Module Summary

Unified Sports

Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team.

It provides flexibility for coaches and their athletes and partners, by offering three different models for them to choose between, based on which model is most suitable for their group. This video will give you a great overview of the three models.

Meaningful involvement

Meaningful involvement is a core principle of Unified Sports. It means that every player is given a chance to contribute to the success of the team through their unique skills and qualities.

When is meaningful involvement achieved?

As a Coaching Assistant, it’s important to ensure that meaningful involvement happens in every session.

Meaningful involvement is successful when every teammate:

• demonstrates sufficient sport-specific skills and game understanding
• plays a valued role within the team that emphasises his or her personal talents
• has an opportunity to play without a heightened risk of injury.

Meaningful involvement is not achieved when certain team members:

• display superior sports skills without involving their teammates
• serve mainly as on-field coaches, rather than teammates or mentors
• control most of the game, especially in critical periods
• don’t train or practice regularly/only show up for competitions
• must lower their level of ability dramatically so that they don’t hurt others or control the entire game.
• It’s worth noting, that this applies equally to athletes and partners.