National Sports Day

National Sports Day was founded in 2019 to celebrate athletes, families, and fans of all sports. National Sports Day is about the benefits of sporting competition. When the youth have an opportunity to play sports competitively, they improve their skills and build habits to take with them into adulthood. The family members who support them create a bond that brings them together, improving families and communities throughout the nation. October is the perfect time of year for National Sports Day! That’s why on October 16th, the fans, families, and athletes of all sports connect and come together to celebrate their favorite athletic events.

Team sports bring people together. Special Olympics Unified Sports do that too! Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team of similar age and ability. This makes practices more fun and games more challenging and exciting for all. Having sport in common is just one more way that preconceptions and false ideas are swept away. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding. 

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Facts

Playing sports can have a huge impact on the mind and body!

Some of the benefits of playing a sport include:

• Boosts blood flow to the brain -This allows your body to build more connections between the nerves of the brain, which improves memory, creativity, and helps your brain develop better problem-solving skills
• Improves brain function
• Promotes stress relief – Playing sports releases a chemical in your brain that boosts your mood and promotes relaxation
• Keeps concentration and critical thinking skills sharp – This especially goes for sports that have a mix of strength and and cardio
• Social interaction – Social interaction is needed for a healthy brain. It improves your mood and reduces stress. Playing a sport gives you a chance to make new friends and have fun with other people.

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Resources

Unified Sports

Unified Sports Fact Sheet

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Activities

Zoom Backgrounds
Virtual backgrounds are one of the easiest ways to spread awareness about National Sports Day! You can replace your normal backdrop with one below to encourage others to take care get healthy as a family in any Zoom meeting you have!

Right-click the image then save as to your computer. Open your Zoom application and update your background to the file you saved from this page.

Social Media

Gather your friends to enjoy watching your favorite team. Get out and play, too. No matter your skill level, the challenge and physical activity will be worth it. Getting together with friends and family is one of the best ways to celebrate National Sports Day, and when you do, take a team photo and share it using hashtag #NationalSportsDaySOMD.

Tag and follow us on Social!