Special Olympics

About Special Olympics

Team sports bring people together. Special Olympics Unified Sports® teams do that, and much more. About 1.2 million people worldwide take part in Unified Sports — breaking down stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities in a really fun way.

ESPN has served as the Global Presenting Sponsor of Special Olympics Unified Sports since 2013, supporting the growth and expansion of this program that empowers individuals with and without intellectual disabilities to engage through the power of sports.

Program Overview

This program fosters inclusivity and teamwork among Junior Special Olympics Florida Athletes (ages 14–18 with intellectual disabilities or developmental delay) and Partners (ages 14–18 without an intellectual disability) through an engaging and structured unified soccer league.

Location

Lakewood Ranch Park

5490 Lakewood Ranch Blvd

Season

Oct 3 – Nov 14, 2025

Fall Season · 6 weeks

Day

Friday Evenings

Oct 10, 17, 24 · Nov 7, 14, 21 (rain-out date)

Game Time

6:30 – 7:30 PM

Two fields · one referee per game

Program Contact

Chris Collins

Unified Sports Program Coach

Email Chris

By the Numbers

Program Quick Facts

Free

Cost to Play

Registration is free for all participants

Teams

Inaugural Junior unified soccer league

Athletes

Ages 14–18 with intellectual disabilities

Partners

Ages 14–18 without intellectual disabilities

Six-Week Schedule

Season Breakdown

Week 1

October 10

Coaching & Partner Training

Coaches and Partners train from 5:30 – 6:30 PM, followed by the season's first practice session.

Week 2

October 17

Practice / Game

Combined practice and game format with a 30-minute running clock.

Week 3

October 24

Practice / Game

Combined practice and game format with a 30-minute running clock.

Week 4

November 7

Practice / Game

Combined practice and game format with a 30-minute running clock.

Week 5

November 14

Game

Full game day — the Junior unified soccer league competes.

Week 6

November 21

Game Rain-out Date

Reserved game date used in the event of weather rescheduling earlier in the season.

Why It Matters

Key Objectives

Inclusion

Create a welcoming environment for athletes and partners of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

Skill Development

Foster the growth of soccer skills while emphasizing teamwork and sportsmanship.

Community Engagement

Encourage community participation by inviting new athletes and partners to join the inaugural unified soccer league with Florida Elite.

Important Details

Registration & Deadlines

Forms Deadline

All Forms TBD

Forms are required for athletes and partners and must all be turned in.

Returning participants: athletes with a medical form on file from a previous season are good to go. Partners who completed partner paperwork last season do not need to update it.

Coaching Training

In-Person Training TBD

Held at LWR Park Fields, 5490 Lakewood Ranch Blvd, behind LWR High School.

Trainers: Special Olympics Florida staff will be training the coaches.

The Unified Sports Movement

About Unified Sports

Special Olympics is dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences. Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.

In Unified Sports, teams are made up of people of similar age and ability — making practices more fun and games more challenging and exciting for all. Having sport in common is just one more way preconceptions and false ideas are swept away.

Many high-profile, professional sports organizations and events have showcased Unified Sports as a vehicle to demonstrate the power of inclusive sports. Their support includes:

National Basketball Association (NBA) Major League Soccer (MLS) UEFA NCAA Division III ESPN X Games Aspen National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) NIRSA

Join the Unified Soccer League