Special Olympics Essay Example

least eight years old and must be identified as having an intellectual or cognitive disability.

2 There are currently 200 Special Olympics programs in more than 150 countries.

B.The success of Special Olympics depends on its large corps of volunteers.

1 Here in Wisconsin, there are 10,000 athletes and 3,500 volunteer coaches.

2 Yet because of all the individual attention required by Special Olympics athletes, there is always a need for more coaches—and for more volunteers in other areas as well.

(TRANSITION: Now that you know the need for Special Olympics volunteers, the question is: What can you do to help?)

SATISFACTION: You can help by becoming a volunteer.

1 The most obvious way is to get involved as a coach.

1 You don’t need to be a great athlete or have prior coaching experience.

1 Special Olympics offers a general course on the principles of coaching.

2 It also offers a mentoring program in which new coaches receive guidance from experienced coaches.

2 If you don’t want to be a coach, there are other ways to help.

1 You can work behind the scenes by assisting with fund-raising or helping to organize events.

2 You can also help with the countless other details involved in running a large organization such as Special Olympics.

3 Your involvement in Special Olympics can last from a day to a year to a lifetime, depending on the level of commitment you want to make.

SATISFACTION: No matter how you decide to help, I can guarantee you that working with Special Olympics will be

immensely rewarding.

1 As a coach, your instruction and support are vital for the athletes.

1 You will help them develop social skills as well as athletic skills.

2 Ronna Vanderslice, author of “Special Olympics: Beneficial to All,” reports that Special Olympics athletes develop larger networks of friends, are more likely to socialize with others, and receive more social support.

2 It’s not just the athletes who benefit from Special Olympics.

1 In my case, working with Special Olympics is one of the most gratifying things I have ever done.

2 Not only do I have the satisfaction that comes from helping others, but I have met so many amazing people and made so many friends that I would not trade the experience for anything.

VISUALIZATION: Now I’d like to ask you to take the step of getting involved with Special Olympics.

1 If you want more information, you can check the Special Olympics Web site or visit the local headquarters.

2 I also have brochures with information and contact numbers that I will hand out after the speech.

3 You may not have a lot of time available right now, but you can volunteer for the time that fits your schedule.

4 The most important thing is to get involved in some capacity and for whatever amount of time you can manage.

Conclusion

ACTION: Remember the nine children I mentioned at the start of my speech.

1 Think of their happiness and their support for one another.

2 Think how much they gained from running in that race.