Special Olympics Pierce County

Special Olympics Washington (SOWA) provides year-round sports training and competition for thousands of children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Click here for the required Special Olympics forms.
Image of Special Olympics Washington logo
  1. Winter Season
  2. Spring Season
  3. Summer Season
  4. Fall Season

Winter Season Reminders: 

  • No cheerleading regionals 
  • Basketball and Cheerleading State Games March 3-5 in Wenatchee 
  • Basketball Sub – Regionals January 22 in Olympia 
  • Basketball Regionals February 11 in Olympia 
  • More information coming soon!

Special Olympics Basketball

Pierce County Parks will offer basketball practice on Monday and Wednesday evenings, either at the People's Center or Lakewood Community Center. Team options include 5 on 5 Team (full court), half-court 3-on-3, and team skills.

Please note: Special Olympics Washington confirmed sub-regionals will be (1/22), Regionals (2/11), and Winter State Games (Wenatchee, March 3-5, 2023. Locations for sub-regionals are Olympia High School and Thurgood Marshall Middle School.

This registration includes practice, sub-regional, and regional competitions, it does not include state competition. If a team qualifies for state competition there will be a separate registration fee. 

Image of Special Olympics Basketball Team

Pierce County Parks will provide athletes with a basketball jersey. Athletes are responsible for all other athletic apparel (shorts, socks, and sneakers must be worn.)

***UPDATE: 

Originally Monday teams were not going to have Martin Luther King Day – We will have practice at People’s Center & Lakewood Community Center on Monday to get ready for sub-regionals. 

Dates: December 12-March 1 (Mondays or Wednesdays)
Time:6:30-8:30 pm
Location: People’s Center & Lakewood Community Center
Fee:$85  -Transportation to and from Sub-Regional & Regional competitions PROVIDED.
$75 - Transportation to and from Sub-Regional & Regional competitions NOT PROVIDED. Athletes are responsible for their own transportation to and from the competition.  
Registration: Register online by December 2, 2022

NEW***Special Olympics Cheerleading

Athletes will learn the fundamentals of cheerleading and dance. Coaches will teach the technical elements of motions, jumps, and dance routines. Pierce County Parks will offer cheer practice on Wednesday evenings in Puyallup. All abilities are welcome! 

Please note:  Special Olympics Washington confirmed NO REGIONAL COMPETITION FOR CHEER and all cheer teams will advance to Winter State Games in Wenatchee from March 3-5, 2023.

This registration includes practice, sub-regional, and regional competitions, it does not include state competition. If a team qualifies for state competition there will be a separate registration fee. Athletes are responsible for all other athletic apparel (shorts, socks, and sneakers must be worn.) 

All athletes must have an updated Athlete Medical Form before the first practice (which must be completed every 3 years).

Dates: Wednesdays, December 7-March 1
Time:5:30-7:00 pm
Location: Meridian Habitat Park
14422 Meridian E, South Hill Puyallup, WA 98375 (map)
Fee:$95  -Transportation to and from Sub-Regional & Regional competitions PROVIDED.
$85 - Transportation to and from Sub-Regional & Regional competitions NOT PROVIDED. Athletes are responsible for their own transportation to and from the competition.  
Registration: Register online by December 2, 2022

Youth Athletes

image of Special Olympics Young Athletes logoYoung Athletes is an inclusive sports program for children ages 2-7 with and without intellectual or developmental disabilities. This program is comprised of research based activities that build social and motor skills while engaging young children of all abilities. Young Athletes introduces basic sports skills like running, kicking, and throwing. 

When: January 7-February 25, 2023
Saturdays, 11:00  AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Lakewood Community Center
9112 Lakewood Dr. SW, Lakewood, WA 98444 (map)
Fee:$50/participant
RegisterRegister online by January 5

Athletes:

Who is eligible?

Identified by an agency or professional as having one of the following conditions: intellectual disability; a cognitive delay as determined by standardized measures such as intelligence quotient or other generally accepted measures; or a closely related development disability, i.e., functional limitations in both general learning and adaptive skills. 

To be eligible to participate in Special Olympics, athletes must:

image of 2022 SO Golf Regionals F04 Bronze Medal Sharon Bednarski

Required Athlete Forms: 

  1. Athlete Medical Form (Must be completed every 3 years) 

Volunteers:

Members of the public can volunteer at any of the events. As a volunteer working at a Special Olympics program, you are required to have a background check and complete the Protective Behavior Quiz and Orientation Video /Quiz. Please complete the Special Olympics background check and Protective Behavior Quiz & Orientation Video /Quiz. 

To volunteer, please complete and submit the following:

image of volunteer next to Specialized Recreation banner

How to submit the Pierce County Parks Volunteer form:

Send electronically:

Submit Volunteer Forms


Drop off the form at either:
  • Lakewood Community Center
    9112 Lakewood Dr SW, Lakewood 98499 (map
  • Sprinker Recreation Center
    14824 C St S, Tacoma, WA 98444 (map)

image of Pierce County Parks Specialized Recreation logo

Questions? Contact:

Karli Schwimmer, Recreation Coordinator
(253) 798-4186 | email