ASAA Unified Sports
The Alberta Schools' Athletic Association (ASAA) has partnered with Special Olympics Alberta to bring this international program to our province. The program started in September 2015 and continues to grow and gain support from high schools across Alberta. As of 2024, there are over 70 schools across Alberta competing in Unified Sports.
What is Special Olympics Unified Sports?
Special Olympics Unified Sports® is a model that promotes social inclusion by joining individuals with and without intellectual disabilities on the same teams for athletic training and competition. This program is founded on the simple yet powerful principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendships and understanding. Unified Sports serves as a transformative platform for breaking down barriers, fostering greater acceptance, and empowering individuals through the power of sport.
Unified Sports teams include approximately equal numbers of Special Olympics athletes and partners without intellectual disabilities of similar ages and abilities. This ensures that all participants are recognized as equal contributors, both on and off the playing field. Through this shared experience, participants develop a sense of belonging, learn to interact meaningfully with others, and form lasting, mutually rewarding relationships.
Looking ahead, Unified Sports aims to expand its global reach and impact, inspiring more communities to embrace inclusion and equality through sports. By continuing to innovate and adapt to the diverse needs of participants, Unified Sports will remain a driving force in creating a world where everyone’s abilities are valued and celebrated. Currently Basketball, Bocce and Bean Bag Toss have been the three main sports that a Unified Team competes in, but we hope to continue the expansion and adaptation of any sport. The program aspires to unite even more people, fostering connections and building a more inclusive future through the power of sport.
Components of a Unified Sports Program:
A Special Olympics athlete is an athlete with an intellectual disability; typically, someone who is interested in sport participation, is competitive, and enjoys playing on a team.
A Unified Partner athlete is an athlete without an intellectual disability; typically, someone who is interested in sport participation, is competitive, and enjoys playing on a team.
Meaningful Competition is an important component of Unified Sport. Coaches are responsible for putting players of comparable skill together on a team and on the court in a game so that an evenly matched competition will allow opportunities for every team member to contribute.
Divisions: Competitive & Recreation
Division 1 - Competitive
- All athletes and partners must have attained the necessary sport-specific skills and tactics to compete without modification.
Division 2 - Recreation and Player Development
- Athletes are learning or new to the sport.
- Unified Partners take on a more facilitator role and support athletes in developing their skills and understanding of the game.
- In this case, Unified Partners have a heightened focus on communication, defending the opposing Unified Partner and passing.
Teammates may be of varying ages and ability levels. However, they must be engaged together on the same team in the activity and in a meaningful and appropriate manner.
How to Become a Unified School?
Find a Champion Coach - Unified can't be done without a coach believing in the program. Whether you are a teacher, administrator, support staff member or parent, the first step is to collaborate with your school to get the program started.
https://forms.gle/gmU1g6L7LY4Vbcqd6
- Build Your Team - find your leaders. This can be best found through your leadership classes, sports teams, or through extracurricular sign-ups. Unified Partners range from the starters on the basketball team to student leaders to students who have never had the opportunity to play on a team.
Participate - get involved in Unified events. This can be a in-person sports tournament, virtual events and challenges, athlete showcases, or in-school PE class.
That's It! - The combination of students working together provides the best opportunity for creating a positive school culture, which ensures EVERY student becomes a part of the social fabric within their schools.
Every student now has the opportunity to become an athlete, unified partner, or student leader while creating a more inclusive environment!
To get the program off the ground, reach out to unified@asaa.ca for additional support and guidance or click the resource link to access other resources for school programs.