Our Mission
The mission of Special Olympics Pennsylvania is to provide year-round sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.
Transformative Power of Sport
Filling a Critical Need in the Lives of People with Intellectual Disabilities
All training and competition opportunities are provided free of charge to the athletes and their families, enabling everyone to experience the benefits of Special Olympics that extend well beyond the playing field. Special Olympics was created by the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation. Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) is authorized and accredited by Special Olympics Inc. for the benefit of persons with intellectual disabilities.
Building on Our Foundation to Guide the Next Five Years of Growth and Impact
Here in the Commonwealth, Special Olympics Pennsylvania provides training in more than 21 sports and offers more than 1,000 competition opportunities each year through its nine regions. It takes a team of dedicated staff and thousands of incredible volunteers to make this happen.
This strategic plan has been created to help guide the efforts of these joint volunteer/staff teams for the next five years, and it outlines and aligns the most important activities to provide overall direction for our collective efforts in pursuit of our global shared vision.
The 2026-2030 Strategic Plan framework remains centered on six core goals — three mission-focused and three foundational — which have been reaffirmed by the SOPA Board of Directors as the pillars for our next phase of growth.
This plan is shaped by the voices of our athletes, coaches, families, staff, and board members.
50+ Years of Impact
Over Five Decades of Changing Lives Through Sport
For the past 50 years, Special Olympics Pennsylvania has filled a critical need in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for physical activity and social interaction. Athletes learn developmental and life skills as the benefits of participation translate beyond sports, helping participants to live more independent and rewarding lives. Special Olympics also provides a positive venue for families, volunteers, and donors to become part of a caring community.
Our History
Backyard Day Camp to Global Movement
Special Olympics began with Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s belief that people with intellectual disabilities were far more capable than society assumed. What started as a backyard day camp in 1962 grew into the first International Games in 1968 and now spans more than 172 countries
1969
The Beginning in Pennsylvania
187 Pennsylvania athletes traveled to Maryland to participate in the Special Olympics Mid-Atlantic Invitational. It was not until months later, however, that these athletes would have a state program to call their own.
1970
First SOPA Competition
In May 1970, the inaugural Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) competition was held when 135 brave athletes participated in a small track and field competition at West Chester University. Despite its size and scope, an official Special Olympics program came into being that day thanks to the dedication, determination and vision of event organizers and volunteer directors, Dr. Ed Norris and Hank Goodwin from West Chester’s Physical Education Department.
The event was funded by a grant from the Department of Special Education in Harrisburg and spurred increasing state-wide interest in Special Olympics’ mission in the years that followed. Then-Governor Raymond Shafer designated May 24 – 30, 1970 as “Special Olympics Week” in Pennsylvania by marking the occasion with an official proclamation.
Two familiar names in SOPA lore played a role in its beginnings, including one of Pennsylvania’s most acclaimed athletes, Loretta Claiborne, who participated in athletics and the late former Chairman of the Board, Al Senavitis, who served as a timer during West Chester track and field event.
1970s
Growth Across the State
As the organization evolved through the 1970s, under the directorial guidance of Joseph N. Lantzer (who also served on Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s Board of Directors) competitions grew around the state, with various colleges serving as hosts, including Cheyney, Slippery Rock, and Edinboro Universities.
1989
Special Olympics International launches Athletes for Outreach, introducing formal public‑speaking training for athletes – this becomes the foundation of SOPA’s Athlete Leadership movement, lead and launched by Clare Walsh-Miller. Unified Sports becomes an officially sanctioned global Special Olympics program; Harrisburg is designated as one of several national development focus sites.
1991
SOPA athlete Loretta completes a half‑marathon at the 1991 World Games.
1993
SOPA becomes an early adopter of the Healthy Athletes program at Villanova University’s Fall Festival, beginning with Opening Eyes and Special Smiles.
1995
Community Unified Sports begins to take shape in Pennsylvania, initially offered in select local programs with an emphasis on individual sports such as long‑distance running/walking.
SOPA athletes Troy Rutter (gold medalist) and George Burton complete the first Special Olympics marathon at the 1995 Games.
2008
A New Era
Unified Champion Schools launches in Pennsylvania with four middle schools in the School District of Philadelphia.
Becky Fisher (Centre County) becomes SOPA’s first athlete referee in Floor Hockey.
2012
SOPA expands Athlete Leadership to include roles such as board membership, staff positions, coaching, Healthy Athletes advocacy, and public‑speaking ambassadorship through the Sargent Shriver Global Messenger program.
SOPA hosts its first Athlete Congress at the State Capitol in Harrisburg with Johanna Schoeneck as the chair.
2013
Special Olympics Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) establish an official statewide partnership to expand Interscholastic Unified Sports.
2014
Unified Champion Schools expands statewide, adding 30 new schools across six counties and the Pittsburgh region while Unified Fitness is piloted at Slippery Rock University.
2018
Hosted first “Cities of Inclusion” Summit at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, convening diverse partners across city government, corporations and other providers.
2024
Completed statewide regionalization process that established joint volunteer/staff teams in 9 regions across the Commonwealth.
SOPA reached the 15,000 screenings milestone for Healthy Athletes screenings since the program’s inception.
2025
SOPA celebrates the addition of its 500th Unified Champion School: West Hills Intermediate School in the Armstrong School District.
