COACHES NEWSLETTER

Click here to read this newsletter online.

This is the April edition of the Coaches Newsletter that is shared with coaches, educators and volunteers. Be sure to follow Special Olympics Ontario on social media for continued updates or visit www.specialolympicsontario.com for additional information.

Get Featured in our 2022 - 2023 Volunteer Yearbook!

To celebrate National Volunteer Week, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude for your dedication and commitment to making a difference in the lives of our athletes. Your hard work and support have not gone unnoticed, and we are excited to announce our upcoming volunteer yearbook, where we will recognize and celebrate your contributions.



The 2022-2023 Special Olympics Ontario Volunteer Appreciation Yearbook is a special tribute to our amazing volunteers. It will feature your photo and a quote or memo that you provide which will be used to showcase your unique story and journey with us.

The deadline for submission is 11:59pm on Thursday, April 20th, 2023. Once the yearbook is complete, we will be sharing it digitally so that you can have a keepsake of your time with us. In order to collect your information so that we can include it in the yearbook, we invite you to fill out a form by clicking the button below. Please note that by submitting the form, you are giving us permission to use your photo and information in the yearbook.

Meet Jared MacMicheal

Get ready to meet Sault Ste Marie's very own superstar athlete – Jared MacMichael! This dynamic force has been dominating the Special Olympics scene for an impressive 30 years and counting. Jared is a triple-threat, excelling in Athletics, Curling, and Swimming, and he's not afraid to show off his impressive skills.



For Jared, Special Olympics isn't just about winning medals – it's about making lifelong friends and pushing himself to be the best he can be. Jared pours his heart and soul into every competition, leaving everything he's got on the field, rink, or pool. 

Application Form is Open for the 2024 National Winter Games!

Application form is open for the following positions:

• Team Manager
• Sport Specific Mission Staff
• General Mission Staff
• Medical Mission Staff
• Family Liaison

Applications will be accepted until May 5th, 2023

2023 Provincial Sport Award Nominations Now Open!

It’s time to nominate and select the 2023 Special Olympics Ontario Provincial Awards winners! (for the period of July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023). We are once again looking for deserving athletes, coaches, and volunteers in various categories, so please nominate any deserving candidates. 

To nominate athletes and volunteers please visit our Provincial Awards Site and submit your nomination on the online forms provided. Please note that the deadline date is Friday, June 16, 2023.

There is a helpful checklist on the main page of the awards site detailing some of the key information you will need when submitting a nomination. 

If you require assistance with any of the required information or would like some help putting together the nomination (including access to a particular nominees’ previous application to use in re-submission), please reach out to us and we’ll be happy to help. 

We also ask that you please share this information within your community. We aim to have a wide variety of nominees from all over the province. This is a great way to recognize people in your community who make a significant difference.

Special Olympics Ontario is home to an incredible group of athletes, coaches, and volunteers, and we aim to spotlight some of the very deserving individuals and teams that represent SOO. 

Please note that we will not be accepting nominations from family members. 

For further information / concerns, please contact the SOO Awards Team at SOOAwards@specialolympicsontario.ca. 

Update 2024 Provincial Spring Games

Games Advancement Process 

Final quota numbers and advancement processes for the 2024 Provincial Spring Games have been finalized. For a full breakdown, please visit the SOO’s Games website. 

Results Submission Open 

Results submissions for all returning 2020 Provincial Games athletes are now open. The submission form can be found on the Games site. 

Up Your Game Community Coaching Webinar 

Looking to up your game as a coach?

There will 2 webinars available called “Up Your Game” for community coaches available this month.

The first session will be called “So you signed up to coach - now what?”

This session will focus on the very broad concepts of coaching. Future topics will be participant-driven via a poll at the end of the session. Coaches who are Certified will also be able to earn 1 PD point towards Maintenance of Certification!

The second session will be called “Brought to you by Special Olympics Canada, the Up Your Game Webinar Series will cover the basics to help community coaches feel comfortable and confident in their programs!". This webinar will provide you with tools and ideas to propel your coaching to the next level. Have you have ever felt like you're coaching on your back foot, unsure of what to say or do? Join us as we dig into practical ways to improve your athlete's experiences!

Join us on April 19th, 2023 at 7:30pm ET



Hometown Games 

More Hometown Games are happening across the province!

HAPPENING THIS MONTH

APRIL 22  

Durham Rhythmic Gymnastics (PQ) 

Ottawa Swimming (PQ) 

Hamilton Basketball (PQ) 

APRIL 23 

Collingwood 5 Pin Bowling  

Welland 10 Pin Bowling (PQ) 

APRIL 29 

Sudbury 5 Pin Bowling  

Kingston Powerlifting (PQ) 

Kingston 10 Pin Bowling (PQ) 

APRIL 30 

Arnprior Basketball (PQ)

Don't see an upcoming Hometown Games near you? Stay tuned to your emails and our social media channels for more dates and locations coming soon! We can't wait to see you back on the playing field!

SOC Competition Courses

SOO will be hosting a number of SOC Competition Coach Courses this spring. The goals of the Competition Course are preparation for local, district, or provincial competition with the primary focus on safety, fun, fitness, fundamentals, and performance as well as basic skills of the sport. The course is a prerequisite for any coaches hoping to attend Provincial, National or World level Games. 

APRIL 22- Newmarket [FULL]

MAY 15, 16, 18- Virtual [FULL]

MAY 27- North Bay [SPOTS OPEN]

Mental Wellness Workshop 

We will be hosting an online virtual workshop in collaboration with health studies students from the University of Western.

The purpose of this workshop is to teach athletes about emotional regulation skills, techniques for identifying and understanding feelings and working through mindfulness techniques. Since this is virtual, there is no attendance cap and athletes, coaches and families from across the province can join. No registration is required, all are welcome to log on when the workshop begins. 

The workshop will run from 1:30-3pm EST on April 29th. 

Please email Brock, Health Programs Developer at brockr@specialolympicsontario.com if you have any further questions

Call for Exercise Research Participants 

The Revved Up Research Group is looking for adults with lived experience of disability to speak about their experiences with exercise and exercise professionals in a virtual interview!

Participants will be compensated with $20 cash (via e-transfer) for their participation in the study.

Share Your Story 

For the chance to have your athletes' Special Olympics stories featured in a future newsletter, social media post, or campaign, submit your information on our Athlete Profile Form! Fill out your information, tell us your story, and submit a photo of you participating in Special Olympics, or include a headshot.

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