Young Athletes Program

Special Olympics New York Young Athletes is a sport and play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities (ID), up to age 7. It introduces basic sport skills and offers families, teachers, caregivers and people from the community the chance to share the joy of sports with all children.

Young Athletes Programs are run in one of three different settings – schools, communities or homes.

Schools:
Teachers and therapists can use Young Athletes in the classroom to support children in developing important motor, communication and learning skills.

Community:
Young Athletes provides an opportunity for children with and without intellectual disabilities to come together with a coach for organized play. In community programs, family members can share in the fun with their child.

Home:
Parents, grandparents, siblings and friends play together at home with children using Young Athletes for activities and ideas.

Benefits of a LifetimeBenefits of a Lifetime

Young Athletes focuses on the following skills:

Foundational Skills (strength, flexibility and body awareness)
Walking and Running
Balance and Jumping
Trapping and Catching
Throwing
Striking
Kicking
Advanced Sport Skills

#PutMeInCoach – Inquire Today!

Play With Us!Play With Us!

Want to get your Young Athlete started today? Join the fun with the At Home inclusive play videos below.

Foundational Skills

Part 1: Welcome Song

Part 2: Scarf Game

Part 3: Inchworm Wiggle

Part 4: Bridges and Tunnels

Part 5: Itsy Bitsy Spider

Balancing and Jumping

Part 1: Opening Song

Part 2: Balance Beam

Part 3: Step and Jump

Throwing

Part 2: Underhand Toss

Part 3: Overhead Two-Hand Throwing

Part 4: Overhead One-Hand Throwing

Part 5: Obstacle Course

Part 6: Closing Song

Kicking

Part 1: Opening Song

Part 2: Kicking for Distance

Part 3: Target Kicking

Part 4: Penalty Kicks

Part 5: Kickball

Part 6: Closing Song

Foundational Skills, Day 2

Part 1: Opening Song

Part 2: I Spy Bunny Hop

Part 3: Inchworm Wiggle

Part 4: Bridges & Tunnels

Part 5: Obstacle Course

Part 6: Closing Sport Song

Balancing & Jumping, Day 2

Part 1: Opening Song

Part 2: Rolling & Trapping

Part 3: Foot Trap

Part 4: Jumping High

Part 5: Frog Hop

Part 6: Closing Sport Song

Advanced Throwing Skills, Day 2

Part 1: Opening Song

Part 2: Underhand Toss

Part 3: Two-Hand Throwing

Part 4: Overhand Throwing

Part 5: Throwing for Distance

Part 6: Closing Sport Song

Kicking, Day 2

Part 1: Opening Song

Part 2: Penalty Kick

Part 3: Kicking for Distance

Part 4: Kicking for Accuracy

Part 5: Kickball

Part 6: Give and Go

Part 7: Closing Song

Foundational Skills, Day 3

Part 1: Opening Song

Part 2: Bunny Hop

Part 3: I Spy

Part 4: Bridges & Tunnels

Part 5: Follow the Leader

Part 6: Running Styles

Part 7: Obstacle Course

Part 8: Closing Song

Walking and Running

Part 1: Wheels on the Bus

Part 2: Follow the Leader

Part 3: Obstacle Course

Part 4: Running Styles

Part 5: Cool Down

Trapping and Catching

Part 1: Opening Song

Part 2: Rolling and Trapping

Part 3: Bounce Catch

Part 4: Underhand Throwing and Catching

Part 5: Goalie Drill

Part 6: Obstacle Course

Striking

Part 5: Obstacle Course

Part 6: Keep It Up

Part 7: Closing Song

Advanced Sports Skills

Part 1: Opening Song

Part 2: Running Styles

Part 3: Relay Races

Part 4: Jumping High

Part 5: Hurdles

Part 6: Throwing for Accuracy and Distance

Part 7: Closing Song

Walking & Running, Day 2

Part 1: Wheels on the Bus

Part 2: Follow the Leader

Part 3: Relay Races

Part 4: Running Styles

Part 5: Obstacle Course

Part 6: Closing Song

Trapping & Catching, Day 2

Part 1: Wheels on the Bus

Part 2: Goalie Drill

Part 3: Bean Bag Catch

Part 4: High Ball Catch

Part 5: Bounce Catch

Part 6: Closing Song

Striking, Day 2

Part 1: Opening Song

Part 2: Side Striking

Part 3: Beginning Hockey

Part 4: Beginning Tennis & Softball

Part 5: Bridges & Tunnels

Part 6: Closing Song

Advanced Sports Skills, Day 2

Part 1: Opening Song

Part 2: Balance Beam

Part 3: High Ball Catch

Part 4: Overhand Throwing

Part 5: Handball

Part 6: Beginning Hockey

Part 7: Closing Song

ResourcesResources

Foundational Skills
Develop fitness, strength, body awareness, spatial concepts, adaptive skills following directions, imitating motor movements and visual tracking skills.

Walking and Running
Build walking and running skills, fitness, strength, body awareness, spatial concepts, and adaptive skills following directions, imitating motor movements.

Balance and Jumping
Increase fitness, strength, body awareness, spatial concepts, balance, jumping, and hand eye coordination, and adaptive skills following directions, imitating motor movements.

Trapping and Catching
Grow fitness, strength, body awareness, spatial concepts, balance, hand eye coordination, motor control and body movement.

Throwing
Advance throwing skills, fitness, strength, body awareness, and spatial concepts.

Striking
Develop kicking skills, fitness, strength, body awareness, eye hand coordination, and adaptive skills following directions, imitating motor movements.

Kicking

Broaden kicking skills, flexibility, general fitness, strength, body awareness, coordination, spatial concepts, and adaptive skills following directions, imitating motor movements.

Advanced Sports
Apply the skills developed over the course of the Young Athletes program to sports games.

Family Flash Cards: Fun and engaging flashcards featuring each of the individual activities and at home equipment modifications for families to use at home to run Young Athletes.

Young Athletes At Home: Guide for families and caregivers on how to run Young Athletes activities at home.

Healthy Play at Home: Poster for families to track the various healthy behaviors they do at home.