APRIL 2024 NEWSLETTER

Spring Classic Recap

More than 1,050 athletes and Unified partners gathered for this year's Spring Classic held in Coralville and Iowa City on March 8-9. Competitions were held in team basketball, basketball skills, cheerleading and dance, gymnastics, and powerlifting. Congratulations to everyone who competed and thank you to our volunteers, sponsors, and venues for another great event!

VIEW RESULTS

Spring Sports - Area Competitions

Track & field and swimming seasons are underway, with meets continuing around the state throughout the month of April.

Click the button below to find your area and view upcoming competitions.

FIND MY AREA

Summer Games

We are gearing up for our biggest event of the year! Summer Games is held annually each May in Ames and will feature over 2,500 athletes and Unified partners competing in bocce, cycling, track and field, soccer, swimming, tennis, and developmental events. Join us May 16-18 for competitions, healthy athletes screenings, Olympic Festival, and more!

The Little Feet Meet is returning to Summer Games this year! The Little Feet Meet is an inclusive opportunity for Young Athletes, ages 2 to 7, with and without intellectual disabilities to participate in track and field events at the Summer Games. There will be several stations available for athletes to participate in that help teach strength and coordination while learning group play and cooperation.

Registrations for Summer Games are due by Friday, April 26th.

Date: May 16-18

Location: Iowa State University

MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION

VOLUNTEER AT SUMMER GAMES!

We are looking for volunteers to help with scorekeeping, selling souvenirs, presenting awards to athletes, cheering them on, and more! We have morning, afternoon, or all-day shifts available.

Questions about volunteering? Reach out to Paula Doan, Volunteer Coordinator, at pdoan@soiowa.org.

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION

Annual Awards

Do you know someone who goes above and beyond for the Special Olympics Iowa community? Each year at Summer Games we offer awards to show appreciation for the remarkable people who make our mission possible.

There are opportunities to recognize exceptional athletes, coaches, volunteers, and more. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2024 Special Olympics Iowa Annual Awards.

Click the button below to see the awards categories and submit a nomination. Nominations are due by April 15th.

ANNUAL AWARDS

Young Athlete Play Days

Special Olympics Young Athletes is an introductory sport and play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities (ID), ages 2 to 7 years old. Young Athlete Play Days introduce basic sport skills, like running, kicking and throwing as well as group play, cooperation, and awareness of rules.

Young Athletes offers families, teachers, caregivers and community members the chance to share the joy of sports with all children. Children of all abilities take part, and they all benefit. They learn how to play with others and develop important skills for learning. They also learn to share, take turns and follow directions. These skills help children in family, community and school activities.

Young Athletes is a fun way for children to get fit and increase strength and coordination. It is important to teach children healthy habits while they are young. This can set the stage for a life of physical activity, friendships and learning.

Click the button below for more information and to see a list of upcoming Young Athlete Play Days.

LEARN MORE

FUNDRAISING CENTRAL

"Roll" into Texas Roadhouse This Thursday

Join us for dinner this Thursday, April 4th from 4-8pm for the annual Texas Roadhouse Tip-a-Cop event!

Law enforcement and Special Olympics Iowa athletes, coaches, volunteers, and staff will be spreading awareness about SOIA programs and collecting donations at all 11 Texas Roadhouse locations in Iowa.

Click the button below to see a list of locations.

FIND MY TEXAS ROADHOUSE

Plunging into Spring

The spring Polar Plunge® season has started! Dip in for a good cause and register today for a Plunge near you:

April 6 - Warren County (Norwalk)

April 20 - Cedar Falls/Waterloo

May 25 - Council Bluffs

REGISTRATION AND MORE INFORMATION

LETR Apparel

This year's Law Enforcement Torch Run apparel is now available for purchase! Order your shirts from a local law enforcement officer or by clicking on the link below. All proceeds go towards supporting Special Olympics Iowa athletes and Unified partners. Available apparel includes short and long sleeve t-shirts and short-sleeve polos.

ORDER LETR APPAREL

Plane Pull

Does your team of 8 have what it takes to pull an 80,000lb airplane?

Test your strength against a Delta CRJ-900. Teams will pull twice for the best time.

Looking for a bigger challenge? Showcase your team's strength and register for the Plane Pull pentathlon. Your team will take on the plane pull plus four additional strength-testing challenges!