COMPETITION STANDARDS, RULES AND DIVISIONING

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1 COMPETITION STANDARDS, RULES AND DIVISIONING It is a goal of Special Olympics Oregon to make each regional and state competition experience meaningful, safe, fun and memorable for athletes, coaches and volunteers. Sports Rules All Special Olympics competitions shall be conducted in accordance with official Special Olympics, Inc. sports rules, which are designed to protect the athletes, provide fair and equitable conditions of competition, and promote uniformity so that no competitor shall obtain an unfair advantage over another. To further this goal, Special Olympics Inc. classifies sports included in the program as either official sports or demonstration sports and prescribes the sports rules which govern international, national, state, regional and local levels of competition. All coaches and interested volunteers should obtain a copy of the Official Special Olympics Summer and Winter Sports rules through and obtain National Governing Body (NGB) Rules for each sport at the websites listed below. Note: Each season, Special Olympics Oregon publishes the actual events offered in each sport as well as any additional sports rules modifications/clarifications in the Sports Specific Information packet, distributed to LPCs and Sports Managers prior to each season. These published Special Olympics Oregon rules modifications and clarifications override any published SOI or NGB rules. Winter Alpine skiing Basketball Cross country skiing Powerlifting or Snowboarding Snowshoeing no official NGB website available Summer Athletics Bocce no official NGB website available resources Golf - or Gymnastics Softball Fall Aquatics Bowling Soccer Volleyball Competitions Regional Competition All local programs will be assigned to a specific regional competition in each sport. Regionals are assigned based on proximity to the local program, as well as athlete numbers to ensure quality competition. Athletes that are not a part of the official roster (as determined by the submitted Regional Registration) are not eligible to compete at regional competition. Athletes that compete successfully (without a disqualification) at regional competition are eligible to advance to State Games; however, some sports require the additional advancement criteria of achieving a specific finish place. For example, only regional medal winners (gold, silver or bronze) can advance to State Games in bowling. Specifics on advancement criteria are found below and in registration information provided prior to the start of each season. All regional competitions will adhere to the same competition standards as State Games and athletes will be placed in equal ability level divisions based on gender, age when possible, and ability level. Divisions are to be a minimum of three and a maximum of eight athletes whenever possible. Awards are presented to all participants, with gold, silver and bronze medals awarded to the top 3 finishers and ribbons presented to 4 th 8 th place finishers. Athletes who participate but are disqualified will receive a participation ribbon.

2 State Games Athletes must successfully compete at regional competition to advance to State Games. This applies to individual and team sports. If an athlete was not present at regional competition, he/she cannot compete at State Games. In team sports, the official roster utilized at regional competition will be the roster used for State Games. No additions or substitutions can be made to the roster between regional competition and State Games. Athletes will be divisioned according to equal ability levels, as they are at regional competitions. Athletes will be awarded in the same manner as they are at regional competitions. Local/Invitational Competition Local or invitational competitions are allowed and encouraged in order to maximize competition opportunities for athletes prior to regional competition or State Games. Local competitions are planned and managed by the local program, with prior permission from the Field Director. Assistance and guidance is available from the Field Director. Local competitions may award ribbons only, not medals. Special Olympics Oregon will provide these official ribbons. Local competitions must adhere to the requirements and standards of regional competitions and State Games. All athletes attending must have a valid medical, and all Class A volunteers must have a valid application on file. Local programs may pay transportation costs for one invitational per sport per season, dependent on funds budgeted. State and Regional Competition Standards Regional and state competitions are coordinated by Special Olympics Oregon staff through Games Organizing Committees (GOC). Local program volunteers may participate on the GOC for any regional or state competitions in their area. Special Olympics Oregon sports staff will contact the LPC to coordinate staff and volunteer efforts. Participants in regional competitions will be eligible to advance to the next higher level of competition based on the process described in the Criteria for Advancement to Higher Level Competition (below). Participants in local/invitational events will not be eligible to advance to the next higher level of competition unless they also attend a regional competition. Athletes and teams are encouraged to participate in local events as these events provide valuable competition experiences. All local, regional and state competitions should be divisioned according to the Procedures for Divisioning described below. For team sports, Special Olympics Oregon does not require a specific tournament format (i.e. double elimination, round robin, pool play, etc.). Local Competition Standards Local programs are encouraged to host local competitions within their program and between programs. Local competitions must be an approved budget item. Local competitions typically take the form of invitational events, or school day sports events and can vary in size and format. The format of the competition may be determined by facility space available, time, etc. All local competitions should adhere to the following requirements: LPC must submit an Invitational Sanctioning form to their Field Director at least 30 days prior to competition to indicate intent to host a local event. (Form is available on the LPC website.) Local program must send registration information for distribution to teams in their region/area to include: o Specific competition information (who, what, where, when, how, etc). o Entry forms consistent with Special Olympics Oregon forms with established deadlines. Confirmation must be sent to registered teams and must include: o Schedule of events o Map and directions o Tournament format, brackets, and divisions (when applicable) Registrations from teams outside of the host local program must come from the visiting LPC. Registration received directly from coaches outside the host local program will be accepted only with prior approval from the LPC. Registrations are accepted only when received by the entry deadline. Certified officials should be utilized whenever possible. Adherence to Special Olympics Oregon rules, SOI rules and NGB rules is required. Adequate facilities and equipment must be utilized. Athletes must participate in appropriate uniforms. Medals may not be presented. Ribbons, certificates, or other appropriate types of awards may be used.

