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Introduction to
Athlete Leadership
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Course Overview
Part 1: Overview of ALPs
Part 2: ALPs and You
Part 3: Your Mission Statement
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Part 1:
Overview of ALPs
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Introductions
Name
County
mentor
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“ALPs”
What does it stand for?
Athlete Leadership Programs
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ALPs History & Philosophy
 Started in 1997
 Began as a single public
speaking course
 Now a cornerstone of S.O.
movement
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Cultural shift
 From a focus on pity
 To a focus on respect
 Respect of athletes’
experience & potential
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Excellent management tool
 Athletes know the program
 Athletes give good input
 ALPs byproduct – learning
skills that are useful in the life
of the athlete
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Existing ALPs Programs
Let’s define just what
ALPs really is.
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Definition of ALPs
• Allowing athletes to choose HOW
and in what ROLE they participate
in Special Olympics.
ALPs University
athletes from
Indiana
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ROLE PLAY TIME
Tell us about your choices
 Clothes
 Hair cut
 How you treat others
 To be at ALPs
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Definition of ALPs
• Encouraging athletes to take
meaningful positions of influence
and leadership throughout the
organization to help determine
policy and set direction.
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ROLE PLAY TIME
Give us an example of
meaningful roles
 Help with fundraising
 Teach other athletes to
volunteer
 Have a voice in Special
Olympics
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Definition of ALPs
• Providing training for coaches,
volunteers & parents as they
welcome athletes in their new roles.
Jan Griepenstroh
teaches about
Volunteering
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ROLE PLAY TIME
Why is training for mentors,
parents, & coaches important?
 They don’t think we can do it
 They need to learn to believe
in our abilities
 They need to remember that
they are there to help us but
not do the work FOR us
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Role of mentor
 Know the athlete
 Always give encouragement –
especially before a speech or event
 Provide support as needed
 Allow athletes to express themselves
 Listen – people want to know what the
athlete thinks, not the ideas of the
mentor
 Commit to working with the athlete
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Role of mentor
 Act as a leadership “coach”
 Help express the athlete’s opinions if they
have problems
 Work with parents, guardians or group
home to explain what ALPs is
 Ensure meaningful positions of leadership
 Help athletes stay on task
 Help understand minutes of meetings
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Role of mentor
 Make sure you know about training
opportunities
 Ensure opportunities to do practical
experience
 Provide transportation if needed
 Help athletes with medical or diet needs
 Value your athlete’s opinions and
preferences
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Role of mentor
 Work in a one-on-one relationship with
your athlete during each class and locally
 Commit to a partnership with your athlete
to make their ALPs experience as
meaningful and educational as possible
 Be an advocate for the athlete
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Part 2:
ALPs and You
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ALPs and You
Ask yourself:
 Why should I get involved with
ALPs?
 What will it do for me?
 How will it benefit others?
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What can ALPs do for you
Confidence




On the job
Facing fears
Self-respect
Self-worth
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What can ALPs do for you
Knowledge
 Public speaking
 Technology
 Leadership
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What can ALPs do for you
Social skills
 Coaching
 Listening
 Respecting others while they
are talking
 Respecting opinions of others
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What can you do for ALPs
Spokesperson
 Speak to others about S.O.
 Speak to companies to raise
money
 What else?
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What can you do for ALPs
Teacher
 Become an ALPs
instructor
 Help others become ALPs
members
 What else?
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What can you do for ALPs
Good Role Model
 Show others the right way
 Respect ALL S.O. members
(athletes, volunteers, etc.)
 What else?
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???
Athlete Leadership Programs
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Existing ALPs Roles
Can you name some
existing ALPs roles for
athletes?
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Existing ALPs roles
Athletes as
fund raisers
Athletes as
volunteers
Athletes as
course
instructors
Athletes as
Games
Athletes on
coaches or
management boards or
officials
team members committees
Global
Input Councils Athletes as
Messenger or or Athlete
helpers or
reporter
Congress
advocates
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ALPs – your role
So what’s next?
