What is an unaccompanied athlete?
An unaccompanied athlete is an athlete that attends a Special Olympics West Midlands Ski Group trip, like Hemel, without a parent, carer or guardian.
It takes a lot of additional volunteer support to accommodate unaccompanied athletes; for this reason it may not be possible to offer unaccompanied athletes positions on all trips. On trips where we can accommodate unaccompanied athletes, the number of places may vary from year to year.
Pila
For the Pila 2027 trip we expect a reduced number of unaccompanied athletes. From 2028 onwards, for unsanctioned trips abroad, we expect all athletes to be accompanied by a parent, carer or guardian.
Pila specific information can be found in the Pila section.
Hemel
The UK based nature and shorter duration of the Hemel trip makes it easier for the group to support unaccompanied athletes. Unaccompanied athletes may still be able to attend Hemel (including from 2028 onwards).
Hemel specific information can be found in the Hemel section.
Meeting The Group In Emergencies
For unaccompanied athletes the group needs the details of a person that is willing to meet the group if required. This would mean driving to Hemel or flying to Pila.
Selecting Unaccompanied Athletes
All athletes must have met the attendance requirement of 50% to attend Hemel or Pila. If the group has more unaccompanied athletes wishing to attend a trip than it can support, athletes wishing to attend will be randomly selected.