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Special Olympics Slovakia Several challenges were identified in recruiting coaches due to the reluctance of potential coaches to coach athletes with intellectual disabilities. Additionally, there was a lack of educated, English-speaking coaches, which limited their ability to access a great deal of information.
“We will not do anything with the mentality of my (older) generation, but if we support and teach the younger generation to think holistically, we can look at the future of Special Olympics athletes with greater comfort and security,” said Eva Gažová, National Director of Special Olympics Slovakia.
Find the solution
After weeks of brainstorming, the team realized that the solution lay in formalizing a pathway to attract young coaches, empowering them with confidence and formal recognition. The breakthrough came in the form of an idea to create a coaching status recognized by higher education institutions.
Establishing key partnerships
With a clear vision, the team embarked on a mission to partner with universities renowned for their sports faculties. The goal was to work with the universities to develop a coach training program specifically for athletes with intellectual disabilities, thus promoting a culture of inclusion in sports education.
After three months of intensive meetings and discussions, Special Olympics Slovakia has partnered with two prestigious institutions: the Faculty of Sport, Physical Education and Health at Matej Pil University in Banská Bystrica, and the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport at Comenius University in Bratislava.
The memorandum of cooperation with these institutions included a comprehensive plan to support and develop sports activities for people with mental disabilities.
Read Faculty of Physical Education and Sport of Comenius University in Bratislava – Memorandum of Understanding for Mutual Cooperation
This memorandum included commitments to the following:
- Support and development of sports activities for Special Olympics athletes in Slovakia.
- Promoting inclusion in sport.
- Providing specialized bachelor’s and master’s programs.
- Enhance vision for active lifestyles.
- Integrating scientific knowledge into teaching and research.
Special Olympics Slovakia will implement activities for youth with Intellectual disabilitiesProviding expertise for education programs, coordinating measures to achieve the objectives of the MOU, facilitating volunteer opportunities for students and faculty, and ensuring mutual support and clarity of cooperation. What happened to the focus on English-speaking trainers?
Building capacity for the future
This collaboration paves the way for students to apply for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in teaching physical education and training athletes with intellectual disabilities starting in the 2025/2026 academic year. Special Olympics Slovakia has committed to covering lectures and practical sessions that will take place at Special Olympics events.
Curricula are currently being developed, with plans to introduce the subject of ‘Inclusive Physical Education Teaching Methods’ in 2024 and 2025. This initiative aims to produce highly qualified coaches who are fluent in English, equipped with a specialist education in inclusive sports.
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