Athlete Information

Hudson Special Olympics is open to athletes over 8 years old who have an intellectual disability and reside in the area served by the Hudson School District. Once you are a member of HSO, you are a member for life, providing you keep a medical form on file and comply with our code of conduct. Our 80 athletes range in age from 8 to 60!

Not a resident of Hudson? Visit the Special Olympics Ohio Website (sooh.org) to see if there is a program in your area.

If not, we would love to talk to you about starting a Special Olympics group just like we did in 2000!

All athlete participants must complete the following and have it approved and on file before they can participate. The medical portion must be signed by a physician and will be kept on file for three years before it will need to be renewed. If any new medical situations arise in those three years, another form must be completed and turned in.

- Medical and release form (note it is five pages):

https://sooh.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2018-SOOH-medical-and-release-forms.pdf

-The athlete must be registered for the specific sport via the web that they are interested in.

Please note: If you are hesitant about participation because you are not sure if your athlete will enjoy it or for some other reason, we urge you to try. Once your forms

are in, they are good for three years -so try and if you need, try again. Our coaches are here to help decide when and if your athlete is ready for competition!

Cost of Programs

There is no cost to the athlete to participate. Special Olympics has maintained this policy from its inception as a means to insure accessibility. However, it should be noted that because we are an all-volunteer organization, by default, some of the financial burden incurred does fall to the family/caregivers of the athletes. Parents and caregivers are responsible for travel to and from practices and competitions. Because of this, we have set up funds to help defer the costs for those if needed. Some people choose not to ask for these reimbursements and consider it a "donation" (please talk with your tax advisor if you are eligible for this). But the monies are there if it is needed so any reimbursement made will always be kept in the strictest confidence. We trust our families and friends to use them judiciously.

At the end of each season, a banquet or awards ceremony of some type is usually held. The general guideline for these is that there is no cost to the athlete, volunteer or coach. Parents, caregivers and other attendees are usually charged by the facility and many times offer dinners at discounted fees.

What to do if you are a new athlete!

Welcome!

First of all, contact the Local Coordinator at soh44236@gmail.com . We will need to determine your eligibility.

Then, complete the medical and release form above and send it to the address that the Local Coordinator will give you. He will also sign you up to be on the email list, which is the primary means of communication. Next, watch the website and your email for announcements pertaining to which sport will be starting. If interested, register when it is time via the website. You will then be on the roster for that sport!

Athlete responsibility and conduct.

Athletes must act on their best behavior at all times. We are to encourage and support each other, pay attention to our coaches, carry out directions from our coaches and exhibit good sportsmanship. It is important that we try to make all practices and to let Coach know if you won't be there. Sometimes athletes are eager to compete and sometimes they are not ready for competition. Your coach will help you work through that, so no worries!