Special Olympics Northern California
Housing and Travel Policy

The following housing policy will be in effect for Special Olympics Northern California (Special Olympics).

1. Hotel housing will be assigned with one delegation member per bed. All official members of a delegation should be housed at the host hotel where they are assigned. A coach/volunteer cannot obtain his or her own lodging, including at the same hotel, if he or she is part of the official delegation.
2. No Special Olympics funding can be used to pay for any additional rooms for extra coaches or volunteers, with the exception of bus drivers who transport a large delegation.
3. A request for an extra coach/volunteer can be made if an athlete needs additional help for medical or behavioral reasons. The request must be approved in advance by the appropriate Special Olympics office.
4. A coach/volunteer and an athlete may not room together, unless they are members of the same family. No athlete and no coach/volunteer may share a room with a member of the opposite sex, unless they meet the requirements of #6 below.
5. No minor athlete (under the age of 18) may room by his or herself unless their parent/guardian provides written consent. If the athlete does not have parent/guardian written consent, and there is not another same gender minor athlete available, the athlete must be housed with a registered volunteer who is also their parent, guardian, or family member. An athlete under the age of 13 must be housed with a registered volunteer who is also their parent, guardian or family member.
6. A delegation must exhaust all same-sex matches first within their housing roster and assure supervision is covered at all levels before other roommate matches can be considered. Once the same-sex matches have been exhausted and no additional expense is incurred, then coaches/volunteers that are married or registered domestic partners (RDPs), athletes that are married or RDPs, and family members of the opposite sex can room together. For all such matches, each individual must be listed on the competition registration form and have an approved, current Special Olympics registration on file.
7. In order to attend an out-of-area competition, athletes should be able to travel without parental supervision and be comfortable under the supervision of their coach or other member of the official delegation. If an athlete is unable to travel with the delegation, they may arrange to travel separately, at their own cost, with a signed liability waiver in place and with the advance approval of the appropriate Special Olympics office.
8. Any parent who travels and/or is housed with the delegation as a registered coach/volunteer must assume the responsibility of a coach/volunteer for all athletes in that delegation.
9. Athletes participating in an out-of-area competition that requires an overnight stay should stay with the delegation. If an athlete is unable to be housed with the delegation, they may arrange to be housed at a separate location at their own cost, with a signed liability waiver in place and with the advance approval of the appropriate Special Olympics office.
10. The housing requirements for participation in an overnight competition should be presented to the family/care provider so they can accept or decline their athlete’s participation in the competition.  
11. For two-day competitions, two (2) night housing will be offered to those teams traveling more than 225 miles one way.
12. Teams traveling 125 to 225 miles one way are eligible for one night housing. There will be exceptions (with advance approval of the appropriate Special Olympics office) if the travel is less than 125 miles but the roads and terrain make the trip equal to or greater than125 miles of drive time. If, however, the delegation would prefer to travel to and from on the competition on the same day, they can request a later start time and every effort will be made to accommodate the request.
13. Special Olympics, Inc. and Special Olympics Northern California have determined, for the health and welfare of their participants, to prohibit recreational swimming at any time while participants are under the auspices of Special Olympics. This applies not only to the time at Special Olympics competitions or activities, but also while in transit to/from Special Olympics competitions or activities. This includes but is not limited to recreational swimming at housing and activity locations such as hotels, dormitories, military base housing, private residences, parks, and host town accommodations. Consequences for violating this policy may range from disqualification from competition or travel to temporary or permanent suspension from the program.