Who Is Eligible to Be a Special Olympics Athlete?
Any individual who has been identified as having an intellectual (or cognitive) disability by a medical professional or agency is eligible to be a Special Olympics Maryland – Montgomery County athlete. Athletes must be at least 8 years old to compete, with no maximum age limit.
For athletes younger than 8, we offer the Young Athletes Program. This program, designed for children ages 3-7, focuses on fundamental skill acquisition through play. It serves as a steppingstone, preparing them for training and competition in our year-round Community-Based sports programs.
Are Any Fees Required?
No. Thanks to the generosity of our local donors, all Special Olympics programs are free to our athletes.
In a few sports, athletes may be asked to purchase personal uniform items, such as swimsuits, that are not suitable for return and reuse by other athletes in future seasons. We have programs to help athletes who cannot afford these modest costs.
How to Register as a Special Olympic Athlete (Ages 8 and Up)
All athletes 8-years-old and up must complete the Athlete Registration and Participation Package to begin their participation with Special Olympics. The Package includes instructions for completing our forms and submitting them to us for review.
The athlete’s doctor will need to complete and sign one of the forms. An athlete’s registration is valid for three years from the date of your doctor’s physical exam.
Athletes must renew their athlete registration every 3 years.
How to Register as a Young Athlete (Ages 3-7)
Young Athletes need to complete and submit the Young Athlete Registration Package. A doctor’s visit is not required for Young Athletes.
How to Sign Up for Special Olympics Sports
Our sports are divided into seasons and each sport’s season has different start and end dates. Sport Signup opens 2-4 weeks before the season starts. Signup periods can be short or long, depending on demand for the sport. Sometimes, signup is only open for an hour or less before capacity is reached.
When signup is open, athletes go to Sports Season Signup – Athletes – Montgomery County (somdmontgomery.org) to sign up for sports.
Our SOMO newsletter announces the times and dates when signup will open. It’s very important to subscribe to our newsletter as soon as you can. Subscribe to our newsletter at Receive our Newsletter – Montgomery County (somdmontgomery.org).