Junior Athletes

Be advised that Junior Athletes is a new and emerging Special Olympics program. Please bookmark this webpage and check-in often for updated lessons and guidelines.
Notice: This page is under construction. Final resources will be made available August 2026.
Junior Athletes Intro Guide (PDF)
Junior Athletes Pickleball (PDF)
Junior Athletes Athletics (PDF)
Junior Athletes Football (PDF)
Children can participate in Special Olympics sports with or without first joining Young Athletes. Those who start in Young Athletes may progress to Junior Athletes before moving into recreational or competitive Special Olympics programs—or they can transition directly from Young Athletes into traditional Special Olympics offerings. Additionally, children can participate in Junior Athletes while simultaneously engaging in other Special Olympics sports. As competition guidelines evolve, we recommend checking with your local Special Olympics Program for specific age requirements. Ultimately, the flexibility of all Special Olympics early childhood offerings ensures that every child has an opportunity to find their pathway to success and joy in sports.
Below are some examples of scenarios in which Junior Athletes activities would be necessary to support existing Young Athletes participants moving to traditional or Special Olympics Unified activities:
- A child under age 7 has advanced beyond the skills in their Young Athletes activities, but is not yet old enough to participate in Special Olympics.
- A child 6+ is not ready or not yet comfortable with participating in 8+ weeks of practice and competition in one sport.
- A community program or team is primarily made up of adults and it is not safe or developmentally appropriate for a 6-year-old child to join the team.
- An elementary or primary school wants to provide inclusive sports activities through Special Olympics, but does not have the structure to support team sports and competition.