3 Protest Process at Competition During a competition, if there is a need to protest a decision or the results of competition, it may be done on site by the Head Coach only (or someone who has been designated by the Head Coach) to file a protest. Only volunteers listed on the official delegation roster may file a protest. The individual filing the protest may complete the form found in the coach packet or verbalize the protest in a calm manner to the Competition Director or lead staff at the venue. Special Olympics Oregon Appeal Process If a volunteer wishes to appeal a policy decision or a decision made related to a rule violation prior to or after a competition, an appeal may be made in the following manner. Written notification by (preferred) or by postal mail of an appeal must be sent by the individual(s) to the Sr. Vice President of Sports within 14 days of the initial official decision that is being appealed. Send appeals to: Sr. Vice President of Sports Special Olympics Oregon 5901 SW Macadam Ave, Suite 200 Portland, OR mhanken@soor.org Please copy your Field Director and LPC on any correspondence. The Sr. Vice President of Sports will forward copies of the appeal to the Special Olympics Oregon Sports Management Team (SMT). The SMT will conduct a closed hearing, at which time an individual may present his/her case. (A description of the SMT is provided later in this section.) If the individual would like to present his/her case, that person will be invited to state their case in a closed format (as part of the meeting or phone call). Each presentation will last no longer than 5 minutes with additional time allowed for questions from the SMT. Appeals will be heard at the next regularly scheduled SMT meeting or if the issue is highly time-sensitive, a discussion and vote will take place via conference call or . The decision of the SMT will be final. The Program Committee of the Board of Directors will be informed of the appeal and the decision. Procedure for Divisioning Divisioning is the process used to create a fair competition experience for all Special Olympics athletes. Our system of divisioning is unique to Special Olympics and is the cornerstone of all Special Olympics competitive events worldwide. An athlete s ability is the primary factor in divisioning Special Olympics competition. The ability of an athlete or team is determined by an entry score from training, from a prior competition, or is the result of a seeding round or preliminary event at the competition itself. Other factors that are significant in establishing competitive divisions are gender and age. Ideally, competition is enhanced when each division accommodates at least three and no more than eight competitors or teams of similar ability. In some cases, however, the number of athletes or teams within a competition will be insufficient to achieve this goal. Individual Sports 1. Divide athletes by gender Divide athletes into two groups based on gender. Females compete against females, males compete against males. A relay team that consists of both male and female athletes shall compete in the male division. Athletes shall compete against the same gender unless: 1. The sport specifically allows co-ed events. 2. There are only two male or two female athletes within an event. These athletes may compete against one another or be divisioned with athletes of the opposite sex who are of similar age and ability. 3. There is only one athlete, male or female and of any age or ability, registered to compete in an event. This athlete shall be allowed to compete in a single person division in that event. 2. Divide athletes by ability To complete the divisioning process, the following guidelines shall be applied according to the event being divisioned.

