S O Skelton Cleveland, year round sports training and competition for learning disabled athletes
S O provides members with continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of skills, gifts and friendship with their families, other SO athletes and the community. SO Promotes inclusion of people with a learning disability in mainstream sports, helps athletes develop social as well as sporting skills and provides new life and cultural experiences.
Why the community needs usS.O. is not an elitist organisation, it celebrates the participation and achievements of all its members and its unique banding system, which groups athletes of comparable ability, ensures that anyone really can be a winner. Members involved in SO generally have an improved sense of health and wellbeing, increased confidence and the feeling that they are very much a part of and valued by their local community.
Our impact on the communityAthletes can compete at local, regional, national and international level and for those selected to represent their country, as part of a GB team, there can be no greater honour. All athletes enjoy the press/ media coverage of events especially if their name or photo are mentioned in the paper or on TV and each takes the responsibility of being an SO ambassador very seriously. Learning disabled people are marginalised in our society so to feel what they have done is truly valued is great.
