equestrian sport.
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February-April
Head Coach: Allie Rubenstein westervillespecialolympics@gmail.com
6
FLAG FOOTBALL
Flag football is an exciting, new sport that will be offered to Special Olympics. Flag football will cater to athletes of all abilities and teach skill development in a number of areas including: passing, route running, defensive strategy, and more
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Head Coach: Spencer Wills-Wright
7
GOLF: TEAM, SKILLS
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players (or golfers) use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes. The game is played on golf courses, each of which features a unique design, although courses typically consist of either nine or 18 holes
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July - August
Head Coach: Trina Anthony
8
GYMNASTICS
Gymnastics combines strength, flexibility and artistry. Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines (ranging from approximately 30 to 90 seconds) on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting.
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March-June
Head Coach: Marcy Mnich
9
SOCCER: TEAM, KIDS
Soccer is one of our most popular sports. It is appropriate for a wide range of age and ability levels because it is easy to learn. Athletes who participate in soccer are able to improve their overall physical fitness through training and competition, and athletes learn firsthand the benefits of playing as a team, which promotes communication, camaraderie and friendship.
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March-June, August-October
Head Coach: Tony Key
KIDS
August - September
10
SOFTBALL: TEAM, SKILLS
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 players. Every team aims in scoring as many runs possible by striking the ball with a specific bat. It is a direct descendant of baseball, although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand. The game is played on a smaller diamond than in baseball and despite the game's name, the standard softball is not soft; in fact, it is harder than a baseball. We also offer individual skills competition to allow athletes to train and compete in basic softball skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to team competition.
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July-September
Head Coach: Sean Moore
11
SWIMMING
Swimming (aquatics) is one of our most popular sports. Unlike other sports, swimming is a life skill that is taught, first, to ensure safety and, secondly, for sports and competition purposes.Swimming is appropriate for a range of ages and ability because of the wide array of swimming events offered. Swimming competition events are based on a variety of strokes. We also offer events for lower ability level athletes to train and compete in basic swimming skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to longer, competitive events.
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November - March
Head Coach: Jen Bartkus
12
TENNIS: TEAM, SKILLS
Tennis is a popular sport for players of all ages and skill levels. Every athlete aims to pass the ball to the opponent's side of the net, striking it with a tennis racquet. The sport emphasizes values like fair play, sportsmanship, and respect for fellow competitors. Tennis is not only fun to play, but it is a lifetime sports activity that is fun to practice and learn.
In addition to traditional singles and doubles events, we offer individual skills competitions, allowing athletes to train and compete in basic tennis skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to match play.
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February-June
Head Coach: Diane Smith
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KIDS
March - April
13
TRACK & FIELD
Track and field (athletics) events encourage athletes of all abilities and ages to compete at their optimum level. Through our track-and-field-based training program, participants can develop total fitness to compete in any sport. As with all sports, track & field offers athletes the opportunity to learn through skill development and competitive settings, and to be involved in large social groups.
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Events range from the 100-meter to the 400-meter events, from the high jump to the long jump, shot put, relays and wheelchair events. We also offer events for lower ability level athletes to train and compete in basic athletics skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to longer competitive events.
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April-June
Head Coach: Spencer Wills-Wright
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KIDS
May - June
14
VOLLEYBALL: TRADITIONAL, UNIFIED
The game of volleyball is attractive to all types of players, from competitive to recreational, young and old. The aim of the sport is to score more points by hitting the ball with the hands and sending it over the net to the opponent's court.
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February-June
Head Coach: Sean Moore
