Reminder! As of July 2024, Special Olympics Washington has a new Volunteer Portal. Create your account today and register for our Spring Season events! This portal is your one-stop shop for finding and applying for volunteer opportunities.
Please note that registering to volunteer is a two-step process. If you do not create an account in our Volunteer Portal, you will only be able view the schedule of available volunteer roles/shifts by clicking the registration links. To properly register for a volunteer role you must:
- Create a profile/or log-in if returning.
- Register for your desired event/role/shift by using the registration link.
More information can be found near the bottom of the page.
Spring Season 2025 – Just a few events remain!
Only a few events remain in our regular season schedule – join us as athletes compete to qualify to attend our State Spring Games, June 20-22. The volunteer roles and shifts posted in the events below may be adjusted as the competition schedules are finalized – thank you in advance for your flexibility. Remember, the links below will only take you to the schedule of shifts, you’ll need to go to the portal first and then register.
- May 31: Unified Soccer, State Championship; Puyallup.
- Registration is full – thank you for your support!
2025 State Spring Games – Registration pages are now open!
Over 2,500 volunteers are needed to support the multiple competitions and special events being planned for the weekend of June 20-22 when thousands of athletes, coaches, chaperones and family members will travel from across Washington to compete and celebrate the end of a fantastic Spring Season. The University of Puget Sound campus in Tacoma will serve as the hub for a large number of competitions and events, while several will take place in Federal Way and the surrounding Tacoma area.
- June 20-22: State Spring Games; Federal Way and Tacoma. SHIFT SCHEDULE HERE.
- Note that there is one main registration link just above, but when you go to the State Games main page, each competition and special event has its own hyperlink where you can view the schedule. Again, you must create a profile/log-in to our registration portal and THEN register. Simply clicking on the shift schedule will not be enough for you to be registered.
- Competitions taking place on the UPS campus:
- Athletics – Saturday and Sunday, over 250 volunteers needed each day
- Bocce – Saturday and Sunday, volunteers needed as Referees and Scorekeepers. No experience needed.
- Soccer – Saturday and Sunday, volunteers needed as Scorekeepers
- Softball – Sunday for the Championship games. Limited volunteers needed.
- Competitions taking place off campus:
- Swimming – Saturday at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, over 300 volunteers needed
- Golf – Saturday at Meadow Park Golf Course in Tacoma needs both Individual Skills volunteers (no experience needed) and volunteers with some golf knowledge to serve as Course Marshals and walk the course with the athletes to be Scorekeepers.
- Softball – Saturday at SERA Athletic Fields in Tacoma, volunteers needed for Individual skills (no experience needed) and limit number of support volunteer roles
- Medical Volunteers are needed to provide sideline first aid at all of the competitions and special events. Current health care providers and volunteers certified in First Aid/CPR/AED are needed. Interested volunteers must first apply through the credentialing process with our Emergency Management Group partners at: EMG Credential Verification Application.
- Volunteers with current medical credentials in dentistry, optometry, and physical therapy are needed to provide free screenings at our Healthy Athletes event on Saturday, June 21st on the UPS campus. Physician Equivalent Volunteers, Clinical Volunteers, and Clinical Student Volunteers in the above health disciplines are needed. General Volunteers to assist with check-in and re-stocking of supplies will also be needed. Please help us to recruit these volunteers by telling your own medical team or friends and family members in the health care industry about the opportunities. Instructions on how to register can be found on the Healthy Athletes registration page.
- Licensed Massage Therapists are needed to provide complimentary 15-minute seated massages to our athletes and coaches as part of Olympic Town on the UPS campus on Saturday and Sunday, June 21st and 22nd. Interested volunteers must first apply through the credentialing process with our Emergency Management Group partners at: Massage Therapist License Verification
- General volunteers with an interest in interacting with the athletes and working alongside our Athlete Health Messengers, are needed to distribute education materials on Hydration, Physical Activity, and Sun Safety at our Performance Stations. No medical background needed, we’ll provide the information and training. The Performance Stations will be located on the UPS campus on Saturday, June 21st.
