Welcome to Area 11 Special Olympics Virginia
Special Olympics is a year-round international program of sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics Virginia
(SOVA) is the state program of Special Olympics Incorporated. Area 11 of SOVA serves the City of Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George and Caroline Counties. Please take a moment to read about our programs and feel free to
contact us for more information.
Current Events and Announcements ● Mission ● Goal ● Training For Life ● Sports Programs ● Join Us - Monthly Meetings
Current Events and Announcements
Be a Fan of Dignity 
This year, Special Olympics celebrates 40 years of changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through sport, along with building more inclusive and engaged communities around the world - places where each person, regardless of ability or disability, is accepted and welcomed and where every individual contributes to the strength and vibrancy of the whole.
Leading the way in promoting acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics opposes prejudice and discrimination continuously working to dispel the negative stereotypes associated with this population — the use of word r-word (retard) being one such stereotype. In a world that has worked to eliminate racial and ethnic prejudicial language such as the N word, among others, the r-word is gaining popularity.
Our choice of language frames how we think about others.
It is time to respect and value people with intellectual disabilities.
It is time to accept and welcome them as our friends and neighbors.
ACT NOW - - pledge your support to eliminate the demeaning use of the r-word.
3rd Annual Fall Craft Show
The 3rd Annual Area 11 Fall Craft Show fundraiser will be held at Riverbend High School on September 27th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CRAFTERS NEEDED! Click here for more details and registration information.
Volunteer Opportunity for Golfers
We are in search of golfers to volunteer with this summer's golf program. Please click here for more information. Students will earn community service credits!
Special Olympics Young Athlete Program
Special Olympics is piloting a new and exciting program called the Special Olympics Young Athletes Program. In the past Special Olympics has only served athletes from the age of 8 and up. Our Young Athletes Program will serve athletes between the ages of 2 - 7 years of age whom have been previously been left out of our traditional program. The Young Athletes Program will also place more emphasis on play and social interaction rather than the sport and competition emphasis of our traditional program. The idea is that the skills that are practiced and developed during our Young Athletes Program will serve as a stepping stone and will ease the transition process into our traditional program once the Athlete turns 8 Years old.
The Young Athlete Program will begin Sunday, July 13, 2008 and will meet every Sunday from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. for eight weeks. The program will meet at Kate Waller Barrett Elementary School located at 150 Duffy Drive, Stafford, VA 22556.
If you are interested in participating in this program as either a Volunteer or Parent/Athlete participant please contact Area Coordinator, Tim Doyle or our Young Athlete Coordinator Lisa Sanchez
Guestbook
Please sign our guestbook! Your opinion is important and will help us make our website, future sports programs and events even better. Please take a moment to sign in and tell us what's on your mind and to read what our other visitors have to say.
Food Lion "Lionshop & Share" Program
Register your MVP card and whenever you use your card Area 11 Special Olympics will receive proceeds from all your purchases. Click here for more information.
Program Updates
March 2007
May 2007
September 2007
November 2007
March 2008
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Mission
To provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for all children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
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Goal
To help bring all persons with intellectual disabilities into the larger society under conditions whereby they are accepted, respected and given the chance to become useful and productive citizens.
Click here to view the current Constitution and By Laws Ratified July 2005.
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Training for Life
For our athletes, the training never stops and the benefits last a lifetime. A 1995 Yale University study proved it: Special Olympics athletes do better at school, at work and at home than their peers not involved in our year-round sports program. We like to call it "Training for Life" - providing persons with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to become physically fit, develop cooperation and social skills, and increase their self-esteem, all while competing in an Olympic-type sports program.
Sports participation for our athletes is truly "Training for Life," and Special Olympics Virginia gives everyone a chance to keep that spirit alive. To find out how you can get involved with Special Olympics in Area 11, please email us at
Area 11 SOVA or call us at (540) 891-0099.
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Sports Programs
Area 11 currently offers programs in the following sports. Please visit our Sports page for more details and information.
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Alpine Skiing
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Aquatics
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Basketball
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Bocce' Ball
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Bowling
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Cheerleading
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Equestrian
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Golf
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Power Lifting
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Soccer
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Softball
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Tae Kwon Do
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Tennis
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Track
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Volleyball
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Click the filmstrip to see the difference Special Olympics makes!
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Join Us - Monthly Meetings
All volunteers are invited to join us! Area 11 conducts monthly meeting the second Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. The meeting location rotates each month. Check the monthly calendar for details. Click here to view the minutes from the last meeting.
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