In Sunderland we can offer serious coaching in three sports but can “accommodate” athletes from many more.
Always remembering that all our coaches are volunteer’s and without them we could not function.
Swimming
Special Olympics Sunderland offer all year round swimming training at the Raich Carter Sports Centre Sunderland. Training takes place on a Saturday between 4 - 5pm.
Swimming coaches follow a training plan drawn up by our head coach, which allows for the numerous disabilities and difficulties our swimmers have to cope with.
We have a very successful swim team, with our coaches headed by a level 3 school and pool teacher and coach, varying through high levels and disciplines of aquatic sports; this “pool” of knowledge is very useful in finding ways around athlete’s difficulties.
How well this all works can be seen in our swimming achievements section.
Trampoline
We have had bi weekly trampoline sessions for over a year now and these became so popular with our athletes we decided to take it a step further and make it a structured coaching session.
We again have been fortunate in getting a coach who understands our athletes and we are having a good level of success in this field.
 REPORT FROM THE COACH
Name: Miss J. Hutchinson
Level 3 Trampoline Coach
During the duration of our trampoline sessions at Raich Carter Centre the children are coached in new skills and progressing through their trampoline awards.
There are 15 British gymnastics trampoline awards to achieve and our progress can been seen on our achievements and results page.
All the children work extremely hard during the session and I must say as their coach it is a pleasure to coach such well mannered and polite children.
Children are also always welcome to attend further trampoline sessions at AAA Sports which accepts any participants no matter what age or ability level.
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Badminton
We are delighted to say we now have a three badminton coaches coming along to coach our athletes.
Thanks to Sharon Cosgrove and two of her coaches from St Aiden’s badminton club we are able to offer badminton coaching to all our athletes from the gold medal winner amongst us to those that have never held a racket before.
It has to be said we are surprised at how many of the athletes have shown some promise in no time at all.
It seems badminton is about to be our “In Thing” at present, our athletes taken to it with greater enthusiasm than ever, it could be that we have a couple more up and coming star’s who are not only doing well but obviously enjoying it a great
deal.
Ten Pin Bowling
We are very fortunate in having a close working partnership with a bowling club. Members of Special Olympics Sunderland bowl at Washington AMF Bowling every second Sunday from 12-2pm as part of the T-to-T club.
They have three experienced and qualified instructors and the members are aged from 11 upwards. |
Athletics
We have recently had some of our members accepted into an athletic club.
This is a big break through as we have been looking for a suitable placement for a very promising athlete of ours for some time now.
Job well done. |
Judo
We are pleased to say our Special Olympics Judo club is now up and running. We have worked long and hard for this new venture and are delighted we are about to offer judo alongside our other sports.
Special Olympics Sunderland will try to place any athlete with a learning disability into any sport. If we are not able to do this then we will try to find some other club to accommodate them.
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