Special Olympics Nigeria (SO Nigeria) has successfully concluded the ESPN Unified Sports Program in three Osun State communities: Ilesa, Ife, and Osogbo. The program trained 52 volunteer coaches, teachers, and youths using the Special Olympics coaching curriculum and resources from the Unified Sports online learning portal.
These trained coaches conducted twice-weekly football and basketball training sessions with 112 athletes and 63 partners, incorporating education on anti-bullying, competition preparation, and distribution of 320 Fit-5 cards to promote health and fitness among participants and other athletes.
Key achievements of the ESPN Unified Sports Program include; training volunteer coaches in Unified Sports, and implementing regular Unified football and basketball sessions in special schools and communities.
The program culminated in a two-day football and basketball competition at Osogbo Stadium, attended by Ademola Daini, Director of Sports Coaching and Training from the Osun State Sports Council. Mr. Daini pledged the Council’s support for coaching, training, and competition in special sports to ensure program sustainability and to raise awareness about individuals with intellectual disabilities in Osun State.
To ensure the continued success of the Unified Sports Program in Osun State, Special Olympics Nigeria collaborated with several key stakeholders, including the Osun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Osun State Sports Council, Nigerian Red Cross Society, School for Persons with Special Needs, Community Sports Centre Ife, and the Association of Osun State Basketball Coaches.
Special Olympics Nigeria remains dedicated to promoting inclusion for individuals with intellectual disabilities through the Unified Sports Program, which fosters teamwork and integration by bringing together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities. Over the past two decades, the program has engaged over 12,000 participants, empowering 8,080 athletes, 6,051 partners, and 2,027 coaches.
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