Volunteers
Interested in volunteering?
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Download a volunteer registration form for the State Winter Games in Wausau, WI. from Jan 30 - Feb 1
For questions about volunteering for the Winter Games, contact Jerry at (715) 355-0550.
What type of volunteer are you?
Special Olympics is made possible because of the efforts of thousands of volunteers. There are two main groups of Special Olympics Volunteers:
Day of Event Volunteers
A day of event volunteer assists with competition or fund raising events once or a few times a year.
Duties may include: Awards, Cheering, Scorekeeping
Day of event volunteer requirements
In order to volunteer, must have an ID at registration or a waiver signed by a parent or guardian if volunteer is under 18 years old.
Volunteers must be 12 years old. Youth ages 12-13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. youth ages 14-15 must be accompanied by an adult with a 4:1 ratio (4 youths to 1 adult chaperone)
Class A Volunteers
Anyone who has direct contact with athletes or is in a position of authority, supervision or trust of athletes or handles substantial amounts of cash or other assets for Special Olympics needs to be a registered Class A volunteer. Click here for more information on Class A Volunteers.
Duties may include: Coaching, committee work, agency management
Class A volunteer requirements
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Submit a Class A Registration Form to the program office (requires background check)
Request to have a Class A form mailed to you -
View the General Orientation video at a training or view it online and take the General Orientation Test
*Must be done every three years
Attention Volunteers:
Required volunteer training available online
According to a new Protective Behaviors policy from Special Olympics Inc, all Class A volunteers must participate in an online training to maintain active status. Protective Behaviors training is a critical tool for protecting Special Olympics athletes from sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. Volunteers are required to participate in this new training even if they have been involved with Special Olympics for a long time and have seen older training videos.
The training is available online and only takes about 10-20 minutes to complete. Once you complete the exam at the end of the training, fill out your information and SOWI will be notified that you completed this requirement. Volunteers will need to retake the online training every three years to maintain active status.
- Take the Protective Behaviors training online
- Learn more about this policy
- Who is a Class A volunteer?
- Am I a Mandatory Reporter? Click here to learn more about Wisconsin's Child Abuse reporting laws
Volunteers…The Heartbeat of Special Olympics
Special Olympics Wisconsin serves nearly 10,000 athletes annually. To give these individuals the opportunities they enjoy. We need your help.
Every volunteer is a potential spokesperson for Special Olympics Wisconsin. Our success is driven by the dedication of our volunteer Management Teams, Agency Managers, Coaches and thousands of event volunteers.
Want to live a longer, more satisfying life? According to a recent issue of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, studies show adults involved in their communities live longer than their peers who don't volunteer. Getting involved with Special Olympics Wisconsin might just be your ticket to a healthier, happier and longer life!
Becoming a SOWI volunteer is a great way to give back to the community -- but be realistic about how much time you can give. You can offer your services for an extended time period, such as coaching your favorite sport. If your time is limited, try a short-term project or event, such as a day long or weekend competition, a fund-raising event, or helping in your local office with clerical tasks. SOWI events take place year-round and all over Wisconsin; so don't hesitate to get involved!
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please click on the volunteer interest form link below. Your information will then be forwarded to the State office and the Area office nearest you.
Fill out the volunteer interest form.
State Competition volunteer online registration
- Fall Sports Tournament - December
- Winter Games - February
- Indoor Sports Tournament - April
- Summer Games - June
- Outdoor Sports Tournament - August
Special Olympics volunteers include:
"Day of" Volunteers - "Day of" volunteers present awards to athletes, escort athletes, keep score or times during competition, act as the announcer, etc. All of these activities take place the day of the sporting event. This is a great opportunity for individuals who want a small time commitment. All volunteers are given a brief orientation prior to the day of the event. All volunteer positions are easy to learn…no experience is necessary.
Event Coordinators/Management Team Members - Event coordinators and management
team members work with Special Olympics staff and other volunteers to help organize
and run exciting and successful sport events. Event coordinators or management team
members have the chance to plan, organize and run exciting and successful sport events.
With your help, the athletes’ experiences can be competitive and positive.
Office Assistants - Office assistants can help with filing, copying, typing
and large mailings. There are also opportunities to help with layout and design.
Professional Advisors - Professional services are always in demand. By providing goods or services to Special Olympics, you'll be raising awareness of your business, plus working with a great group of fun-loving athletes and volunteers.
Volunteers are needed as advisors to help with specific areas of expertise such as public relations, bookkeeping, fundraising, etc. By providing your expertise, you'll be raising awareness of your business, while working with a great group of fun-loving athletes and other volunteers.
Agency Managers – Agency Managers actually manage their local “team,” or Agency, of athletes by maintaining athlete records, monitoring finances for the team, recruiting coaches, taking care of local public relations in the community, and lining up transportation to local or statewide competitions. Agency Managers often find volunteers to assist in the many facets of agency management.
Coaches - Coaches and assistant coaches have the opportunity to help athletes train in their specific sport. Coaches have direct contact with the athletes and help them grow in confidence and ability.
There are 18 sports and five sporting seasons to choose from. Special Olympics Wisconsin
trains coaches through sports training schools conducted year-round throughout the
state. To become a certified coach, volunteers be a registered Class A Volunteer, attend
a sports-specific Certified Training School, and complete a minimum of 10 hours of
practical coaching experience with Special Olympics athletes. Certified Training Schools
are taught by knowledgeable, experienced clinicians who train coaches to work with
athletes of all ability levels. In order for an athlete to be properly trained for
competition, a minimum training time of eight weeks prior to the competition is required.
In addition, Special Olympics Wisconsin provides educational materials to ensure all
athletes receive safe, quality sports training.
Click here to view the Coaches' Training Calendar
Click below to find out more about the sports in which we offer coaching opportunities.
Sports Offered: |
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The opportunities are endless with Special Olympics Wisconsin.
If you would
like to become a volunteer, please contact Carol Ellis at (800) 552-1324
or cellis@specialolympicswisconsin.org