Bocce is a game of skill and strategy. Athletes can participate in Unified Sports® events. Unified Sports® is a program that assigns Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (partners) to the same teams for training and competition.
In Unified Bocce, a doubles team consists of one Special Olympics athlete and one partner; a traditional team consists of two Special Olympics athletes and two partners. As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped in competition divisions according to ability level, age and gender.
Fun Facts:
Bocce was introduced at the World Games level for the first time in 1995.
Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skating is one of the few judged Special Olympics sports. Special Olympics figure skating features singles and pairs jumps, lifts and many feats of strength and precision. Ice dancers concentrate on interpreting the rhythm and tempo of music through dance steps on the ice. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level (senior), and at local, national, and international competitions!
Fun Fact:
Special Olympics figure skating was first introduced in the 1977 Special Olympics World Winter Games.
The game of volleyball is attractive to all types of players, from competitive to recreational, young and old. To play volleyball, players need to acquire a few basic skills, learn a few rules, require very little equipment and can play the game almost anywhere--from the beach to the gym. The aim of the sport is to score more points by hitting the ball with the hands and sending it over the net to the opponent's court.