4 In events that are measured in time, distance, or points: For both genders and all age groups, rank athletes in descending order based upon submitted entry scores or preliminary events. Group as many of these ranked athletes so that the highest and lowest scores are as similar as possible and the number of competitors does not exceed eight. In situations where the highest and lowest scores within a division are extreme: The age group may be broadened. Athletes within the new age groups should be re-ranked and grouped into divisions. The process should be repeated until the highest and lowest scores within each division are as similar as possible. OR Athletes may be individually reassigned to another division that is more similar to their own ability, regardless of age group. 3. Divide athletes by age An athlete s age group shall be determined by the athlete s age on the opening date of the competition. Divide male and female athletes into the following age groups: 8-15 (youth) and 16 and older. If participation numbers are large enough, further age groupings may be created. Athletes shall compete against other athletes in the same age group, unless: 1. There are less than three competitors within an age group. These athletes shall compete in the next oldest age group. That age group shall then be renamed to accurately reflect the entire range of competitors within that age group. 2. After completing step two ( divide athletes by ability ) age groups are broadened and/or individual athletes are reassigned to other age groups to improve the similarity of scores between athletes within a division. In the youth divisions (ages 8-15) a greater emphasis is placed on the athlete s age. In some cases, it may be necessary to widen the variance of ability level in order to ensure the age limits remain intact. In youth divisions, age limit will take precedence over ability. Further, ability within these youth divisions will be taken into account when there are enough participants to create several youth divisions. Team Sports 1. Divide teams by gender Divide teams into two groups based on gender. Female teams compete against female teams, male teams compete against male teams. Mixed gender teams shall compete as male teams. Teams shall compete against other teams of the same gender, unless there is only one male or one female team within the competition. This team shall be divisioned with teams of the opposite gender who are of similar age and ability. 2. Divide teams by ability Group teams according to ability based on skills assessment information, team evaluation questionnaires (TEQ), previous competition results or preliminary classification events. Create divisions of no more than eight teams by applying age groups to the teams within each ability group. Within each ability group, age groups may be combined to create divisions. If there are only two male or two female teams within the competition, these teams shall compete against each other. If there is only one team within an age or ability group, that team must be divisioned with other teams, regardless of age or ability. 3. Divide teams by age The age group of a team is determined by the age of the oldest athlete on that team on the opening date of the competition. Divide the teams into the following age groups: ages 15 and under, 16-21, and 22 and over. An additional age group may be established if there are a sufficient number of teams in the 22 and over age group. Teams should compete against other teams within the same age group. Criteria for Advancement to Higher Level Competition and Quotas An athlete is eligible to advance to the next competition provided he/she has: Met minimum training requirements as outlined in Athlete and Partner Training section.

5 Participated in the previous competition and was NOT disqualified in all events. Athletes will advance to competition only in events in which they did not disqualify at the previous level. Training and previous competition experience must be in the same sport as the athlete will be competing in at the next competition. If additional events within that sport are available at the next competition, athletes should receive proper training prior to advancing. Advancement to State Games All teams, athletes, and partners must participate at a regional competition during the season in order to be eligible to compete at State Games. For all team sports (including all Unified Sports events, and all relay teams), the team roster cannot be changed after the regional competition. All team rosters must be the same at both the regional competition and State Games. Teams who use athletes or partners that were not on their roster at the regional competition will be disqualified from State Games. Athletes may be scratched from the roster after the regional event; however athletes may not be added to the roster, switch teams, and new teams cannot be formed after the regional competition. The regional events will be used to determine which athletes or teams will advance to State Games when the number of athletes participating in a sport exceeds the allowable quota for the state competition. Athletes and teams will be selected for the state competition based on the Criteria for Advancement to Higher Level Competition as defined above. All athletes that participate in a regional competition will advance to the state competition when the number of athletes participating in a sport is less than the allowable quota for State Games. At this time, athletes that compete successfully (without a disqualification) at regional competition are eligible to advance to State Games; however, some sports require the additional advancement criteria of achieving a specific finish place. For example, only regional medal winners (gold, silver or bronze) can advance to State Games in bowling. Special Olympics Oregon will continually review the need to place quota standards on other sports through the evaluation of participation numbers. Advancement to National or World Games Special Olympics Oregon receives athlete quota slots for National Games and World Games. These quota slots vary in sports offered and the number of athletes/teams for each event. Athletes or teams selected for advancement to the next competition level will: Receive notification of athletes or teams that will be allowed to participate at the next competition by sport and/or event. This is the quota to be filled. Identify the number of athletes or teams eligible for advancement within the sport/event based on eligibility requirements. If the number of eligible athletes or teams exceeds the quota, athletes or teams that advance shall be selected as follows: Priority is given to first place finishers from all divisions of the sport/event. If the number of first place finishers exceeds the quota, elect athletes or teams to advance by random draw. If there are not enough first place finishers to fill the quota, all first place finishers shall advance. The remaining quota shall be filled by a random draw of second place finishers from all divisions of the sport/event. If the quota is large enough for all second place finishers to advance, the remaining quota shall be filled by a random draw of third place finishers from all divisions of the sport/event. Repeat this process, adding each place of finish as necessary, until the quota is filled. These procedures apply to both individual and team sports. After the quota slots are established for a National Games or World Games, Special Olympics Oregon identifies the competitions in which athletes/teams will have the opportunity to qualify for advancement. At the conclusion of these designated competitions, athletes/teams who earn a gold medal will be identified as eligible to be selected for National Games or World Games by a weighted draw. Athletes who have attended a previous World or National Games are eligible to advance, but a weighted draw is used that increases the odds for those who have not attended. For example, Joe has gone to World Games twice in his Special Olympics Oregon career. Mike has gone once and Sean, Steve and Pedro have all never been. Joe s name would go into the hat once, Mike s twice and Sean, Steve and Pedro would each go in three times. This is a weighted draw that is proportionate to the number of times that each has previously attended. An athlete shall not be barred from

