Sports Information Handbook - Special Olympics New Jersey

PARTICIPATIONIN SPECIAL OLYMPICSTo participate in Special Olympics, an athlete must submit a completedAPPLICATION FOR PARTICIPATION IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS. Theform is available from anArea Director or from the Special OlympicsNew Jersey Office. It is required that individuals with Down syndromesubmit an additional medical form, AAI (see note below). When anapplication is complete, keep the Local Program copy for personalrecord and submit the Area and original copies to an Area MedicalCoordinator. The Area Medical Coordinator will file the Area copy andforward the original to the Chapter Office for our records.HELPFUL HINT: Make a copy of the original application.It will copy better than the LTP copy.IMPORTANT: Coaches should keep all Applications for Participationin a safe place. During training sessions, competitionsand any Special Olympics-related events, coachesshould have their athletes' APPLICATION FORPARTICIPATION in their possession, forreference and in the case of an emergency.A NOTE TO COACHES AND FAMILIES OF INDIVIDUALS WITHDOWN SYNDROME - Participation by Individuals with DownSyndrome Who Have Atlanto-axial Instability: Medical researchindicates that up to 15% of individuals with Down syndrome havea mal-alignment of the cervical vertebrae C-1 and C-2 in the neckknown as Atlanto-axial instability, exposing such individuals to possibleinjury if they participate in activities that hyperextend or radically flexthe neck or upper spine. Therefore, every Accredited Program musttake precautions before permitting athletes with Down syndrome toparticipate in certain physical activities.Special Olympics New Jersey allows athletes with Down syndrometo participate in most sports training and competition, but they shallnot be permitted to participate in any activities which, by their nature,result in hyperextension, radical flexion or direct pressure on the neckor upper spine, until these individuals have been examined (includingx-ray views of full extension and flexion of the neck) by a physician.The doctor must complete and sign the AAI. (Note that the signaturesof two physicians are required if the test results are positive.) Suchnon-permitted sports training and competition activites include: alpineskiing; butterfly stroke; diving; diving starts; (swimming); equestrian;gymnastics; high jump; pentathlon; soccer; squat lifts; any exerciseplacing undue stress on the head and neck muscles.Sports Information Handbook 2013-2014 7