What can you do?
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Your role as an ATHLETE in ALPs
Look around at Special
Olympics and see what people
are doing. Are there things
YOU would like to do?
Talk to your County or ALPs Coordinator
about different ways you can be involved.
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Your role as an ATHLETE in ALPs
Be prepared to work hard
and maybe study for your
new role.
Be brave and try new things!
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Where to Start?
•Set up a regular time for athletes to just sit
and talk to staff and volunteers.
•Find out what athletes think about the
program and what they KNOW about the
Special Olympics options available to them.
(Knowledge is power!)
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Where to Start?
•Investigate existing Athlete Leadership
Programs to see if they would benefit you or
your local program.
•Make a “Show Me the ATHLETE” sign to
remind everyone to include athletes in
everything we do in Special Olympics.
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Show me the
ATHLETE!
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Road blocks and barriers
Do you think your new role will
be clear sailing?
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Road blocks and barriers
 Others do not believe in you!
 Lack of training
 No self-respect
 Overcoming lack of
knowledge
 Others say: “No.”
“You cannot do that.”
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ALPs Input Councils
Governance in Action
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Governance
INPUT COUNCILS
What are they?
Why have one?
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Governance - Input Councils
Who should be involved?
▪ Facilitator
▪ Athlete leaders
▪ Members
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Governance – Input Councils
Who should decide topics?
What follow-up is required?
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Part 3: YOUR
Special Olympics
Mission Statement
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Mission Statement
class goal
To help you focus in on what you
believe is the best way you can
contribute to Special Olympics
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Mission Statement
Roles in Special Olympics
View the Florida video
“We are an organization about
change. Sport is our platform”
Vancouver, BC – March 2011
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Mission Statement
definition
 What you want to do
 Specific
 Empowers you
(gives you the power)
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Special Olympics
Mission Statement
To provide year-round sports training and athletic
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 the sharing of gifts, skills and
friendship with their families, other Special
Olympics athletes and the community.
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ALPs
Mission Statement
To empower athletes to develop leadership skills
and utilize their voices to assume meaningful
leadership roles, influence change in the Special
Olympics movement and educate communities
around the world that results in positive life
changes.
ALPs Summit, Vancouver, BC -- March 2011
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A Personal
Mission Statement
I want to use my energies to enrich the lives of
my spouse, my friends and those with intellectual
disabilities. I want to be involved as a teacher to
help athletes learn the fun and excitement of
leadership through ALPs. I want to be involved in
programs that will open new horizons for athletes
to experience activities, friends and places they
have never dreamed of.
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Getting to know YOU
 What are my greatest strengths?
Examples: Good communicator, good mentor,
friendly, good organizer
 What have been some of the happiest
moments in my life?
 What things are the most important
to me?
 How can I best contribute to Special
Olympics?
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Existing ALPs roles
Athletes as
fund raisers
Athletes as
volunteers
Athletes as
course
instructors
Athletes as
Games
Athletes on
coaches or
management boards or
officials
team members committees
Global
Input Councils Athletes as
Messenger or or Athlete
helpers or
reporter
Congress
advocates
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A Few Sample
Mission Statements
 Because I’m good at organizing things, I want
to be an assistant basketball coach so I can
schedule the games, take care of the uniforms,
and keep the scorebooks for competition.
 I want to go to schools and give speeches to
recruit new athletes for Special Olympics.
 I want to start my own television show on
cable TV so more people will know about
Special Olympics.
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What’s NEXT?
 Figure out how to reach your goal.
 Talk to your county coordinator, coach, or
someone who can help.
 Look at your Mission Statement
DAILY or WEEKLY.
Do NOT forget it because it’s too important!
Let’s share some of YOUR mission statements.
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???
Athlete Leadership Programs
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Athlete Leaders In Action At
Summer Games VIP Dinner
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Break
Please return in 10 minutes!
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