Health and fitness is one of Special Olympics North Carolina’s key components to our strategic plan. Despite our impact via sports, Special Olympics’ research has shown that people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are consistently left out of health systems that are ill-equipped to diagnose and treat them. Medical professionals recognize how many people can be reached by partnering with SONC. Not surprisingly, our athlete leadership of Special Olympics NC has identified “Health, Fitness, and Nutrition” as a top priority for the organization to address.
Fitness and Wellness
Fitness and wellness are two key components to Special Olympics North Carolina’s health programming.
What is SO Good?
SO Good is a health and wellness program offered for eight weeks in both the fall and spring to individuals with intellectual disabilities as well as those without. This makes it a great Unified program for everyone to do together! The program can be done in a variety of ways including on your own at home, in a classroom setting or as a component of the sports training season.
Health Professionals Wanted
Special Olympics NC is always looking for qualified medical professionals to assist with any of the Healthy Athletes disciplines.
If you are are interested in helping or learning more, please contact health@sonc.net.
Healthy Athletes Disciplines in NC
Healthy Athletes® is a Special Olympics program that provides free health screenings and health education in a fun, welcoming environment with a focus on removing the anxiety people with intellectual disabilities often experience when faced with a visit to a medical professional.
FunFitness
Provides free screenings and education on balance, flexibility and strength by physical therapists.
Health Promotions
Provides education and resources for healthy life choices including sun safety, tobacco cessation, and healthy diet.
Healthy Hearing
Provides free ear and hearing screenings designed to ensure proper audiological care for participating Special Olympics athletes.
MedFest
Offers the physical exam that athletes need prior to participating in Special Olympics sports programming.
Strong Minds
Provides resources to help athletes with coping skills and strategies to manage stress in both competition and in life.
Opening Eyes
Provides free vision screening and assistance to athletes in need of protective eye wear or even new glasses.
Special Smiles
Provides dental screenings, free toothbrushes, teeth cleaning tips and mouth guards as needed.
Fit Feet
Provides podiatric screenings to evaluate ankles, feet, lower extremity biomechanics, and proper shoe and sock gear to participating athletes.
Healthy Community Work
- Athlete Health Messenger: Training coming soon. Athletes are encouraged to help in the planning and implementation of health and wellness programming. If you are an athlete interested in getting more involved, learn more here!
- Local health chair or committee member: The health chair and committee help connect athletes to health and community resources, increase athlete numbers, and eliminate many common barriers to healthcare in the community. These are both volunteer positions. Follow these links to learn more about becoming a local health chair or a health committee member in your community.
- Healthy Athletes Clinical Director: Special Olympics Clinical Directors are volunteer professionals who are responsible for working with their local Special Olympics Program and other volunteer health professionals in coordinating the local Healthy Athletes Program (see Healthy Athletes section below). If you are interested in becoming a Clinical Director or learning more, please, fill out this form.
- Inclusive health practitioner: Have you or your practice been trained on the best ways to provide inclusive care to people with intellectual disabilities? Do you offer inclusive care? SONC is building a network or healthcare practitioners that are comfortable and willing to see athletes if they should need to see a provider. Please, email us at health@sonc.net if you would like to be added to our list of inclusive health practitioners.
- Inclusive fitness classes: Would you like to offer inclusive fitness classes? People with intellectual disabilities are less likely to engage in health promotion activities, and many fitness and wellness organizations do not know how to effectively serve this population and how to support the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in their programs. To help, many local programs are looking for places where athletes can go to be active or for a fitness professional to provide extra physical activity at practices. Read more about how you and/or your organization can be more inclusive. If you are interested in offering classes email health@sonc.net.
- Wellness coach: Many local programs offer wellness programs for the athletes to participate in whether it is at practice or a standalone program. For these to run smoothly wellness coaches are needed to help lead the program. As a wellness coach you can either follow a Special Olympics program such as SOfit or you may offer your own wellness program for local athletes to participate in. If you are interested in becoming a wellness coach or would like more information email health@sonc.net.
Local coordinators looking to add health programming can visit the resource page to find the latest tools to help you get started.
