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  • About

    Find Your Local Program

    Special Olympics Indiana energizes athletes by organizing 10 dynamic Areas, each led by dedicated volunteers to support County Programs and host exciting regional competitions. Athletes thrive in vibrant community events, competing in various meets to earn their place in state-level championships.
    Find Your Community

    Our Initiatives

    Engage with athletes and volunteers across Indiana through our different Initiatives.

    About us

    Special Olympics Indiana engages and energizes athletes and volunteers throughout Indiana.

  • Competitions

    Next up, Fall Games!

    Each fall, state tournaments are held at multiple locations in eight traditional and Unified sports, including: cornhole, distance run and walk, flag football, golf, equestrian, soccer, softball, and unified volleyball.
    Explore the Competition

    State Competitions & Beyond

    Special Olympics Indiana hosts a variety of state-level competitions year round and participates in a different national or global competition each year.

  • Sports

    Explore our Sports

    Join Special Olympics Indiana, where 19,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities compete year-round in over 20 sports, enhancing fitness, showcasing courage, and sharing joy. Our Unified Sports® program fosters teamwork and inclusion by uniting athletes with and without disabilities. Be a part of something extraordinary!
    Start Playing Now

    For Coaches

    Become a Special Olympics coach and drive athlete performance and well-being with exceptional training and support.

    For Athletes

    Our programs build skills, confidence, and relationships, creating a supportive community where inclusion thrives.

  • Volunteer

    Explore Volunteer Opportunities

    Whether you volunteer year-round, seasonally, or for just one event, you'll create unforgettable moments and make a significant impact. Support over 19,000 athletes to encourage their growth and foster meaningful connections.
    Become a Volunteer

    • why volunteer

      Volunteers are the heartbeat of Special Olympics Indiana! Make a meaningful impact and be part of something transformative.

      become a volunteer

    • become a coach

      Become a Special Olympics coach and drive athlete performance and well-being with exceptional training and support.

      become a coach

    • Event day volunteer

      Volunteering on event day is easy and impactful! Take on roles like referee, scorekeeper, announcer, or awards presenter to make a difference in just a few hours.

      volunteer

    • local volunteer opportunities

      Make a direct impact and foster a supportive environment by getting involved locally today!

      explore opportunities
  • Special Events

    • Polar Plunge

      Freezin’ For a Reason! Show your support and make a splash this winter.

      Polar Plunge

    • Plane Pull Challenge

      The Plane Pull features the ultimate tug-of-war competition! Teams raise funds for the opportunity to test their strength by pulling an aircraft as fast as possible.

      Plane Pull

    • Law Enforcement Torch Run

      Officers and athletes rally together to support The Summer Games and raise funds for Special Olympics Indiana.

      Law Enforcement Torch Run

    • Charity Golf Classic

      This annual tradition unites our loyal supporters for an exclusive outing at one of Indiana’s top public golf courses!

      Charity Golf Classic

    • Breakfast With Champions

      Inspiring events highlighting the stories and impact of athletes, coaches, and volunteers in SOI programs.

      Breakfast With Champions

    • State Conference

      Featuring the Spirit of Special Olympics Awards, the annual Indiana State Conference provides training for program leaders, volunteers, and families.

      State Conference
  • Ways to Give

    Featured Fundraiser

    Special Olympics Volunteers
    Plane Pull Challenge

    • donate now

      You can support Special Olympics in a variety of ways with a gift that makes an impact now.

      donate now

    • planned giving

      Consider including Special Olympics in your will or trust to create a lasting impact.

      Learn More

    • become a sponsor

      With events ranging from local to global in scale, there is opportunity for sponsors of every size to support Special Olympics.

      become a sponsor

    • contribute clothes

      Don’t need it? We’ll take it! Donate clothes at over 400 Special Olympics Indiana bins statewide.

      contribute clothes
Find Your Program
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Champions Together

Champions Together

SO Indiana State Office Contact

Mike Hasch
Senior Director of Unified Champion Schools

Brian Avery
Champions Together Consultant (High Schools)

Impact Overview
Follow Champions Together

Champions Together is a collaborative partnership between the Indiana High School Athletic Association and Special Olympics Indiana that promotes servant leadership among students with and without intellectual disabilities aimed at empowering a generation of students to change their school culture to be more socially inclusive. 

With support from Special Olympics International, National Federation of High Schools, Office of Special Education Programs, Unified Champion Schools give educators, students, administrators and coaches the power to create a more inclusive world and help end the stigma around intellectual disabilities. 

The Beginning

The establishment of the “Champions Together” partnership between the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) and SO Indiana was announced at the IHSAA headquarters on December 17, 2012. The partnership evolved from IHSAA Commissioner Bobby Cox charging the IHSAA Student Advisory Committee (SAC) to engage in “servant leadership” and discover ways to give back to their schools and communities.

The IHSAA SAC researched options and unanimously requested that an official partnership be formed with SO Indiana as the most appropriate fit for education-based athlete servant leadership. Special Olympics Inc. supports Champions Together as a model program to activate schools, which also has the endorsement of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (IIAAA).

During the first full year of the UCS program, 26 schools were awarded the Champions Together awards banner for achieving all four (4) pillars. 13 schools participated in the inaugural IHSAA Unified Track & Field state championship, and these schools raised more than $75,000 for the support of Champions Together activities.

Achieving Banner Status

The Champions Together partnership will provide an award banner to all IHSAA member schools that meet the following Unified Champion Schools goals throughout the school year:

1 – All school sponsored activities must be planned, organized and administered by an Inclusive Student Leadership team that strives to do things WITH students with intellectual disabilities NOT FOR them.

2 – The school must participate in at least one activity designed around Whole School Engagement that promotes and encourages awareness, respect and inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities.

3 – The school must organize and participate in at least one Unified Sports activity such as IHSAA Unified Track & Field and Flag Football, a Unified practice or clinic, or a Unified competition such as Unified Bocce or Unified Bowling with students with intellectual disabilities OR local Special Olympics athletes. Participation in Unified Fitness Clubs and/or Unified physical education meets the requirements as a Unified sport.

4 – Fundraising—your high school must raise a minimum of $1,500.

Financial Support of Champions Together

The primary purpose of IHSAA school fundraising for Special Olympics is to support the continued growth and operation of the Champions Together partnership. These funds help support schools by providing grants for Unified Sports, sponsorship of the IHSAA Unified Track & Field Championships, providing the Champions Together School Assembly, hosting school workshops and general support of schools establishing Champions Together Clubs.

Through fundraising, schools have the power to “pass it forward” by providing additional opportunities for more students to become involved in the #InclusionRevolution!

If schools wish to make a ceremonial check presentation SO Indiana will attempt to have a representative in attendance.

Sports Offered

Fall

Winter

Spring