6 advancement based on prior competition experience (e.g., an athlete shall not be prohibited from advancing to World Games solely on the basis that she or he attended World Games in the past). Sports Management Team The Special Olympics Oregon Sports Management Team (SMT) is an elected representative body that meets at least three times per year to discuss competition and training issues that further the mission of Special Olympics Oregon. The team is responsible for facilitating change and creating new strategies to better serve the athletes, coaches, volunteers and families of Special Olympics Oregon by bringing ideas and issues to the table that are raised by their constituent groups. SMT Purpose Assess and evaluate program needs and develop an annual sports program/plan for training and competition. Identify, recruit and train sport-specific resources statewide. Help develop ties between Special Olympics Oregon, National Governing Bodies, and other sanctioned sports organizations. Ensure through training and evaluation procedures that the games and all competitions are conducted in accordance with the standards set forth in the Special Olympics mission and the program is meeting the needs of its customers. Present resolutions to the Program Committee of the Board of Directors recommending changes to the sports program, games, competitions, events, rules, procedures, philosophy, goals, objectives, etc. Ensure the development and implementation of a plan to train games directors, competition directors, sports officials and volunteers. Support the growth and development of Local programs and their management teams through technical assistance, resource identification and information sharing. Selection Process for SMT Members Initial selection was done by staff and program committee to get geographical and constituency background. Committee should have representation from one or more of the following areas: Coach Local program committee member Competition/games/sport development member Metro area volunteer Rural area volunteer School program volunteer Unified Sports volunteer Athlete active with Special Olympics Oregon Terms SMT members will serve two-year or three-year terms. Members will then be able to renew for one additional two year term or rotate off. No one can serve for more than five years consecutively. Members can return after a one year leave from the committee. New members will apply for selection. A nominating subcommittee of existing SMT members will take part in selection of any new members. Meetings SMT will meet at least three times per year. Dates are strategically selected to address the upcoming season while also addressing continuing and long-term sports-related issues. Agendas are compiled and shared prior to the meeting. Staff and committee members will research agenda items so that discussions will lead to informed decisions. While consensus is ideal and necessary on some topics, some decision making will be conducted using Roberts Rules with majority votes when necessary.

7 Competition Standards, Rules and Divisioning Information at a Glance All Special Olympics competition shall be conducted in accordance with official Special Olympics sports rules. Each season, Special Olympics Oregon provides the actual events offered in each sport as well as any additional sports rules modifications/clarifications in the Sports Specific Information packet distributed prior to the start of each season. These published Special Olympics Oregon rules modifications/clarifications override any published Special Olympics, Inc. (SOI) or National Governing Body (NGB) rules. All local programs will be assigned to a specific regional competition in each sport. All regional competitions will adhere to the same competition standards as State Games (i.e., adherence to sports rules) and athletes will be placed in equal ability level divisions based on gender, age when possible, and ability level. Athletes that compete successfully (without a disqualification) at regional competition are eligible to advance to State Games. Athletes must have competed successfully at regional competition in order to advance to State Games. This applies to individual and team sports. If an athlete was not present at regional competition, he/she cannot compete at State Games. Local or invitational competitions are allowed and encouraged in order to maximize competition opportunities for athletes prior to regional competition or State Games. Local competitions are planned and managed by the local program, with prior permission from the Field Director. During a competition, if there is a need to appeal a decision or the results of competition, it may be done on site by the Head Coach only or someone who has been designated by the Head Coach - to file a protest. If a volunteer wishes to appeal a policy decision or a decision made related to a rule violation prior to or after a competition, an appeal may be made via written notification only. An athlete s ability is the primary factor in divisioning Special Olympics competition. An athlete is eligible to advance to the next competition provided he/she has participated in an organized training program directed by a qualified coach consistent with Special Olympics rules of training and competition and occurring at a level of frequency that provides necessary skill acquisition and preparation for competition in the specific sports and events in which the athlete competes, and participated in the previous competition and was NOT disqualified in all events. The Special Olympics Oregon Sports Management Team (SMT) is an elected representative body that meets at least three times per year to discuss competition and training issues that further the mission of Special Olympics Oregon.