Special Olympics Young Athletes Pasadena kicks off its 2016 season

The Special Olympics Young Athletes™ Pasadena program at Professional Child Development Associates (PCDA) is hosting a kickoff celebration for its 2016 season on Saturday, Jan. 23 from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Parents and children of all abilities are invited to learn more about the program while enjoying fun sports activities and games.

Special Olympics Young Athletes™ Pasadena is a free year-round, sports-play program for young children, two to seven years old, with cognitive and developmental challenges. Using the DIRFloortime® approach, fun activities and games are designed to teach fundamental sports skills in which young athletes can practice in a supportive and non-competitive environment. Through play, young athletes are introduced to the exciting world of sports and Special Olympics Southern California.

The kickoff celebration will mark the beginning of the 2016 season, which will offer four sports sessions throughout the year. The season includes basketball from Jan. 30 to April 2, baseball from April 16 to June 18, soccer from July 9 to Sept. 10 and kickball from Sept. 24 to Dec. 3. All sessions take place on Saturdays from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the PCDA outdoor play yard. Each athlete receives a free T-shirt as their team uniform and participates in a skills demonstration on the last day of the session.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Special Olympics Southern California and launch our third year of Young Athletes Pasadena at PCDA,” said Dr. Diane Cullinane, PCDA’s executive director. “This program provides a unique opportunity for younger athletes to develop sports skills, build confidence and enjoy social interaction with other children. We hope that the program continues to grow and that we can be a model for others to start similar programs in the community.”

For more information on Special Olympics Young Athletes™ Pasadena, please visit www.pcdateam.org/youngathletes/. To sign up for the program, please email YoungAthletes@pcdateam.org or call 626.793.7350.

Professional Child Development Associates (PCDA)

PCDA is a nonprofit organization that offers a range of multidisciplinary screening, evaluation, therapy and specialized services for children and young adults, birth through 21 years of age, and their families, when there is any concern regarding development or behavior. This includes children with a diagnosis of autism, intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, premature birth, genetic syndromes and/or other developmental or behavioral concerns. Utilizing a DIRFloortime® relationship-based approach, PCDA is an innovator in multidisciplinary team services and training that recognizes the importance of supporting the whole child and special relationships with parents, siblings, other caregivers and friends. For more information, call 626.793.7350 or visit www.pcdateam.org. Follow PCDA on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube.

Special Olympics Southern California

Special Olympics Southern California enriches the lives of more than 19,625 athletes with intellectual disabilities and their communities through sports, education, and athlete health. Founded in 1969 by Olympic decathlon gold medalist Rafer Johnson, Special Olympics Southern California provides free year-round sports training and competitions to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Participation develops improved physical fitness and motor skills and greater self-confidence. Special Olympics has become the world’s largest movement dedicated to promoting respect, acceptance, inclusion, and human dignity for people with intellectual disabilities. Using sports as the catalyst and programming around health and education, Special Olympics is fighting inactivity, injustice and intolerance. As a result, people with intellectual disabilities become accepted and valued members of their communities, which leads to a more respectful and inclusive society for all. Learn how you can get involved at www.sosc.org.