Special Olympics Alamance County
Alamance Parks offers a diverse Special Olympics program providing children and adults who have intellectual disabilities the opportunity to train and compete in Olympic-type sports. Special Olympics Alamance County (SOAC) is a group of citizens concerned with sports and sports skills for persons with intellectual disabilities and is one of the largest volunteer-driven sports organizations in Alamance County. SOAC is solely sponsored by industries, businesses, clubs, churches, and private contributions. The program is managed through Alamance Parks by the Special Populations Coordinator and is a chapter of Special Olympics North Carolina.
SOAC offers local sports tournaments involving Alamance Burlington School System students, as well as eight and twelve-week training programs ending with tournaments and competitive events at the State level.
SOAC has attended State, National, and International Special Olympics Competitions. For more information about the sports offered, please visit the Sports page.
Services are offered free of charge to persons with an intellectual disability from age eight through adult life. While many programs are specific to the ABSS schools and Elon Intramurals program, SOAC welcomes volunteers from the community as Unified Partners for athletes and as coaches for our various athletic offerings.
Please visit the About SOAC page for more information to register an athlete, sign up to volunteer, or learn more.
Mission
The Special Olympics mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympics-style sports for people with an intellectual disability, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympic athletes, and the community.
Eligibility
Per Special Olympics North Carolina guidelines, to be eligible to compete in Special Olympics, a person must be at least eight (8) years old and identified by an agency or professional as having an intellectual disability or have a cognitive delay which requires them to have specifically designed instructions. Persons under 8 years of age may participate in Special Olympics Training Programs provided they have a signed consent form. A Medical form must be filled out and turned in prior to the athlete competing.
Contact
For more information about SOAC, contact:
Mackenzie Greenly, Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation Coordinator
336-570-6760