You are receiving this email because you have expressed interest in learning more about volunteering and other opportunities with Special Olympics New York. This newsletter serves to provide information on the latest volunteer opportunities, upcoming events or any other announcements. On behalf of the 40,000 athletes in New York; THANK YOU for your interest, involvement and support. Please check out our new Google site! You can see our calendar, download documents and general information about the Western Region. | | Coaches Needed For New Teams! | Right now, there is a very long waiting list for potential athletes that would like to join Special Olympics as many of our current teams are maxed out. We are in the process of establishing new teams in the Western Region so that we can offer more athletes the opportunity to experience the joy of Special Olympics. You might be thinking "I would like to coach but I can't do all by myself" You won't be alone! From inquiries I have received, I am sure there are enough people that together, there will be enough coaches to form a new team(s). There is interest from athletes in just about every sport. The most popular sports requested are: basketball, bowling, swimming, softball, bocce and soccer. There are many other sports we offer and if available, there would be no shortage of athletes wanting to join! There are factors included such as a facility, equipment, uniforms... These are all things I can help with Please contact me if you might be interested or would like more information. Please also include the area you live in and an approximate radius you would be willing to travel for practices. | | Jeans Day! | In addition to volunteering, there are other ways to contribute to Special Olympics. We understand that people are very busy these days so volunteering your time may not be an option right now. What you can do, is coordinate a donation activity that can be used towards the costs of providing the experience of Special Olympics to each athlete. We do not charge the athletes or their families to participate in Special Olympics. A very popular activity is to set-up a "jeans day" contribution. Employees, who donate a certain dollar amount, can wear jeans on a Friday or other pre-determined day. Having a March Madness office pool? You can allocate the winnings to Special Olympics. | | Volunteer Opportunity | We are always looking for volunteers to work in our local office. Duties would involve assisting with everyday regional management including but not limited to updating our database with athlete, coach and competition information. Please contact me if you would like more information. This can also be used as an internship, volunteer requirements for a program or just volunteer hours. If you or know someone that would be interested in an internship in the future please contact me as well. | | Volunteer Opportunity | We are always looking for volunteers to work in our local office. Duties would involve assisting with everyday regional management including but not limited to updating our database with athlete, coach and competition information. Please contact me if you would like more information. This can also be used as an internship, volunteer requirements for a program or just volunteer hours. If you or know someone that would be interested in an internship in the future please contact me as well. | | Committees | Do you like getting involved in committees or planning groups? We are always looking for individuals to help in different aspects of the Western Region. Throughout the year there are many tasks that are needed to provided the best experience to the athletes. Some examples may include finding a facility for a seasonal conference, coordinating volunteers for a specific event, or any other task that might be needed at a particular time. You would not be locked into anything forever as we appreciate any time a volunteer can provide. It is the volunteers that is the foundation of Special Olympics. There are many "behind the scenes" activities that are of great importance to make everything happen. Please contact me for more information. | | Coaching Time Commitments | Many people ask about the time commitment of becoming a coach. There is not one answer, but depends on many factors. I can supply some general information: -Each season lasts approximately 3-4 months -Some people coach one season out of the year, some coach year round -Teams need to train at least 8 weeks out of the season, obviously the more the better -Most teams practice about once a week for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours -There are competitions offered for each sport; most are on weekends -Depending on the sport, the number of competitions offered varies (from 1-3 competitions in a season) -There are local competitions and competitions within the Western Region. There are also opportunities to travel further to other competitions or even the State Games which involves an overnight stay. *The more coaches there are for each team, the more flexible everyone's schedule can be. | Steps to become a Volunteer | There are 3 main types of volunteers. 1. Day of volunteers: this is pretty self explanatory. You would volunteer the day of an event helping in some of the many opportunities available that day. There is no formal certification process for this type of volunteer. 2. *Type A volunteer. A Type A volunteer is defined as having regular contact with an athlete/athletes. This is required if you are working with any team. This process would only involve the first 3 steps of the coach certification listed in the next section. 3. **Coach. Becoming a certified coach opens the most doors for a volunteer. The certification process is laid out below in the next section. ** Certifications for Type A volunteers are valid for 3 years. We always offer a re-certification class at every conference. | | How to become a Coach | | I have been receiving A LOT of interest from people interested in coaching. As the number of athletes participating in Special Olympics grows, we are in need of more coaches to either help out established teams or even start new teams. I have spoken to many of you regarding this great opportunity. Below is some basic information regarding the coaching certification process. 1. Attend a general session ("Special Olympics 101") 2. Complete a volunteer application 3. Complete a protective behaviors online quiz 4. Attend a Special Olympics approved sport training in the sport you want to coach* 5. Complete 10 practicum hours working with another team 6. Turn in a coach certification application If you are interested in becoming a coach please contact me. Thank you to those who have contacted me already! *If you have extensive experience and knowledge in a particular sport, there is a process to become certified w/o attending the sport training. This is on a case by case basis. Please contact me to see what teams/sports may be in your area | | Sports Offered | Sports Offered through Special Olympics New York: Fall - Golf, Bocce, Roller Skating, Cycling, Softball, Equestrian, Soccer. Cross Country Running. Season runs from July-October. Winter - Alpine Skiing, Nordic Skiing, Figure Skating, Floor Hockey, Snowshoe. Season runs from November to February. Summer - Aquatics, Track and Field, Basketball, Powerlifting, Bowling, Tennis, Volleyball, Gymnastics. Season runs from March to June. | | Athlete's Oath | | Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt. |
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Shelby Baker
Director of Program
Special Olympics New York |
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| | | Get involved in other ways | Want to get involved with Special Olympics but don't necessarily have the time to coach?
There are many ways to get involved such as with fundraising, PR, assisting at events, being part of planning committees...
Please contact the Western Region Office to learn how you can bring your talents to Special Olympics! | | Athlete Showcase | A Special Olympics athlete shows off his skating skills at the Winter State Games | | Event Coordinators | We are currently looking for organized, motivated and enthusiastic people to help coordinate an event or events. This is not a permanent position. Some examples of what one may do are: securing a facility if needed, working with facility staff or personnel, coordinating the day's schedule, determining volunteer needs and duties. We would provide training and of course assist you through the process. Depending on the specific event, the time commitment would be 15-30 hours per year. If you would like to shadow a current event coordinator please contact me. |
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