Updated on August 15, 2024
We’re excited to announce that our *NEW* athlete and volunteer registration portal — Portals.SpecialOlympics.org — is now available! Starting with the 2024 Fall Season, the new registration portal will replace our old systems and will be completely online.
When we developed our multi-year Beyond Gold strategic plan, there’s one thing we heard loud and clear across the Special Olympics Washington community: make it easier for athletes, Unified partners, and volunteers to register and participate.
Developed in partnership with Special Olympics International and built on the Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform, the new registration portal delivers with a range of benefits, including:
- A simplified, easy-to-navigate online registration process.
- Improved data security and protection.
- An online checklist that houses all requirements in one area.
- E-signature option for forms.
- Mobile and tablet-friendly registration.
- Group registration for events.
- Ability for family/guardians, volunteers and staff to register on behalf of an athlete.
Now, all Special Olympics Washington athletes (and their families/guardians on their behalf), coaches, Unified partners, and volunteers can create accounts/profiles and complete registration online.
Bookmark the new registration portal at Portals.SpecialOlympics.org.
This page will be continually updated with resources to help make the transition to the new registration system as easy as possible. If the information you need is not posted, please contact us at PortalSupport@sowa.org for assistance.
Take me to the portal!Getting Started (including FAQs)
- How to Register: Athletes
- Click here for information for parents, guardians and others who may be registering on behalf of an athlete.
- How to Register: Coaches
- How to Register: Volunteers and Unified Partners
Common Terms
Videos
- For coaches, program coordinators and other Class A volunteers: Watch the May 30, 2024 training webinar
- Athlete’s Guide to the Portal
- This video will guide athletes on how to navigate the new portal.
- Volunteer Event Sign Up
- This video will show coaches, chaperones and Unified partners how to sign up for their program’s events within the registration portal. The video will walk through the required volunteer checklist items, how to apply for the role they want, and how to apply for their program’s event using the private link sent to the program’s main point of contact.
- Event Managers: Accessing Program Events
- This video will walk program event managers through navigating and accessing their event to see who is cleared for participation and has signed up, as well as “Check In” approved roles who can have access to athlete information for that sport in the event of an emergency.
- For Parents, Guardians and Circles of Care: Managing an Athlete’s Profile
- This video explains how a parent, guardian, caregiver, or others in an athlete’s “circle of care” can manage a single athlete profile or multiple athlete profiles within the registration portal.
Other Resources
- Known/Resolved Issues **coming soon**
- Microsoft News (July 22, 2024): Special Olympics is racing toward a tech evolution. The athletes are leading the sprint. Read about the collaboration between Special Olympics and Microsoft that brought our new online registration system to life.
Questions? Please contact us at PortalSupport@sowa.org.