Infinity Walk
Uses in Education

�Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics gives these special individuals continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendships with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.� (Special Olympics Mission Statement)

Worldwide, almost 2 million athletes, age eight though adulthood, compete in Special Olympics events every year. It is estimated that there are 170 million persons in the world with an intellectual disability. Two million strong is a number to be proud; but there is much room to grow in numbers of Special Olympics participants and volunteers.

Schools are a primary source of recruitment for Special Olympics Athletes. There are many benefits to doing so � motivation and purpose for maintaining fitness, self-esteem, and, opportunities to practice social skills and the self-discipline that is needed for a successful job experience. Special Olympics also athletes receive free medical screenings at events, and when needed, follow-up health resources.

Schools are a major source of recruitment for Special Olympics Volunteers. Volunteers may be high school students and athletes, coaches, teachers, parents, retired persons, and so on. All volunteers receive free training; they do not need to be an athlete.

Volunteers who would be good Infinity Walk facilitators would also make good Special Olympics Volunteers.

 Infinity Walk is used in health care for balance, coordination, and sensory integration- skills that are sought by the Special Olympics athletic. Infinity Walk is a perfect compliment to pre-event fitness training of the Special Olympic athlete. Watch this videoclip of a special student for an example of improved balance and motor skills after Infinity Walk training. Click here to learn more about how Infinity Walk is used in health care

General education students may be interested in two Special Olympics Initiatives:

Special Olympics Unified Sports is a training and competition opportunity that combines an equal number of Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities.

Special Olympics Get Into It (SO Get Into It) is a free-service-learning curriculum for all grade levels that celebrates the diverse gifts of every student, whatever their ability. Students learn about those who are different but who can nonetheless inspire the world with the lesson that we all have gifts to contribute no matter what our limitations.