Promoting Social Inclusion Through Sport

Special Olympics is dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences. Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.

In Unified Sports, teams are made up of people of similar age and ability. That makes practices more fun and games more challenging and exciting for all. Having sport in common is just one more way that preconceptions and false ideas are swept away.

Many high-profile, professional sports organizations and events have also showcased Unified Sports as a vehicle to show the power of inclusive sports! This support includes:

National Basketball Association (NBA)

Major League Soccer (MLS)

Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)

National Collegiate Athletic Association, D-III

ESPN's X Games Aspen

National Federation of High Schools (NFHS)

National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA)

CURRENT PROGRAMS - FALL 2026

Special Olympics Florida Unified Soccer League – Fall/Winter 2026

Hosted by Sporting Jax Soccer Academy

Contact: Steve.Sinnwell@SportingJaxAcademy.com

Location: Veterans Park Field 6 (Turf), 1332 Veterans Parkway, St. Johns, FL 32259

Cost: Free

Program Overview

This inclusive and engaging league brings together Junior Special Olympics Florida Athletes

(ages 12–18 with intellectual or developmental disabilities) and Unified Partners (ages 12–18

without an intellectual disability) to promote teamwork, friendship, and competition through

the game of soccer.

Program Structure

• Season Dates: Sundays 11/1, 11/8, 11/15, 11/22, 12/6, 12/13, 1/10, 1/17
• Game Time: Sundays from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
• Teams: 4 teams total (24 athletes and 16 partners)
• Fields: Two fields will be used. Each team will have half a field for practice, and one referee will oversee game play
• Week-by-Week Schedule

Registration and Paperwork

• Registration Opens: August 2026
• All Forms Due: September 18, 2026
• This includes forms for athletes, partners, and coaches
• If athletes have a valid medical form from a previous season, no new form is needed
• Returning partners and coaches who already submitted forms last season do not need to resubmit
• We will contact you if any updates or additional forms are needed

Coach and Partner Training: CLICK HERE to fill out the Background Check Form

• Date and Time: TBD
• Location: Veterans Park Turf Field
• Training will be led by Special Olympics Florida staff