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Coaches and Officials

The role of coach or official is a rewarding way to be involved in sport and to participate at Special Olympics Australia. As a coach or official, you are a role-model, advisor, mentor and motivator - all important roles to support athletes with intellectual disability/autism to be their best.

Certification

Gain official skills.

Athlete-centricity

Provide the best athlete experience.

Development

Learn more. 

On this page:

Resources

The best coaches and officials continually improve their knowledge, maintain best practice, and keep up with developments and innovations in their sport. Read and download our resources to maintain your skills and deliver the best athlete experience.

Support Resources

These further resources will help support you on your journey with Special Olympics.

Guidelines

Article 1 – Sports Rules

The Official Special Olympics Sports Rules (“Sports Rules”) provide standards for Special Olympics training and competition.

Webpage

Sports Rules and Guides

Special Olympics offers 30-plus Olympic-style individual and team sports that provide meaningful training and competition opportunities for persons with intellectual disabilities. This page presents coaching guides, rules, quick-start guides and more.

Webpage

Divisioning

The fundamental difference between Special Olympics competitions and those of other sports organisations is that athletes of all ability levels are encouraged to participate, and every athlete is recognised for his/her performance.

Guidelines

Quick Reference Guide

This is a general guide to coaching adults and children with intellectual disabilities (ID), focusing on some behaviours or characteristics commonly associated with ID.

Coaching Partners

Partners logo Mazda
Partners logo Gallagher
Partners logo ASPECT