Volunteer Opportunities

Interested in making a higher commitment as a volunteer coach or team volunteer? Click here!

Volunteers are the backbone of the Special Olympics movement. They are coaches, trainers, officials, event organizers, fundraisers, and event volunteers. They can also be unified partners—playing alongside athletes with intellectual disabilities—or fans cheering in the stands.

Our volunteers are of all ages and their commitments can range from an afternoon to a lifetime. They are helping to bring out the champion in every Special Olympics athlete.

Special Olympics would not exist today—and could not have been created—without the time, energy, commitment, and enthusiasm of our volunteers. We owe so much to these members of our community who find the time to make the world a better place.

Special Olympics is about transforming lives, including your own. It’s about the spirit of giving and teamwork. It’s about making your community and neighborhood a more welcoming and accepting place for people of all abilities.

It’s also about creating lifelong friendships and finding a new way of thinking about others.

We greatly appreciate the local coaches who work with athletes encouraging them to do their best, the photographers who take the most amazing pictures of our athletes in action, the volunteers that make our competitions possible, and the many others who are involved with SOAZ!

With Special Olympics training, competitions, and other events happening 365 days a year, there is always something interesting to do!

We have seen dramatic growth in teens and young adults volunteering with Special Olympics. These participants include students taking part in school-based groups like Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools. Their enthusiasm, dedication, and creativity are hard to beat!