2021-22 Special Olympics Bocce

Special Olympics Bocce practice will take place on Wednesday evenings at the field behind District 54 Morris Elementary in Morris. There will be either 1 shift of practice that will run 5:20-6:30 or 2 shifts that will run 4:50-6:00 and 5:50-7:00. Enrollment numbers will determine if there will be 1 shift or 2 shifts. The first practice will be August 11th. Athletes will have a choice of Traditional Singles, Doubles, or Teams of 4; OR Unified Doubles or Unified Teams of 4 (consisting of 2 Unified Doubles). Each athlete or Unified team can participate in up to 2 events. If you are new to bocce, event selection will be explained in more detail at the Bocce zoom meeting. We are setting a maximum of 32 athletes/Unified Partners combined on the roster for Special Olympics Bocce, and Special Connections will be covering the cost of participating this year. As per Special Connections current mask policy, since the practices are held outside, masks will not be required. However, SC mask policy is subject to change at any time. Per Special Olympics Illinois, only a limited number of Class A registered coaches who have completed the necessary paperwork will be allowed to be present and help at practices and competitions. If someone drives you to practice that is not a coach cleared to help, then that person will have to wait in their car or come back to pick you up when you are done practicing or competing. Special Connections will not provide transportation for practices or competitions. Athletes/Partners will be responsible for providing their own transportation. Our bocce season is a split season. Meaning, Regional competition is held in the fall and for all athletes/partners who advance, the State level competition is held at Summer Games in June. After regional, practices break for the winter and resume in April to prepare for Summer Games. Special Olympics Illinois has not yet stated whether Summer Games 2022 will be in-person or virtual. SO's decision about whether the Regional Bocce competition will be a State qualifying event will be made by September 1st. Special Olympics Medical Forms must be valid through October 17th. If you need to get a new Medical Form completed and signed by your doctor, then I'll need it turned in to me by September 1st, NO EXCEPTIONS. If you do not know when your current medical form expires, let me know and I can get that information for you. There is a new, 3-page Medical form that must be used. The old 1-page form is no longer valid. I have attached all the forms to this email with lists below of what you will need as a new athlete, returning athlete, Unified Partner or coach.   To register, go to specialconnections.org, call 815-545-3397, or respond to this email. REGISTERING ON FACEBOOK WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THIS SPORT. One of the forms is an event selection sheet. Please fill that out and turn in with your paperwork. Again, if you have questions about the events offered, then plan to be on the zoom meeting. If you'd like to do doubles or team but do not have a teammate(s) yet, please indicate that on the Event Selection form and I will help set you up with someone if available. Athletes returning from 2019 (those who competed at the 2019 Regional competition) will be given precedence on the roster. I will host a zoom meeting on Monday, August 2nd to go over details and paperwork, and to answer questions. Registration will close on August 4th.