2026 State Winter Games
Monday March 2 – Wednesday March 4, 2026
Waterville Valley Resort
1 Ski Area Road
Waterville Valley, NH
New this year: Basketball is joining the Winter Games!
Please take a moment to review the rules of the sport and the order of events included below. Click on each of the sports listed below to access the rules for the sport.
The 2026 State Winter Games will offer competition in:
You will register for the State Winter Games in Agon using the registration timeline below.
IF YOU NEED HELP OR HAVE QUESTIONS
About registration, which includes compliance, the registration process through Agon including intent to participate, registration and scratch, please contact Deb at DebC@sonh.org or by phone at (603) 344-0423.
About the season or event, which includes preseason and coaches calls, final information, and day-of questions, please contact Mary at MaryC@sonh.org or by phone at (603) 770-4055.
GENERAL INFORMATION
- All athletes participating in Mountain or Valley sports must complete a time trial during the scheduled time allotment.
- Food totes and drinks will be delivered to condos based on how many people are in each condo.
- Accommodations for athletes and LPV’s are available Monday and Tuesday nights at the Black Bear Lodge, Golden Eagle Lodge and Town Square Condos.
- Cost per room per night is about $180.
- Housing is a pass-through expense based on hotel so Local Programs pay the actual cost of housing if they choose to utilize it.
- Changes in the schedule or any cancellations will be communicated with Head coaches via phone or email by 6:00 am on the day of the event.
- Training is an important part of athlete growth in both skill development and overall physical fitness. Special Olympics New Hampshire encourages teams to train twice a week for 10 weeks prior to the State Tournament, with one practice focusing on sport specific training and one practice focusing on fitness (cross training etc.) to allow for optimal performance and readiness at the State Tournament.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
During the registration process, we will communicate with the primary LP contact, head coaches, Local Program Coordinator, Secondary Local Program Coordinator, Communications, and Compliance contacts.
FIRST PRACTICE SHOULD BE HELD BY
January 9, 2026
Training is an important part of athlete growth in both skill development and overall physical fitness. Special Olympics New Hampshire expects teams to train twice a week for 10 weeks prior to the State Tournament.
INTENT TO PARTICIPATE (Tell us you’re coming)
By January 8, 2026 – Through the Winter Games Survey!
- Please enter the primary Local Program contact for the Games as well as the Head Coach for each sport (these may be the same or different people).
- Give us an estimate of the number of athletes participating for each sport. We are looking for a rough estimate for planning purposes only, this number can change as you move through registration.
COMPLIANCE (Tell us who is coming and deal with paperwork)
Now until January 21, 2025
- No athletes, unified partners, head coaches, coaches or LPVs may be added to your roster after the compliance period ends.
- New athletes must be recorded in Agon.
- If you would like your registration from a prior year flipped into this year, please email Deb.
- By the end of the compliance period, all athletes, unified partners, head coaches, coaches and LPVs must be compliant (showing as green in Agon).
- Requirements to be compliant can be found here:
MIDSEASON VIDEO CALL
Monday, February 2, 2026
- 6pm Basketball
- 7pm Mountain Sports (Alpine Skiing & Snowboarding)
- 8pm Valley Sports (Cross-Country Skiing & Snowshoe)
REGISTRATION (Enter events, qualifying scores, levels, teams, housing & meals)
January 22nd to February 11th, 2026
- All athletes and unified partners must be registered for event specific information (event, level, qualifying score and team, if applicable).
- Participants must register for events in only one category.
- Participants may register for up to three events (mountain), four events (valley) and one event (basketball). Additionally, each mountain and valley participant must register for a time trial.
- If an athlete participates in Basketball they may also participate in mountain or valley events on the days that they aren’t competing in basketball.
- Qualifying scores need only be entered for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing time trial event.
- Jersey numbers must be entered for basketball teams.
- Accommodations for athletes and LPV’s are available Sunday and Monday nights at the Black Bear Lodge, Golden Eagle Lodge and Town Square Condos.
- Rooms are available for 4 people.
- Number of meals must be entered:
- Local Programs will be assessed at a rate of $10 for each additional meal requested. Number of additional meals are calculated as outlined below:
- (# of meals requested) -(# of athletes + # of LPVs) * (# of meals offered)
- Local Programs will be assessed at a rate of $10 for each additional meal requested. Number of additional meals are calculated as outlined below:
SCRATCH (Update qualifying scores, Remove people)
February 12th to February 18th, 2026
- Local Programs will be assessed $125 for each athlete and volunteer registered for Mountain or Valley Sports at the end of the scratch period as well as the total for housing for your local program (please note that at Winter Games you will be assessed for any empty beds in a room in addition to beds that are occupied.)
- Local Programs participating in basketball will not be assessed. Housing assessments still applies.
COACHES VIDEO CALL
February 19, 2026
- Order of calls
- 6pm Basketball
- 7pm Mountain Sports (Alpine Skiing & Snowboarding)
- 8pm Valley Sports (Cross-Country Skiing & Snowshoe)
- We will discuss
- Set-up for the day
- Draft final schedule
- Menu
- Process for the day
- Weather
FINAL INFORMATION
February 24, 2026
- Final schedule, order of events and any follow up information required after the coaches video call will be distributed.