Volunteer
Frequently Asked Questions

How old do you have to be to volunteer?

- To work at a sanctioned Special Olympics event, the volunteer must be at least 15 years of age, unless accompanied by an adult
- Volunteers between 12 and 15 can volunteer with the RRISD program, though roles and responsibilities may vary depending on maturity of the student
- Unified Sports Partners can be 12 years or older

Area there different types of volunteering?

- Weekly Volunteers
  - Weekly volunteers become buddies and work with the athletes under the supervision of the RRISD Special Olympics coaches at the weekly practice sessions during an 8 week sport training season.
- Unified Sports Partners
  - The Unified Sports Partner becomes an integral part of the team under the supervision of the RRISD Special Olympics coaches, practices with the team, and will compete with the team at local and area competitions.
- Day of Event Volunteers
  - These are events that occur on a single day, such as a track meet, a tennis competition, golf competition, or a public relations event that requires additional support of volunteers.

What sports does Round Rock Special Olympics Offer?

- Aquatics, Bowling, Powerlifting, Basketball, Cycling, Tennis, Track and Field, Soccer, MATP-Motor Activities Training Program.

What’s a Unified Sports Partner?

- Unified Sports is a program that combines Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (Partners) on sports teams for training and competition. It is an inclusion model at its finest. The players become teammates and friends, practicing and competing together throughout the sport season. Players on a Unified Sports® team need the requisite sports skills and can play without modification.

Do I have to be “highly skilled” in the sport to be a Unified Partner?

- Knowledge of the sport and basic skill of the sport is recommended. The team sports of soccer and basketball necessitates a higher level of skill, as these sports are played at a more competitive level.

What Unified Partner sport opportunities does Round Rock offer?

- Aquatics Unified Relays, Unified Team Bowling, Unified Powerlifting, Unified Basketball, Unified Track and Field Relays, Unified Soccer, Unified Doubles Tennis.

Is there a cost to be a volunteer?

- No, there is no cost to volunteer. However, to become a certified SOTx Class A volunteer if you are 18 years or older, SOTx requires a CBC (criminal background check) as one of the steps to be completed, which is valid for 3 years. The cost for the CBC is $10.00.

Do I have to fill out paperwork?

Yes. SOTx Class A volunteers are required to complete the steps listed below. To obtain the paperwork and links for the slideshows and CBC, please contact Stephanie Kolaczkowski at stephanie_kolaczkowski@roundrockisd.org
View a General Orientation slideshow and submit responses to the quiz
View a Protective Behaviors slideshow and submit responses to the quiz
If 18 years or older: Submit for a criminal background check

When and where are the RR Roadrunner practices?

- All practices are after school hours, with times and locations dependent upon the sport.
- Most sport practices occur between the hours of 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm during the week, and typically occur at a RRISD school site (exception: aquatics and bowling). Most local and Area 13 competitions occur on the weekends at sites in the Central Texas area.

Can I get Community Service hours if I volunteer with the program?

- Yes, volunteering with RRISD Special Olympics is a great way to earn community service hours.

How do I get started?

- Contact Stephanie Kolaczkowski at stephanie_kolaczkowski@roundrockisd.org to learn more information and to get the necessary paperwork to get started!

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