More Than Play

How Young Athletes Builds Confidence, Inclusion and Community Across New Hampshire

May 27, 2026

Throughout the year across New Hampshire, children gather for Young Athletes sessions where they run obstacle courses, toss beanbags, launch stomp rockets toward the ceiling, gather under parachutes, and celebrate small victories together.

For some children, those moments are simply fun.

For others, they are life changing.

Special Olympics New Hampshire’s Young Athletes program is designed for children ages 2 to 7 with and without intellectual disabilities, introducing them to movement, play, teamwork, and foundational sports skills in a fun and inclusive environment. But ask the families, volunteers, and coordinators involved, and they’ll tell you Young Athletes is about far more than games and activities.

It’s about confidence.
It’s about belonging.
It’s about being seen.

“There was no Young Athletes Program in the Manchester area, and I saw this as an opportunity to provide a service to children with disabilities,” shared Manchester Young Athletes coordinator Bill Jones. “Because I am the parent of a special needs son, I know how important it is to find opportunities where children can have the same experiences and opportunities as other kids.”

Through activities focused on running, jumping, throwing, balance, teamwork, and communication, children develop motor skills, social-emotional skills, confidence, and sport readiness. Research from Special Olympics shows children ages 2-7 experience a seven-month gain in motor skills after participating in an eight-week Young Athletes program.

But the impact is often measured in moments that statistics cannot fully capture.

“We start each week with a welcome song where every child has the opportunity to say their name,” Bill shared. “We have numerous accounts of a child saying their name for the first time during this activity. It’s a small thing, but a huge accomplishment for the parents to witness.”

For many families, Young Athletes becomes one of the first places where their child feels fully included.

Amanda Collins enrolled her daughter Mila to help improve her social skills and connect with others with disabilities like her.

“Very shy and timid,” Amanda said when describing Mila before joining the program. “Now she has the determination that she can do anything.”

Over four years in the Manchester program, Amanda watched her daughter’s confidence steadily grow.

“It allows Mila to be herself without being bullied or made fun of because she struggles doing activities others can do,” she shared. “Without Young Athletes, my daughter would not have the determination she has.”

Mila herself has embraced the role of mentor and role model for younger athletes.

“I can help the younger athletes know that they are able to do anything and to believe in yourself,” she said.

For Meredith Burks and her family, the program became something even deeper: a place where her children could simply be accepted.

“My oldest has been the victim of bullying since preschool,” Meredith shared. “He has always just wanted to be friends with everyone.”

She described watching her son excitedly greet other children at a birthday party, only to be ignored.

“This does not happen at Young Athletes,” she said. “It is a community that I feel is as important to the kids as it is to us parents.”

Since joining the program, Meredith has seen growth both physically and socially in her children, from improved teamwork and coordination to increased confidence trying new activities.

“There is nothing to lose and so much to gain,” she said. “I give them 10/10.”

Young Athletes sessions are intentionally designed to create opportunities for all children to play together, learn together, and grow together. Inclusive play at an early age helps children develop understanding, acceptance, communication skills, and friendships that extend far beyond the gymnasium walls.

“The brain develops most rapidly during early childhood,” Bill explained. “Early inclusion fosters vital social-emotional skills, provides natural peer role models, and prevents early stigmatization, setting the foundation for long-term independence and integration in society.”

The success of Young Athletes programs across New Hampshire is also made possible through the support of volunteers, families, local programs, and community partners who believe every child deserves the chance to play, grow, and belong.

Among those partners are several local councils from the New Hampshire Knights of Columbus, who have become deeply involved in supporting Young Athletes programs throughout the state through volunteerism, organizing support, and providing welcoming spaces for sessions to take place.

Together, these partnerships help create communities where children of all abilities are encouraged, celebrated, and given opportunities to thrive.

And for the children themselves, sometimes the magic of Young Athletes is wonderfully simple.

“I like playing with my friends,” one athlete shared.

Another favorite moment?

“Getting the stomp rockets up to the ceiling.”

At Young Athletes, those moments matter.

Because every child deserves a place to play.
A place to belong.
And a place to believe they can do anything.