Special Olympics Athletes Leadership Programs (ALPs) offer athletes the opportunity to take active leadership roles both on and off the playing field. Athletes serve on Boards of directors and as spokespersons, officiate competitions, coach other athletes and make decisions about the movement’s future.
ALPs initiatives also provide an excellent way for Special Olympics athletes to demonstrate to the larger community their talents and interests that may have gone unnoticed. As an integral component of Special Olympics's dedication to empowerment and dignity, ALPs initiative provide new opportunities for athletes and benefit the movement as a whole. One such example is Ms Hanako Sawayama, a Special Olympics athlete who was appointed as a Sargent Shriver International Global Messenger and trained to serve as a primary spokesperson on behalf of Special Olympics in 2004. |