- Dozens of volunteers will be needed on the UPS campus at Volunteer Check-in, Merchandise Sales and to assist with Lunch Distribution. These roles and shifts can be found listed under UPS Campus Support.
- The various competition and event venues on the UPS campus just don’t appear overnight, it takes dozens of volunteers several days to get ready for the fun and festivities. Volunteers are needed to help with Venue Set-up on Thursday, June 19th and Friday, June 20th – options include Olympic Town, Athletics, Soccer and Bocce, as well as miscellaneous needs around campus. Tear Down Volunteers help us to pack up on Sunday the 22nd and return the UPS campus to its beautiful pre-event condition. These roles and shifts can be found listed under Venue Set-up/Tear Down & Support Services.
- Have a corporate or community group that would like to volunteer? Contact our Volunteer Team at volunteer@sowa.org to help find the perfect role and shift for your group – we’ll even register for you!
Getting To The Portal
- Step 1: Visit https://portals.specialolympics.org
- Step 2: Click “Create an account” which will walk you through profile creation
- Note: Your email activation code will be sent from “Microsoft on behalf of Special Olympics B2C Production.” Please be sure to check your spam folder as well.
- Step 3: Enter the Volunteer Portal homepage
Resources
- FAQs | Create an Account | Register as an Individual | Register a Group | Group FAQs
- Additional athlete & volunteer portal resources
- Find more tips and tricks on navigating the portal below!
Portal Tips and Tricks
- Want to register for an event? Find and register for event volunteer opportunities by clicking on Sign Up for An Event, shown on your Volunteer Zone/landing page of your profile.
- Looking for an event in your area or at a specific time? “Show More Filters” and search by zip code or enter a Date Range (example: 9/1-12/1). Or simply “Sort by” date to view in chronological order.
- Are you a volunteer between the ages of 11-13? Please have a parent or guardian apply for the Event Volunteer Group Lead role prior to registering for a shift. Please refer to Register a Group for step-by-step instructions.
- 2 or more persons in your “group”? If you share an email, you’ll need to Register a Group. If you’re a small group (less than 10) with separate emails, it may be easier to register separately. Otherwise, designate a Group Lead and follow the instructions in Register a Group.
- Do you have a large group (10+ persons)? Feel free to reach out to volunteer@sowa.org to help find the perfect fit for your group. Larger groups also have a few other options in how they register.
- Interested in other volunteer roles? Apply for other volunteer roles (like coaching, etc.) under Do More with Special Olympics (find more specifics of when and where under Sign Up for An Event)
- Have other skills and talents you’d like to share? Let us know about your interests, skills, and talents under My Checklist > Add Your Skills so program staff can help match you
- Still having trouble? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to volunteer@sowa.org and let us know how we can help!
Office Prep Volunteers needed
Do you have weekday/daytime availability? Prior to competitions, our staff frequently need extra support with the behind-the-scenes preparations. Duties may include photocopying, assembling coaches packets, labeling athlete bibs, taking inventory of medals/ribbons, etc. Unless noted otherwise, shifts are 1:00 – 4:00pm at our downtown Seattle office (near the Space Needle). When registering to volunteer for this role, you’ll need to “Do More” and add the Admin Volunteer role to your profile. Look for the Office Prep – Spring Season link in the list of options in the portal.
- May – 16
- June – 16, 17, and18
Also available in June – we’d love some additional help with loading the truck for State Spring Games (10am-1pm, June 18) as well as unloading the truck afterwards (10am-1pm, June 23). The ability to lift at least 25 pounds is required.
Contact Us
Do you have a question regarding volunteering? Or do you wish to be added to our weekly volunteer recruitment email list? Please contact the Volunteer Team at volunteer@sowa.org. Thank you for your interest in supporting our athletes!