Whatever you do well in your profession, or in your personal life, becoming a coach is great for your spirit...

We need your energy, and your time to help bring out the best in someone else. Our athletes have unlimited enthusiasm, a willingness to learn, and a great amount of joy to share. Coaching for Special Olympics will renew your love of playing for the fun of it and competing for the thrill of it.

Our year-round athlete training and competition provides a wide variety of sports to choose from.  Coaches work directly with athletes to provide training and competition within one of the official SONL sports. SONL coaches are supported by a training programs in two streams.

SOC Community Sport Course
Recognizing the value that Canada's 1.2 million volunteer coaches bring to our communities. Often the parents of participants, volunteer coaches usually hold down full-time jobs, so they have limited time for training. The program focuses on essentials placing emphasis on safety, fun, ethics, teamwork, and values beyond the game. Training helps volunteers foster love of the sport, promote participation and teach basic skills to beginners of all ages through a variety of activities.

Special Olympics Community Sport Coach workshop focuses primarily on safety, teaching fundamental motor skills and ethical decision making.

A Trained SOC Community Coach is expected to
Participate at least once a week
Foster the love of sport or physical activity in a fun and safe environment
Promote participation and fitness in all ability levels
Foster the acquisition of fundamental motor skills through a variety of activities and games
Coach in local programs which may offer interclub low intensity competitions

Recommended for all coaches who coach at a local level and required for all those who will coach at Provincial Games.

SOC Competition Sport Course

The goals of the SOC Competition Sport Course are preparation for local, regional or provincial competitions with the primary focus on safety, fun, fitness, fundamentals, and performance as well as teaching the basic skills of the sport.

Following completion of all training, a coach can choose to become certified in the Competition - Introduction context through an evaluation process managed and coordinated by the National Sport Organizations (NSO). Special Olympics Canada is working with each of the 13 SO sports to ensure that the evaluation is relevant to the SO athlete needs and the SO coach. This is underway and has not been completed yet.

A Trained SOC Competition Coach is expected to
Provide support to athletes in areas such as technical, physical tactical and mental preparation
Coach in competition as well as in training
Encourage an environment that is fun
Coach may progress to various levels with their athletes or the coach may choose to work with athletes at a specific level

Required for all coaches who wish to coach at National or International Games

Sport Specific Training
The SONL Coach Education Program provides workshops for coaches in the Community and Competition contexts. These workshops provide the Special Olympics coach with what they need to know and be able to do in order to coach a Special Olympics athlete. Within the Competition context, the SO coach must also participate in the sport-specific workshop. These "sport specific" workshops provide the Special Olympics coach with what they need to know and be able to do in order to coach the technical aspects of the sport. Special Olympics Canada does not run workshops pertaining to the technical aspects of the 13 SO sports. This is accomplished through our partnerships with National Sport Organizations and Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations.

If you are interested in or would like to find out more information about these courses and other training opportunities, please contact Nelson White, SONL staff responsible for coaching at (709) 738-1923.