Section L:
Chapter Sports Management Team

The Sports Management Team (SMT) is an elected representative body that assembles quarterly to discuss competition and training issues that further the mission of Special Olympics Texas. The SMT continually addresses issues that face Special Olympics. This body is responsible for facilitating change and creating new strategies to better serve the athletes, coaches, volunteers and families of Special Olympics Texas by bringing issues to the table that are raised by their constituent groups (see Sport Rule Change Request Form).

Purpose of the Sports Management Team

1. Assess and evaluate program needs and develop an annual sports program/plan for training and competition.
2. Identify, recruit and train sport-specific resources statewide.
3. Implement and evaluate an expanding program of training and competition opportunities at local, area and chapter levels.
4. Develop ties between Special Olympics Texas, national governing bodies and other sanctioned sports organizations.
5. Ensure thorough training and evaluation procedures, with the games and competitions conducted in accordance to the standards set forth in the Special Olympics mission and the program meeting the needs of its participants.
6. Ensure, through training and evaluation procedures, that coaches are training athletes in accordance with the standards set by Special Olympics Texas and Special Olympics, Inc.
7. Present resolutions to the Board of Directors recommending changes to the sports program, games, competitions, events, rules, procedures, philosophy, goals, objectives, etc.
8. Ensure development and implementation of a plan to train and certify games directors, competition directors, sports/games officials and general volunteers.
9. Ensure that the Special Olympics Texas sports programs are of high quality and are reaching as many eligible participants as possible.
10. Support the area programs in function by identifying resources, providing training/advising for personnel and building the area management teams.

Job Descriptions of the Committee

Director of Coaches Education

Conducts area training; directs/manages certification/recertification; advises area training personnel; serves as technical advisor for training programs; reviews and proposes rules changes to chapter office and SOI; and mobilizes sports teams to evaluate area training programs.

Director of Games

Serves as technical advisor for area and chapter games; assists in the recruitment of area and regional games directors; conducts games director and competition director trainings; and mobilizes sports teams to evaluate area and state games.

Director of Officials

Serves as technical advisor for training of officials at local, area and chapter competitions; represents SOTX to statewide officials' organizations for the purpose of recruitment, training and education; reviews and proposes ideas for rule changes to the chapter office and SOI; and assists games director and coaches education director by providing training of games director and training director as it relates to officials.

State Family Support Network Liaison

Provides input from parents, siblings and guardians, giving perspective on designing appropriate training and competition opportunities; assists in statewide games director trainings and if needed, training director training; appointed by the State Families Support Network Community to serve as liaison to that committee; and represents SOTX SMT to family groups.

Metro-Planning Committee Representative

Represents the metro area and local perspective on designing and implementing training and competition needs of the athletes; assists state staff in the establishment of area sports management teams; represents SMT ideas and initiatives to the area/local level; and assists in the statewide training of games director and training director when needed.

Coaches Representative

Provides input from coach's perspective on the training and competition needs of athletes and coaches; represents SOTX to coaches; and supports statewide coaches and games director training programs.

Athlete Representative

Provides input from the athlete perspective on training and competition; and assists with the evaluation of competition and events.

Trainers Representative

Provides input from trainers and coaches perspective on training and competition needs of athletes and coaches; and assists in statewide training of trainers when needed.

Outreach Liaison

Provides input from constituent groups (TEA, MHMR, ARC, etc.) on designing and implementation of training and competition opportunities. Appointed by the State Outreach Committee to serve as liaison to that committee. Represents SOTX to constituent groups.

Non-Metro Planning Committee Representative

Represents the rural area or local program perspective on designing and implementation of training and competition needs of the athletes; assists the state staff in the establishment of area sports management teams; represents SMT ideas and initiatives to the area/local level; and assists in the statewide training of games director and training director when needed.

Unified Sports® Director

Serves as technical advisor for local, area and state Unified Sports® programs; represents Unified Sports® participants' perspective on training and competition opportunities; and assists the coaches education and games director team members by presenting Unified Sports® information at statewide games director and training director training events.

Director of Sports Development

Represents SOTX sport director perspectives to the SMT; serves as a technical advisor for area and chapter games; suggests rule changes as generated from the sport development teams; and works with sport director to assist with the recruitment of qualified clinicians at designated training schools.

Board Liaisons

Represents program perspective on the training and competition needs of athletes, families and coaches to the Board of Directors; and informs and updates SMT on the directives and initiatives of the Board of Directors as they relate to program services and organizational issues, needs and concerns. This position is held by a current SOTX board member.

Program/Area Director Representative

Represents program/area director perspective on the training and competition needs of athletes, as well as the considerations and ideas of the volunteers that implement the training, competition and development needs of the organization at the area level. This position is selected by the vote of SOTX area directors, and this position is held by a currently employed SOTX staff member.

Committee Selection

SMT members are selected by a subcommittee of the SMT.

Individuals interested in applying should fill out the Chapter Sports Management Team Application/Nomination Form and return the application to the Director of Competition and Games. Applications are due by November 1.

Any active member of SOTX may submit nominations and applications.

The Senior Vice President of Field Services, Director of Program Training, Director of Competition and Games, and the Director of Games Management will serve as staff liaisons to the Chapter Sports Management Team.

Terms of Office

The team members shall serve for a term that will last for a period of two years and may serve no more than two consecutive terms.

The termination of a team member for reasons other than expiration of his/her term shall be at the discretion of the board liaisons and in conjunction with the chapter staff.

2018 SMT Meeting Schedule

Please submit sports rules updates/change requests or other sports related agenda item requests to your program/area director or directly to the chapter office at:

1804 Rutherford Lane
Austin, TX 78754

Fax: 512.835.7756

Email: jmarrujo@sotx.org