SOMO History

1968:   Special Olympics is founded by Mrs. Eunice Kennedy Shriver as a way for people with mental retardation to gain from the benefits of sports.

1971:   Missouri Special Olympics is incorporated as a 501 (c) 3.

1972:   Marshall hosts first-ever state track meet.

1975:   First Summer Games held at Fort Leonard Wood, continued there for 25 years.

1975: Missouri sends first athletes to International Summer Games at Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant

1976:   State Basketball is added to the calendar as a way to train between fall & winter sports seasons.

1977:   First Basketball Tournament held in Blue Springs; continues there for 30 years.

1977:   First Bowling Tournament held in Springfield.

1982:   SOMO (then known as Missouri Special Olympics or MSO) gets its first computer.

1982:   First Coaches Training School is held; founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver attends.

1983:   Soccer is added to the sports calendar.

1983:   Missouri sent a delegation of 99 to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for International Summer Games.

1986:   Law Enforcement Torch Run begins in Missouri and raises $15,000.

1986:   Aerobathons raise $75,000.

1987:   MSO began awarding medals at competitions.

1987:   Missouri sends approximately 120 delegates to South Bend, Indiana for International Summer Games.

1988:   Jamie Graham is named the first "Athlete of the Year."

1989:   State Offices move from Joplin to Jefferson City.

1989:   Missouri sends 34 delegates to Reno, Nevada, for International World Winter Games.

1990:   St. Louis Special School District began offering Special Olympics programs.

1991:   Missouri sends 113 athletes and coaches to Minneapolis, Minnesota, for International Games.

1993:   MSO celebrates 25 years under the theme "Together We Win."

1993:   Missouri sends one athlete to Salzburg, Austria for International Winter Games.

1994:   Jefferson City hosts first State Softball Tournament.

1995:   Missouri sends 76 delegates to World Games in New Haven, Connecticut.

1997:   SOMO Board of Directors establishes Hall of Fame for athletes and non-athletes as a way to recognize longevity and achievement.

1997:   TIME magazine publishes a story about Unified Sports partner Ryan Brimer of Boonville.

1997:   Missouri sends two athletes and one coach to Toronto, Canada, for World Winter Games.

1998:   Name is changed to "Special Olympics Missouri."

1998:   First SOMO Website launched.

1999:   Missouri sent 67 delegates to World Games in Raleigh, North Carolina.

2001: Missouri sends five athletes and one coach to World Winter Games in Anchorage, Alaska.

2002:   SOMO instituted a Code of Conduct for athletes and coaches.

2002:   State Summer Games are moved to Columbia after a health concern at Fort Leonard Wood.

2003:   Fall Sports Classic is added to the calendar (features soccer and volleyball).

2003:   SOMO exceeded its 3 year goal of increasing athletes, 4,045 new athletes joined the playing fields.

2003:   Healthy Athletes was introduced at SOMO state games.

2003:   Missouri sends 20 delegates to Dublin, Ireland, for World Summer Games. This is the first time international summer competition is held outside the USA.

2004:   SOMO Endowment Fund is created to ensure long-term sustainability for future generations.

2005:   Missouri sends one athlete to Nagano, Japan, for the World Winter Games.

2006:   Missouri sends 82 athletes and 20 coaches to Ames, Iowa, for first-ever USA National Games.

2007:   Missouri sends one athlete, one Unified Partner, one coach and three management team members to Shanghai, China, for the World Summer Games.

2008:   Flag football is introduced at Sports Camp and the first-ever state demonstration is held at the State Indoor Championships in Joplin.

2009:   Missouri will send two athletes to Idaho for the World Winter Games.