For both USA & World Games the local Games Organizing Committee (GOC) invites chapters to apply for slots to attend the games. For USA Games the local chapters are the states, Special Olympics Massachusetts, for world games it is the country, Special Olympics USA.
USA Games- The local GOC determines the size of the event, which sports are offered and how many athletes or teams will participate in a given sport. It is the GOC's goal to ensure quality divisioning and competition, so they set the parameters around each sport to achieve this goal. Special Olympics Massachusetts applies for slots to USA Games based on our yearly census, see policy below. The GOC uses each chapters yearly census to determine how many slots they can distribute to a chapter to ensure that their is a fair representation of the sport across the country based on participation at the chapter level.
World Games - Like USA Games, the local GOC determines the size of the event, which sports will be offered, how many slots each region receives. Once Special Olympics North America (SONA) receives its quota it then distributes the quota across the region (Canada, Caribbean, Untied States) based on the yearly census. Once the United States receives its quota from the SONA, the management team of Special Olympics USA along with the staff at Special Olympics North America, invite all US chapters to apply for slots in the sports SO USA is allowed to bring. Programs submit their requests and then SO USA determines how many slots to allocate around the U.S. based on each programs yearly census. State Chapters have no control on how many slots they will receive once they submit their quota.
USA and World Games are exciting opportunities for Special Olympics Massachusetts athletes to compete on a larger stage outside of Massachusetts. These events are in addition to the opportunities that are offered within Commonwealth. Special Olympics Massachusetts is not required to submit a quota request to either event. When it is time to submit a quota request to the Games Organizing Committee for consideration, Special Olympics Massachusetts uses the following criteria to ensure we represent the majority of the athletes that participate in Special Olympics MA programming. Special Olympics MA bases our request on the organizations yearly census and in accordance to the General Rules Article I of Special Olympics.
1) For Special Olympics MA to request a quota in a sport, it must meet one of the following criteria:
a. Have over 500 individuals participate in the sport
b. 15% of Special Olympics MA local programs offer the sport
c. If a high performance slot is offered by Games Organizing Committee, Special Olympics Massachusetts athletes meet the criteria outlined by the Games Organizing Committee
2) Fiscal health of the organization
a. USA & World Games has a major impact on the organization’s operating budget. Special Olympics MA must ensure that at all times, resources and funds are directed first to provide programing locally within Massachusetts that support all of the athletes.
Special Olympics North America (SONA) offers National Invitational Tournaments (NIT) in a variety of different sports in years in which there is not a USA Games. Special Olympics Massachusetts will use the following guidelines when it comes to attending a National Invitational Tournament.
As with USA and World Games, NIT’s are exciting opportunities for Special Olympics Massachusetts athletes to compete on a larger stage outside of Massachusetts. These events are in addition to the opportunities that are offered within Commonwealth. Special Olympics MA will utilize similar guidelines for requesting slots and selecting athletes that are used for USA & World Games nominations. Special Olympics MA will base requests on the organization’s yearly census and in accordance with the General Rules Article I of Special Olympics. Note that Special Olympics Massachusetts is not required to submit a quota request for a SONA NIT’s. Special Olympics MA will consider a request and select athletes for a SONA NIT via the following guidelines
Sport must be classified a Level A or B sport with in the SOMA sport offerings
As with a USA or World Games, Special Olympics MA will apply for a quota from the games organizing committee. Local programs or teams may not go through the local organizing committee
Athletes must apply to Special Olympics MA to be eligible for selection and meet criteria outlined on application
Delegation must have a head coach selected and approved by Special Olympics MA.
Head Coach will train and prepare delegation prior to event, ensure all requirements by games organizers are meet and accompany delegation to event
Head Coach will have all certifications (Level III) required by SONA.
Selected athletes will be required to fundraise above and beyond yearly contributions to help cover costs with attending