Young Athletes Resources
The Young Athletes Resource Toolkit provides information and resources for individuals who are looking to become more involved with the Young Athletes Program.
Section One: Introduction to Young Athletes
Stories and experiences of impact from Young Athletes around the state of Maryland.
Young Athletes Fact Sheet: Introductory Overview about YAP
Young Athletes Research: Results from YAP research studies
Young Athletes Equipment: A list of equipment and resources needed to conduct YAP activities in a home, school, or community.
Section Two: Young Athletes Activity Guide
The Young Athletes Activity Guide includes activities to run Young athletes in schools, communities, and homes.
Young Athletes Activity Guide: Instructions for running the games and activities in the YAP
Young Athletes in Unified Champions Schools: Overview of using the YAP Activity guide in Unified Champion Schools for Unified Sports Programs.
Section Three: Young Athletes Activity Videos
Section Four: Young Athletes Curriculum
The Young Athletes Curriculum builds on Young Athletes Activity Guide, providing scripted Lesson Plans to use over an 8 week period.
Section Five: Tools and Resources for Implementers
Tools and resources for coaches and families supporting Young Athletes:
Resources to support starting a YAP Program
Community Program Suggestions: Resources from SONJ with tips and suggestions for starting a community program
Young Athletes Registration Overview: Zip file of YAP registration forms, including overview of policies and practices
Section Six: Resources for Families
Community Builder Toolkit for Family Leaders: Sample materials for family leaders to use. The toolkit highlights effective strategies for recruiting, retaining, and engaging families to make Special Olympics better for athletes, families, and communities.
Family Toolkit: Tools and resources to support families as they engage in a variety of roles within Special Olympics
For more information about Young Athletes and how to find a program near you, contact Mackenzie Irvin at
mirvin@somd.org or 410-242-1515.