About Us
Special Olympics Virginia
Special Olympics Virginia is a year-round program of sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. We serve nearly 9,500 athletes through seven regional offices and 28 area programs. We are one of 52 U.S. programs, and part of a global movement that serves three million athletes in more than 180 counties.Thanks to a statewide volunteer network of more than 20,000 and the support of generous partners throughout Virginia, athletes pay nothing to participate. And with nearly 2,000 events annually, including six state-level competitions, we invite everyone to join us in our mission to open hearts and change minds about people with intellectual disabilities.
Coach. Compete. Donate. Volunteer. Sponsor. Be a Fan. Don’t miss out on the experience.
 Consider the basketball. Left alone on flat ground, it is still. It's just a basketball. Now put the basketball in the hands of a Special Olympics athlete. What happens next is much more than basketball, more than sports. She throws the basketball through the hoop and feels joy. Her family cheers with pride. Spectators start to see her a little differently, perhaps reconsidering how they view people with intellectual disabilities. Little by little, the world changes. The sport is the medium, but the real power lies within the Special Olympics experience and all the people it touches. |
