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Athlete's Oath: Let me win, but if I cannot win, let
me be brave in the attempt.
Since 1980, Special Olympics BC (SOBC), a registered charitable
organization, has provided high-quality sports programs and
competitions to meet the needs and interests of individuals with
intellectual disabilities, enriching lives, and celebrating
personal achievement through positive sport experiences.
These sports opportunities provide athletes with far more than
the physical benefits of improved health and athletic ability. The
participation in sports provides opportunities for athletes to
develop social skills, cultivate friendships, strive for and
achieve goals, and increase their self-esteem -- ultimately
enriching lives.
In addition to year-round sports programs, SOBC offers athletes
opportunities to compete at the regional, provincial, national and
international level through a four-year competition cycle for
summer and winter sports.
SOBC ensures that even at the top level World Games competition,
athletes of all ability levels have an opportunity to compete on a
level playing field through a “divisioning”
process. For example, in Track and Field every heat is a
"final". This means there may be eight or nine gold,
silver and bronze medal winners in the 100-metre race. An athlete
who runs the 100-metre race in twelve seconds may place first, but
so may an athlete that runs it in one minute if s/he is
the fastest in the heat.
SOBC FACTS
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Over 3,500 athletes in 55 communities across BC
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Over 2,600 volunteers
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Official Winter Sports: Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing,
curling, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing, and
speedskating
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Official Summer Sports: 5-pin bowling, 10-pin
bowling, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, soccer, softball,
swimming, and track and field
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The vast majority of SOBC funding is from private, corporate and
foundation donors, and special events fundraising.
Only four percent of its provincial budget is
from government grants.
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