Aquatics was an event at the first Special Olympics International Games held in Chicago, Illinois in 1968. Aquatics Training Season is usually year round with a culminating event at Summer Games in June at Penn State University.

Details for Delaware County Program

SOPA Season: Spring/Summer

Head Coach: Susan Heaney – heanbean@verizon.net

What to Expect: Athletes swim laps and relays.

Currently not accepting athletes requiring swimming lessons; please inquire about being put on the waiting list.

Training Specifics: Sunday’s from 9-11am at Ridley Area YMCA starting on January 12, 2020. Training is normally split up into 2 one-hour slots.

Competition Dates: (1) Delco Invitational @ Widener University on April 4, 2020. (2) Eastern Spring Sectional @ Kutztown University on May 2, 2020. (3) Summer Games @ Penn State on Jun 11-13, 2020. Athletes participating in Summer Games will be housed for 2 nights in dormitories, along with coaches, at a ratio of 4 athletes per coach.

Equipment: We will provide all the required equipment.

Uniform Requirements: We will provide athletes with a uniform for competition.

**IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS** 

ALL athletes must have a current medical (on Special Olympics PA medical form) that runs through the end of the season. If the athlete medical is not up-to-date, athletes WILL NOT be able to participate. Unfortunately, there are no exceptions to this rule since it poses a safety risk to the entire program. An up-to-date medical must always be on file with the coach as well as sent to the program manager for filing.

ALL athletes must attend at least 8 trainings and participate in qualifiers to be eligible to compete in State Games (Summer Games/Fall Festival/Indoor Winter Games).

ALL athletes can participate in multiple sports during the same season, but must declare a primary sport for State Games (Summer Games/Fall Festival/Indoor Winter Games).