To complete a Volunteer Application to become a Coach or Unified Partner®, please follow the instructions in the gray box below. If you are unsure about becoming a Coach or Unified Partner®, there are other ways to get involved on an ongoing basis. Explore the many roles you can choose from.

Without volunteers, Special Olympics Northern California would not exist.  We depend on the time, energy and dedication of thousands of energetic volunteers to fulfill our mission. Today we boast the extraordinary support and time of 23,510 volunteers and coaches. 

If you are able to commit some time as an assistant coach or play alongside an athlete as a Unified Partner®, we can use your help! You don’t need coaching experience or specific training working with persons with intellectual disabilities. If you are at least 14 years old, have a love for the sport, time to commit, and a willingness to make a difference, you can help us change lives.

Here are the current sports seasons and when they take place. Please contact us one month before the sport starts for available opportunities.

WINTER (January – March) : Basketball

SPRING (March – June) : Bocce, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field

SUMMER : Softball (June – August);

Golf (July – September)

FALL : Unified Flag Football, Soccer (August – November)

Bowling (September – December)

Floor Hockey (October – December)

coach and unified partner® information

other volunteer opportunities

To learn more about volunteering, please email info@sonc.org

Become a Volunteer

If you are a new volunteer applicant, please click on the APPLY button below.

If you are a current or renewing volunteer, please access the Volunteer Community Portal to view your volunteer profile and status.

New Volunteer Application
New Volunteer Application

Questions about applying? Email volunteer@sonc.org

A Coach's Testimonial

Coaching Special Olympics is incredibly awesome and rewarding. I love walking into practice and being greeted by smiles and hugs; watching athletes blossom as they learn new skills and sports; working with athletes and their families to encourage them to take on new challenges; seeing athletes succeed at the new challenges and watching their face light up when they finish a race or competition. I love being a Special Olympics Coach and volunteer – it has enhanced my life in more ways than I can count.

Suzy A.

Long time coach and volunteer