• 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
  • Special Events
  • Ways to Give

    Featured Fundraiser

    Special Olympics Volunteers
    Plane Pull Challenge
volunteer

Become a Class A Volunteer

Volunteer Application Steps:

The application and trainings are for all coaches, volunteers, and Unified Sports® Partners. These six steps must be completed before any Special Olympics training, any competition, or beginning any duties related to your role.

STEP 1:  APPLICATION
STEP 2:  BACKGROUND SCREENING
STEP 3:  COACH / VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION (CVO)
STEP 4:  PROTECTIVE BEHAVIORS TRAINING
STEP 5:  CONCUSSION AWARENESS TRAINING
STEP 6: COVID-19 PARTICIPANT CODE OF CONDUCT

Special Olympics Indiana utilizes our Volunteer Management System (VMS) to navigate new applicants through the Class A application and training process. VMS is a secure online system. It will walk you through each of the six steps at your convenience.

MINORS

MINORS:  Whether a coach, volunteer, or Unified Partner, all youth will register through VMS.

For youth ages 14-17:

  • Youth applicants who have not reached their age of majority (age 18) may be accepted as volunteers in non-supervisory positions only.
  • A background screening will not be completed. While some information pertaining to the background screening may be asked, that information will not be stored or utilized.
  • A youth applicant must complete all five steps.

For youth ages 8-13:

  • Youth applicants under age 14 must be chaperoned by an adult.
  • A background screening will not be completed. While some information pertaining to the background screening may be asked, that information will not be stored or utilized.
  • Parents and/or guardians of the youth applicant must complete the five steps for their dependent. This will allow the parent/guardian to understand the protocols taken by Special Olympics Indiana to ensure the safety of all participants, including their dependent.
  • Youth ages 8-13 may find information in the Coach-Volunteer Orientation interesting and educational.
  • Parents and/or guardians should review the information within the Protective Behaviors training and Concussion Awareness training before sharing with their dependent. This information may be sensitive in nature.
HELPFUL TIPS

Here are some helpful reminders as you register to become a Class A Volunteer.

  • Please select your County Program name
  • All Coaches, Unified Partners, and Volunteers must be entered into the system using an email address.  Because your email address becomes your log in ID, email addresses cannot be shared between users, even for minors. For suggestions on how to handle this, contact the State Office (or talk with your County Coordinator).
  • For Unified Partners and volunteers under the age of 14, a parent or guardian can complete the training and share information as appropriate, but should still create the account under the name of the minor.

If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the State Office.  Thank you so much for all that you do for Special Olympics.