This page provides information for leadership volunteers across North Carolina to keep them informed of new resources and opportunities from SONC while also sharing regular reminders on practices and policies. Visit it regularly to stay informed!
What’s Upcoming for Sports with SONC?
Updated: 12/1/21
Check out this nine-minute video with Andrea Stamm and Doug Perry from the SONC sport department with some sport updates for the SONC winter and spring seasons preview. While the following survey was not mentioned in the video, please take some time to let the sport department know what your plans are for the winter season with your teams (specifically basketball): Winter Team League Interest Survey. Please complete by Dec. 21.
Time to Submit Partner Up Power Up Activity Trackers
Updated: 12/6/21
We are headed into our final week of Partner Up Power Up! We are excited to have had nearly 7,000 individuals participating in Partner Up Power Up this fall. All materials can be found online, including a Spanish version of the playbook.
As the program comes to a close, please fill out this summary spreadsheet with the weekly tracker information you collected from participants from the last eight weeks of Partner Up Power Up. The completed sheet can be emailed to registration@sonc.net. The deadline for submission is Dec. 20. Local Program coordinators are asked to submit these summaries for all community-based athletes. Schools are also asked to submit their summaries directly to SONC at the same email address, unless the coordinator has opted to collect these.
Alpine Skiing and Snowboarding Calendar 2021-22
Updated: 12/6/21
SONC has once again taken the challenge of many people not being able train in snow sports this past year and has turned it into an opportunity for our athletes to become better skiers and our coaches to increase their on-snow training! A series of training camps will be held in lieu of a state-level Winter Games or Southeast U.S. Winter Games in 2022 for Alpine skiing and snowboarding. This series of training camps are the perfect way for athletes and coaches that have not been able to get on the slopes to have dedicated training by professionals! These comprehensive camps will feature ski instruction by ability level for the morning session and instruction on gates and proper racing techniques in the afternoon.
Costs covered by SONC: Two training camps each for athletes and coaches either skiing or snowboarding participating in the camps. Lunch is included for all delegation members for two training camps.
Costs to the Local Program: $10 per person per camp for the first two camps. Beyond the two camps per person, the local program will be responsible for the typical costs of the training camp ($52 for ski, $64 for snowboarding), and any meal costs (meal vouchers are available for program use). Housing costs are not included.
We have had a great response from programs so far! Please make sure your athletes and coaches take advantage of these opportunities! The registration deadline for Jan. 9 and Jan. 10 trainings camps is Dec. 21. To register, and to see dates for the remaining training camps occurring in January and February, please go to this online registration form. Programs may submit training rosters before this date, but it is not required. The online registration form will serve as training roster submission for athletes and coaches/chaperones training in Alpine skiing and snowboarding.
All Call for Invitational Photos
Updated: 11/23/21
Did your local Program participate in an invitational this past fall? Be sure to send your photos to team@sonc.net to have your athletes featured in our photo gallery here.
Be Sure to Keep Up With Accreditation!
Updated: 11/22/21
Thank you to everyone who has already completed Phase 1 of accreditation by filling out the Accreditation Form. Your community resources director is available if you have any questions!
We are now entering Phase 2 of Accreditation. For this phase, we will need you to submit:
2021 Value In-Kind (VIK) Report – The Value In-Kind (VIK) report form should be used to submit this information. As a reminder, VIK is any donation of services, goods or funds that the local program would usually incur a cost for, but instead were given for free or at a discounted rate. Some examples include: transportation from parks and recreation or the school system, meals from a vendor for a local event, percentage of salary that goes toward local coordinator hours, etc. If you are not sure about whether something is considered VIK, please reach out so we can discuss! This form should be completed and sent to finance@sonc.net by Friday, Dec. 17.
2022 Budget – The budget worksheet is provided for you to first lay out your entire budget. You will use the worksheet in preparation for completing the Budget Form. Once you have determined your budget, please fill out the form.
Each account number is provided with a definition for proper recording. Built-in calculations will automatically total the revenue and expense. You can request a detailed financial statement for a previous fiscal year (2019 was the last typical program year) from finance@sonc.net to support you in determining the new budget for 2022. Submission of your 2022 budget is due on Friday, Dec. 17.
Updated Return to Activities Protocol
Updated: 11/19/21
Considering the updated guidance from Special Olympics, Inc. along with your recent survey feedback, Special Olympics North Carolina has allowed in-person sports training and competition to resume as of Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. All in-person gatherings should abide by the following guidelines outlined in the updated Return to Activities document. Though some counties and municipalities in our state are no longer under a mask mandate, all SONC local Programs must continue to abide by the Return to Activities protocol, including wearing masks at all times other than vigorous activity/competition. The indoor gathering limit of 50 people (including athletes, coaches, volunteers and spectators) is also still in place.
Please contact your Community Resource Director with any questions or concerns around in-person activities.
Please refer to the current screening protocol in order to minimize the risk of COVID-19 at in-person events. In the event an athlete, volunteer, coach, or Unified partner tests positive for COVID-19, please fill out this form to ensure any necessary contact tracing can occur.
Winter Sports Training Season
Updated: 11/15/21
While snow-based and ice-based sports are traditionally thought of as “winter sports,” many SONC local Programs start training for spring and summer sports in the winter season. In order for everyone to be safe this training season, we have updated our sport-specific, in-person training guidelines for the following sports: Alpine dry-land training, basketball, bowling, cheerleading, gymnastics and swimming.
Additionally, we have updated the Winter Sports Season Timeline for guideposts and deadlines as we move into the 2021-2022 winter training season. Coordinators may use this template to submit training rosters to registration@sonc.net two weeks before the first practice.
Vaccination Updates
Updated: 9/24/21
According to guidelines from Special Olympics, Inc., no one is currently required to have a COVID-19 vaccination in order to participate in Special Olympics events, including those of Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC). At this point, no one is asked to report whether or not s/he has received the vaccine. We do anticipate that this policy may change as knowledge and conditions around the pandemic and the vaccine efficacy develop. In the meantime, SONC encourages everyone to get the vaccine and we will continue to follow all safety guidelines at SONC events.
