Through the power of sports, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) discover new strengths and abilities, skills and success. Our athletes find joy, confidence and fulfillment — on the playing field and in life. They also inspire people in their communities and elsewhere to open their hearts to a wider world of human talents and potential. There are approximately 170,000 people with IDD in Washington. Our goal is to reach every one of them – and their families as well.
Join Special Olympics Washington and be the best you can be!
To be eligible to participate in Special Olympics, athletes must:
- Be at least 8 years old (children ages 2-1/2 to 7 are eligible to participate in the Young Athletes program).
- Be diagnosed by an agency or professional as having one of the following conditions: intellectual disability; a cognitive delay as determined by standardized measures such as intelligence quotient or other generally accepted measures; or a closely related development disability, i.e., functional limitations in both general learning and adaptive skills.
- Complete all required online forms including self-reported medical information and associated releases and waivers.
- Agree to uphold the Special Olympics Athlete Code of Conduct.
Ready to join the Special Olympics Washington team?
Step 1
Register Online- Registering yourself as an athlete? Find the user guide here.
- Registering an athlete on their behalf? Find the user guide here.
- Find more resources on our Portal Resources page.
Step 2
If you are registering for the first time and are looking for a program, email PortalSupport@sowa.org upon registration completion and a Special Olympics Washington staff member will connect you with a program in your area.
For information on how to become a Unified partner, please click here.