Special Olympics Gymnastics: A 50 Year HistorySpecial Olympics Gymnastics Sport Director

Special Olympics Gymnastics Sport DirectorFrom 1983 to 1995 the International head of each sport was called the “Director”. Our job description included:

Organize and run training schools in 4 “model” states each year (some were regional).

Assist with the same 4 Chapters’ competitions in your sport each year.

Publicity- write articles, brochures, and talk at conferences about your sport and Special Olympics

Propose rule changes and develop your sport (and in this case we created rhythmic gymnastics and continued to work on Artistic compulsory and optional rules). This included heading up our rules committee. It also included writing new SSP’s and Competition Director’s Guides.

Communicate with National Governing Bodies (U.S.G.F. (USAG) & USAIGC) We solicited a seat on the Board of Directors of USGF and I attended their annual Directors meetings.

Competitions at Nationals & International World Games.

Participate in Special Olympics Directors Conferences (usually held every other year)

Draft National/International Sports plans and budgets.

Recruit and train regional sports directors for your sport.

Be a resource contact for any coaches & chapters.

Fig 1
In 1996 we became Sport “Advisors”.

Technical Delegates at World Games- the Governing Body Rules Specialist

Communicate with and work with our competition/training advisors in Men’s artistic, Women’s artistic, and Rhythmic gymnastics.

Coaches Education Coordinator- Revisions in SSG, video and audio tapes; work on revisions in new compulsories & optional rules.

Officials training and Certified Coaches Training schools.

Continue with Sports Program Development

Develop unified events and rules.

Participate in annual sport staff meetings and any annual conferences held by SOI

NGB meetings- USA Gymnastics Board of Directors meetings- 2x/year. And USA National and regional conferences.

Field assistance within & outside the USA.

Today, the term Global Sports Advisors is used. Often the same person would also be the Technical Delegate for the World Games.Fig 2
Gymnastics 50 CoverDocument NavigationAcknowledgementsContentsForeword and MissionSpecial Olympics Gymnastics MilestonesSpecial Olympics Gymnastics Sport DirectorGymnastic Sport PlansGymnastics Sports Rules Sub CommitteesRole of the Coach in Special Olympics GymnasticsRole of Officials and Parents in Special Olympics Gymnastics50 Years of Competitions and Events1983 - International Special Olympics Summer Games1987 - International Summer Games - Notre Dame, Indiana1991 - International Summer Games - Minneapolis/St. Paul1993 - US Olympic Festival1995 - World Summer Games - New Haven, Connecticut1995 - European Regional Training School - Rome, Italy1999 - World Summer Games - North Carolina2003 - World Summer Games - Dublin, Ireland2006 - USA Games - Ames, Iowa2007 - World Summer Games, Shanghai, China2010 - USA Games, Nebraska2011 - Inaugural USA Gymnastics/SO Championships2011 - World Summer Games, Athens, Greece2014 – USA Games, Trenton, New Jersey2015 - World Summer Games, Los Angeles, California2018 – USA Games, Seattle, Washington2018 - 50th Anniversary of Special Olympics2019 - World Summer Games - Abu Dhabi2022 - USA Games - Orlando, FloridaFinal Word