Special Olympics North Carolina offers sports training and competition in 28 Olympic-type sports to nearly 53,000 individuals with intellectual disabilities and Unified partners (individuals without intellectual disabilities). Athletes train for a minimum of eight weeks with an average 1-2 practices per week. Sports competition is available for eligible athletes 8 years old and older, and there is no upper age limit.
State-Level Sports Offered
Competition for these sports are offered at state-level events for Special Olympics North Carolina.
Locally Popular Sports
These sports are offered within local programs as training opportunities with the potential for local competitions.
Cornhole
DanceSport
Figure Skating
Kayaking
Roller Skating
Sailing
Speed Skating
Stand-Up Paddleboarding
Surfing
Sports Competitions and Opportunities
Special Olympics North Carolina adheres to sport training and competition guidelines set forth by Special Olympics, Inc. as stated in Article I of the Special Olympics Sports Rules.
One of the main differences that sets Special Olympics apart from other sport organizations is divisioning. View this Divisioning video created by Special Olympics Inc.
Age Groups
An athlete’s age group is determined by the athlete’s age on the opening date of the Games or competition. The age of the oldest athlete on a team is used to determine the age group in which that team will compete. Depending on the type of competition (individual or team) and the sport, age groups may differ.
Maximum Effort Rule (formerly known as the Honest Effort Rule): Athletes are also expected to give maximum effort when competing. This is the only way the divisioning process can work as it was intended. Athletes who do not participate honestly and with maximum effort in all preliminary trials and/or finals violate the true spirit of competition and may even be disqualified from competition. SONC will use the maximum effort rule for state-level competition in aquatics (swimming) and athletics (track and field).
