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Introduction to the Sport
Football is considered the world’s most popular sport for children and adults around the world. Similarly, it is one of the most popular sports for Special Olympics athletes. Athletes are able to improve their overall physical fitness through training and competition.
In addition to offering traditional football, Special Olympics Football offers individual skills competition to allow athletes to train and compete in basic football skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to team competition. These skills include dribbling, shooting and the run and kick. A player’s final score is determined by adding together the scores achieved in each of the events.
Special Olympics athletes can also participate in Unified Sports® football team competition. Special Olympics Unified Sports is a programme that combines Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (partners) on sports teams for training and competition. In Unified Sports football team competition (11-a-side, 7-a-side and 5-a-side) the roster shall contain a proportionate number of athletes and partners. During competition, the line up shall never exceed six athletes and five partners at any time (three athletes and two partners for a 5-a-side). Each team shall have an adult non-playing coach responsible for the line-up and conduct of the team during competition.
As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped in competition divisions according to ability level, age and gender.
Competition Venue
Goals Soccer Centre
Gwendolen Road
Leicester
Gwendolen Road
Leicester
Crown Hills Community College
Gwendolen Road
Leicester
Gwendolen Road
Leicester
Goals Soccer Centre including Crown Hills Community College, in Leicester has 12 state-of-the-art 5-a-side floodlit soccer arenas surfaced with the latest 3G artificial grass. Two full size grass pitches at the Crown Hills Community College further complement the centre’s role in providing first class football facilities in the community. The main 5-a-side pitch also has a raised decking area for supporters to view and there are walkways and grassed areas by the side of all pitches for spectators. The site has a car park accommodating up to 100 cars. Inside the building is a bar area that holds up to 170 people and also overlooks the pitches. There are separate male and female toilets, changing rooms and showers. The centre also has wide gates at the side of the building and a ramp that can be used to access the pitches.
Crown Hills is a Comprehensive Secondary School for boys and girls aged 11 - 16 years. It is maintained by the LEA and is a centre for Community Education now often called “Lifelong Learning”. The Headteacher is in charge of the whole College and is officially called the Principal.
Competition Schedule
| Saturday, 25th July | Rest Day |
| Sunday, 26th July | 10.00 - 5.00pm |
| Monday, 27th July | 10.00 - 5.00 pm |
| Tuesday, 28th July | 10.00 - 5.00 pm |
| Wednesday 29th July | 10.00 - 5.00 pm |
| Thursday, 30th July | 10.00 - 5.00 pm |
| Friday, 31st July | 10.00 - 2.30 pm |
Car Parking
Athletes/Coaches: From their drop off point athletes will proceed to the changing area and bag drop off point which will be signposted and marshalled.
Officials: will arrive and proceed into Crown Hills main building through the signposted entrance to the Official’s changing and rest area to sign in for duties for the day.
Officials: will arrive and proceed into Crown Hills main building through the signposted entrance to the Official’s changing and rest area to sign in for duties for the day.
Families/Spectators: Those arriving by public transport will follow the signs and proceed to the venue and spectator seating area. Those arriving by car will follow the footpath from the car park to the Games area.
Honoured Guests/Media: These individuals will proceed from the reserved car parking area at Goals and enter the main building into the designated area of the main bar.
Volunteers: Volunteers arriving by public transport should proceed to the main entrance of Crown Hills and into the Volunteer rest area where they will be required to sign in and out at the Volunteer Services Desk. Similarly those parking at Ashfield School should use the pedestrian crossing on Wakerley Road and continue to the main entrance along Gwendolen Road.
Honoured Guests/Media: These individuals will proceed from the reserved car parking area at Goals and enter the main building into the designated area of the main bar.
Volunteers: Volunteers arriving by public transport should proceed to the main entrance of Crown Hills and into the Volunteer rest area where they will be required to sign in and out at the Volunteer Services Desk. Similarly those parking at Ashfield School should use the pedestrian crossing on Wakerley Road and continue to the main entrance along Gwendolen Road.
Catering
There will be a range of hot and cold food and beverages available for purchase from within Crown Hills School Dining Hall which will be clearly displayed on the site plan.
The Dining Hall will be open for the duration of competition times each day.
In addition, Goals Soccer Centre will open its dining area and provide snacks and refreshments for sale each day.
Equipment
Uniform
- The basic compulsory equipment of a player shall consist of a jersey/shirt, shorts, stockings (socks), shin-guards and appropriate footwear for the sport.
- The goalkeepers shall wear colours contrasting with those of the two teams and the referee. Football Officials at the 2009 Special Olympics National Summer Games will wear a black strip.
- Each player will wear a number and this MUST be used throughout the entire event and shown on Team sheets, even when wearing the second team strip. The colour of the strip must contrast clearly with the outfits (light on dark or vice versa) and be visible from a distance for spectators in the stadium. This applies especially in the case of striped jerseys/shirts. A plain coloured background (either entirely light or dark, depending on the colour of the numbers) affords better legibility. These numbers shall be between 25cm and 35cm in the height in the centre of the back of the jersey/shirt, between 10cm and 15cm in height in any position at chest level and between 10cm and 15cm in height in any position on the front of either leg of the shorts. No part of the uniform may contain advertising, design features or other elements that exceed the permitted sizes in Article 1 in the Official Special Olympics Summer Sports Rules 2002-2003, Revised Edition Section X-Commercial Messages, 1a, b and c.
- The numbers 1 – 20 shall be used. In an effort to be consistent with Olympic standards, teams are encouraged to also include numbers on the front of the shorts, on the bottom of the right leg.
- This number should be 10cm in height and the colour of the numbers should contrast with the colour of the jerseys/shirts and socks.
- Football shoes must not have metal cleats/studs.
- Jerseys must be tucked into the shorts during competition and socks must be secured below the kneecap.
- Players may wear thermal undershorts as long as they are of the same colour as the shorts and do not extend below the knee.
- Jerseys must have sleeves (either long or short).
- Players may wear medical medallions or medical wristbands, which must be taped to the chest and wrist respectively.
- Rings, watches or any other items of jewellery are not allowed to be worn during matches.
- Any protective device or cast must be checked and approved by the referee. All casts must be padded and wrapped.
- Players are not permitted to wear any object that may cause injury or give an artificial advantage to a player. Players may wear glasses, but at their own risk.
- No equipment changes can be made after the referee’s inspection without the approval of the referee in question. Changing to illegal equipment will result in a yellow card for the player in question.
- A captain’s armband can also be included as a clothing requirement for the teams to clearly identify the team’s captain.
Equipment
- Athletes will be required to bring their own kit (jersey, shorts, socks, proper footwear for the sport and shin-guards) for the games.
- Delegations should bring their own practice balls.
List of Events
The following events are being offered:
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Competition Rules
The Official Special Olympics Sports Rules for Football (Soccer) shall govern all Special Olympics competitions. As an international sports program, Special Olympics has created these rules based upon Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) rules for football (soccer) found at http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/lawsofthegame.html. FIFA or National Governing Body (NGB) rules shall be employed except when they are in conflict with the Official Special Olympics Sports Rules for Football (Soccer) or Article I. In such cases, the Official Special Olympics Sports Rules for Football (Soccer) shall apply.
An athlete with Down syndrome who has been diagnosed with Atlanto-axial Instability may not participate in football (soccer) events.
For full details of the competition rules please go to:
