When was the Special Olympics movement started and by whom ?
In the early sixties, Dr. Frank Hayden, a Toronto researcher and teacher, demonstrated that, when given the chance, people with an intellectual disability could increase their fitness level as well as their social and motor skills through sports.
His research drew the attention of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the Washington-based Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation and led to the creation of Special Olympics Inc. in 1968.
When was the Special Olympics movement started in Québec ?
In September 1981. The Special Olympics movement celebrated its 25th anniversary in Québec in 2006.
Who started Special Olympics in Québec ?
It was founded in 1981 by Noëlla Douglas. Today retired, she was an educator in a rehabilitation centre for people with an intellectual disability.
Who can participate in Special Olympics Québec ?
People of all ages living with an intellectual disability.
What is the mission of Special Olympics ?
The mission of Special Olympics Québec is to enrich the lives of people with an intellectual disability through sports.
«Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.»
is the athlete's Oath.
How many participants are there in Québec ?
There are over 3,800 special athletes in Québec. The number of participants (registered athletes) has tripled in the last four years.
How many coaches and companions are there ?
There are over 1,150 volunteers to supervise these athletes. Training courses are free and more than 500 new coaches have obtained their certification over the last four years.
What are the sports in which athletes can participate ?
| Summer sports | Winter sports |
| Bowling | Alpine Skiing |
| Powerlifting | Cross-Country Skiing |
| Rhythmic gymnastics | Curling |
| Soccer | Figure Skating |
| Softball | Floor Hockey |
| Swimming | Snowshoeing |
| Track & Field |
Speed Skating |
Basketball
(developing sport) |
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Are there Special Olympics programs in all regions of Québec ?
Training programs are offered all year long at the recreational and competitive levels throughout Québec thanks to the introduction or integration of adapted programs in more than 325 sports clubs affiliated with SOQ.
What are the programs offered by Special Olympics Quebec?
SOQ offers quality sports programs and special athletes in Québec can, if they so desire, participate in a competition network designed for all skill levels which includes over 80 annual events.
Approximately half of the special athletes are involved in a sport at the recreational level. The other half competes at the provincial, national or international level. And 40% of our members are involved in more than one sport.
How often do athletes train ?
Athletes train at least once a week under the supervision of a qualified coach.
Who is the honorary patron of Special Olympics Québec ?
Annie Pelletier, bronze medallist in diving at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, has been the honorary patron of Special Olympics Québec since 1998.
How does the competition cycle work ?
The SOQ annual schedule of events includes 80 competitions in all 14 sports included in the program.
In addition, in a 4-year cycle, there are Provincial multisport Games (summer-winter) at which are selected the members of the Québec team which will participate in the following year's National Games which in turn will serve for the selection of the team going to the World Games.
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For example:
2011: Athens (Greece) (World Summer Games)
2010: London (Ontario) (National Summer Games)
2009: St-Jean-sur-Richelieu (Québec) (Provincial Summer Games)
2009: Boise (Idaho, USA) (World Winter Games)
2008: Québec City (National Winter Games)
2007: Shanghai (World Summer Games)
2007: Salaberry-de-Valleyfield (Provincial Winter Games)
2006: Brandon (National Summer Games)
2005: St-Jérôme (Provincial Summer Games) |
At what levels do special athletes compete ?
We hold competitions at all levels, local, regional, provincial, national and international.
What are the benefits of this program for special athletes ?
Through our training programs, athletes :
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- improve their fitness level
- develop their motor skills
- go beyond their personal goals
- gain self-esteem
- become more self-sufficient
- develop interpersonal relations
- join a regular sports club
- have the opportunity to travel by competing in various events
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Do you have scientific proof of these benefits for special athletes ?
Jonathan Weiss was an athletics and snowshoeing coach at SOQ from 1997 to 2000. He is a Ph.D. candidate in psychology at Toronto's York University and has published his work on the impact of our programs on the social development of people with an intellectual disability.
Its researches have showned that more athletes take part in competitions:
- the better their social skills and self-esteem.
- the lower the level of stress of their mothers and fathers.
Do special athletes participate only in competitions organized by Special Olympics Québec ?
No. As we fulfill our mission, the integration into society of athletes living with an intellectual disability has become an increasingly topical issue. Partnerships have been created for the inclusion of special athletes in regular clubs and their participation in the Montreal Games, the Québec Games regional and provincial finals (figure skating, athletics and swimming) as well as in the Canada Games (swimming).
Do athletes participate in other large-scale events ?
More than 350 Special Olympics athletes from Québec, Ontario and New England take part annually in the Défi sportif, one of the world's largest get-togethers in adapted sport.
And, in 2005, 30 teams from Québec, Ontario, Alberta, the Maritimes and the northeastern United States took part in the second Field Hockey Invitational organized by Special Olympics Québec. The main goal of these events is to give special athletes an opportunity to compete with their peers and experience a large-scale event.
Who are the major partners of Special Olympics ?
As far as networking in the field of adapted sport and ID (intellectual disability), our clientele, we work jointly with regional associations such as the ARLPH (regional recreation associations for the disabled), namely AlterGo on the island of Montreal, and with the URLS (regional recreation and sports units). The CRDI (rehabilitation centres for intellectual disabilities) are also valuable partners in recruiting athletes and promoting physical activity for people living with an intellectual disability.
How do you fund your activities and programs ?
Thanks to the hard work of an army of volunteers dedicated to training and accompanying our athletes and organizing our sport and fund-raising activities, we are able to do a lot. Both their vitality and the generosity of our partners in the business world, the community and the public sector are key to the movement's success in Québec and elsewhere.
Our funds come from :
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- Grants: 6% of our annual gross income
- Fund-raising activities/event sponsorships: 94%
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Our main annual fund-raising activities are :
What will be our next fund-raising activities ?
Consult our calendar of events
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