Special Olympics Oklahoma provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic type sports for children and adults eight years of age or older with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuous opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other special Olympics athletes and the community. Special Olympics was founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Special Olympics Oklahoma was founded in 1969 with 20 participants. Today, SOOK offers over 140 events annually throughout the state to over 11,600 registered athletes in 15 different sports. Eight of the sports offered include unified sports opportunities (partnering athletes with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team).