Special Olympics Manitoba expanded its highly successful Medallion program into the Program of Excellence.
The Program of Excellence directly supports athletes and coaches named to Provincial and National Teams to compete within and outside Special Olympics.
Games in which Special Olympics athletes and coaches participate and compete include:
- Special Olympics Canada Games: Winter & Summer
On a two-year rotation, winter and summer, athletes and coaches from across Manitoba compete at the Special Olympics Canada National Games. In the winter, athletes compete in seven official sports: curling, floor hockey, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, alpine skiing, figure skating and speed skating. Swimming, athletics, 5 & 10 pin bowling, rhythmic gymnastics, power-lifting, soccer and softball are the eight official sports in the summer games.
- Canada Games
The Canada Games are held every two years, winter and summer. Special Olympics participates in the sports of figure skating (winter), swimming (summer)and track and field, along side their peers in generic sport.
- Western Canada Summer Games
The Western Canada Summer Games occur every four years. Special Olympics is currently involved in the sport of athletics.
Aims and Philosophy
- To establish a definable, coordinated and long term athlete development structure;
- To develop the talent of every athlete in a safe and secure setting;
- To recognize and maximize the potential of every athlete;
- To recognize the importance of sport science disciplines and incorporate them into an athlete’s/coach’s development; and
- To encourage the development of every coach in his/her area of sport expertise.
The underlying values which guide this Program can be summed up as follows:
- Respect - respect of and from the athletes and coaches
- Expectations - high expectations while remaining realistic
- Being Positive - coaches and athletes are positive in their general attitude
- Recognizing Achievement - praise is given for achievement and development of skills
- Team Approach - coaches and athletes are all part of the same team
Athletes
The athletes who will be participating in this program must be interested in developing in their sport choice and must be committed to training a minimum of four times a week in that sport.
Athletes must meet the following requirements:
- Registered with Special Olympics Manitoba;
- 13 years of age or older.
Coaches
The coaches must be committed to the aims and philosophy of the Program. They must keep up-to-date with the latest ideas and work at improving their coaching skills further.
The coaches must meet the following requirements:
- Level 1 SOC/NCCP Certification (Theory, Technical, Practical) or SO Competition Coach Introduction
- Level 2 Theory or Part A & B
- Level 1 Certification in the sport of representation or Competition Coach Introduction
- 18 years of age or older
