Sports Programs and Initiatives
Young Athletes Program
The Young Athletes Program is another year-round sports training program designed for children with intellectual disabilities aged between 2 and 7.
This program focuses on fun activities that help develop mental and physical growth from a very early stage and introduces young children to the world of sports and the world of Special Olympics.
This offers these children to learn new things, play, exercise, and have lots of fun.
Through this Program, the children also develop better social skills, gain confidence and improve their communication skills.
The effect of the Young Athletes Program is not only seen on the field. It helps the children in many other ways and also helps the families to benefit from it at home.
So far, Special Olympics Programs around the world have brought the Young Athletes Program to more than 50,000 children.
Since its official launch in February 2010, the Young Athletes Program in Malta has become one of the most popular programs. The number of registered young athletes is increasing rapidly.
Young athlete program is the service that Special Olympics offers to young children within the age of 2 to 8 years. This is offered both for children with or without intellectual disabilities.
This program is designed to include the athlete and their peers and/or families the opportunity to collaborate, celebrate and create new experiences through sports.
Learning Outcomes
Motor Skills
This program helps in the progression of the athlete’s motor skills. In other words, the athlete’s strength, endurance, flexibility and balance all play a role in this development, and the young athlete program has been shown be very effective.
Emotional and Social benefits
Parents’ feedback has been incredible as they describe how this young athlete program helped their children to develop and improve skills which translated into community readiness and participation.
Brighter Future
The outcome has shown that parent’s believe that the young athlete’s has been geared up for a better, brighter and more qualitative future.
Develop Skills
The young athlete program is excellent as well to develop skills, both physical and community skills such as rules, turn taking and collaborative play, which gave the tools to the athletes to be ready and accepting of Sports.
Explore Other Sports
Programs and Initiatives
Athlete Leadership Committee (ALC)
The athlete leadership committee is the board directed by the athletes themselves for the athletes, who are responsible in the decision making of some, if not most of Special Olympics decisions. The Athlete Leaders are trained and educated on how to further improve the message and decisions that the athletes have towards the Special Olympics Malta Board of Directors.
World Summer Games
Special Olympics Summer World Games are held once in every 4 years. Athletes train themselves and strive to give their best at such a high level of competitions.
European Games
The European Games are held once every 4 years. 58 European countries meet together for competitions. Each hosting country will decide how many sports are offered during these games.
Healthy Athletes Program
The Healthy Athletes program offers free health services and information to athletes in need around the World.
Special Olympics in Gozo
It is a known secret that I have strongly pushed forward the Special Olympics Malta Committee to extend their programmes to the sister island, where I knew many families would have embraced with open arms such opportunities for their own children.
Motor Activity Training Program (MATP)
The Special Olympics Motor Activity Training Program is designed for athletes with severe or profound intellectual disability who are unable to participate in Official Special Olympics sport competitions because of their skill and/or functional abilities.
Unified Sports
Integrating our Athletes into society and enabling them to live meaningful independent lives is a task that Special Olympics has at heart and we work very closely with the Athletes’ families to achieve this.
Phone
+356 21318648
+356 99891687
Office
National Swimming Pool Complex, Floor 1,
Maria Theresa Spinelli Street, Tal-Qroqq, GZR1711, Malta
