Interscholastic Unified Sports

Unified Sports combines persons with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team for sports training and competition. South Carolina is considered a national Leader among state Special Olympics programs for developing Unified Champion Schools where students are involved in Unified Sports.

Interscholastic Unified Track & Field

• Is a sport within interscholastic competition that Follows the governing by-laws and general philosophies and procedures of the SCHSL, including season start date and competition start date.
• Is a sports program that utilizes Special Olympics Participation release forms, including Athlete Medical & Release forms For students with Intellectual Disabilities and Class-A Volunteer Applications For non-disabled unified partners.
• Is an alternative to a school’s varsity track & field teams and does not replace those teams. Athletes and partners would not be eligible to participate on both varsity and unified teams.
• Sees all individuals as contributing members of the team, regardless of ability or disability.
• Rewards team success rather than individual accomplishment.
• Combines scores or creates unified relay team combining athletes with and without intellectual disabilities, identified as “Special-Athlete or “Unified Partner”.

Unified Track & Field Events will include, but are not limited to…

100-meter race, 4x100m Relay, 4x400m relay and Shot Put (or more designated events agreed on by the district office or athletic department)

• During interscholastic (“regular season”) events, schools are encouraged to include unified opportunities in other traditional events