Fellow Bio:
This project aims to develop Special Olympic Athletes' physical abilities beyond their abilities to participate in their sports to improve their general fitness and performance in their sport. We use a focus on flexibitlity, core strength and fundamentals, as well as practice for competition, to bring training to a new, wholer body level. At the same time, positive feedback and small group, interactive coaching is used to inspire the athletes and improve their social and emotional health.

1. A group of coaches, made up of volunteers and parents, develop training strategies and continually modify them with direct and indirect athlete and caretaker feedback.
2. We conduct practices and occasional weekend seminars for athletes or coaches, as well participating in competitive events.
3. Short term outcomes: increased flexibility, core strength and mastery of fundamentals, improved attitude towards hard physical work, improved athletic performance and focus during physical/athletic activities.
4. Final outcomes: Performance of the athletes at final competitions in terms of ability, strength/flexibility/endurance, aerobic capabilities, confidence, attitutde towards themselves and others and outlook on their physical selves. Also, amount of physcial activity in lives (both by desire and ability to increase) and improved focus, confidence and determination in other areas of their lives. Expanded and stronger social network. We also look at how the athletes are doing when they return to their sport the next season- are they in better physical and mental shape than the previous year-did they maintain physcial fitness, or did improved fitness last year help them at the start of the next year.

• The athletes will not just learn to perform the required tasks for their sport, but to develop their bodies so that they can not only perform better in competition but also in their general lives
• They will like feeling physically fit and will use this in their lives, or actively attempt to maintain that fitness
• They will learn that they can become more phsycially capable by their own work- if they try something and work hard at it, they can achieve
• They will feel better about themselves as people
• The will have improved: focus, confidence, self-efficacy and teamwork skill to improve in the gym and in their lives
• Their coaches adn parents will learn how to encourage them to be fit, and see how possible it is
Challenges and Solutions:


We have a very short time to work together and athletes can be sick/hurt/not able to attend practice/not in a good mood, thus reducing our time. I will have to be focused and prepared to make the best use out of our time. I will also give the athletes and their parents achievable, enjoyable "fitness/performance HW" every week to help make fitness a part of their daily lives.

Setbacks will occur and these must be taken easily, and adjustments made to training as necessary. A positive supportive attitude will always be used, with personal interactions as warranted for each athlete to best motivate them adn keep them working hard, focused.

Next Steps:

Locus Project Objectives and Key Tasks

Target Date for Completion

This isn't really applicable due to the nature of the project and the athletes'indiviudal abiliites. Short term and long term goals are as above and are continually ongoing. Overall, shooting for 70-100% of athletes to show significant improvement in core fitness and performance form these leements, along with increased confidence and attitide by state competition. This will be judged qualitatively and quantitatively.

April 04, 2005

Resource Needs:

A gym, coaches, athletes, caoching/teaching strategies, fitness/sports knowledge. These have already been acquired.

Comments:

This is a continuing project to improve a program already desgned for this population, to help improve physical fitness, an element of the training that is often lacking. Sports training is often skill and performance based, and we are adding in more fitness and mentally and physically challenging workouts.

Last update:

February 10, 2005

Graduation Requirements Progress Chart
If you complete the requirements outlined below, you will graduate as a LOCUS fellow.

A indicates the item has been completed.

Completed	When	What	On-line
	Year 1: Beginning of Semester 2	New Project Report	Submit Report
	Year 2: Beginning of Semester 1	Project Update	Submit Update
	Year 2: Beginning of Semester 2	Project Update	Submit Update
	Year 3: Beginning of third year	Project Update	Submit Update
	Year 4: August of fourth year	2-3 page final summary of project that includes a reflective evaluation of the project process	N/A
	Ongoing	Participate in program evaluation (written and/or focus group)	View Options
	By the end of fourth year	Select poster, presentation, paper, creative option or your own idea	View Options

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