The Spring ‘26 season will feature a Special Olympics Colorado (SOCO) and CHSAA-sanctioned state league designed for all Colorado Unified High Schools. Colorado Unified esports teams will compete in Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe, with the opportunity to qualify for the in-person CHSAA State Championships and contend for a state title.
This article outlines details on how Unified Esports works, the schedule for the season, and additional resources on equipment and getting match-ready!
Regardless of how a team participates, all coaches will have access to PlayVS training and tech support!
High School Details
How it Works (High School)
A Unified esports option has been integrated into PlayVS. Unified teams will register, enroll, and participate using the existing processes in place. The Unified Leagues are offered to Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools at no cost.
To participate:
All teams must be high school-based and have an adult head coach.
All participants must be at least 13 years of age or older.
Teams may participate at school or virtually from home.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe teams are composed of 2 Special Olympics athletes and 2 Unified partners.
Mario Kart 8 is rated E for everyone and is played only on Nintendo Switch consoles.
Schools can have multiple Unified teams participate.
Spring 2026 Season - Key Info
Match Day: Tuesdays
Match Time: 4 pm MST
Schedule
Enrollment: Open Now
Registration Deadline: 2/6/2026 (at 11:59 PM league time)
Preseason: Weeks of 1/26/2026 and 2/2/2026
Regular Season: Weeks of 2/9/2026 - 3/30/2026
Playoffs: Weeks of 4/6/2026 - 4/17/2026
Spring Championships:
In-Person
LocalHost
1882 S Wadsworth Blvd, Lakewood, CO 80232
Date: 4/30/2026
Equipment Requirements
Mario Kart
Teams of 4 (2 Special Olympics athletes + 2 Unified partners)
Minimum Requirements (Total of 2x Nintendo Switches)
1x Nintendo Switch system and monitor/television per 2 players
1x Nintendo Switch-compatible controller per player
1x Pair of Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers, Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, or any Nintendo Switch compatible controller with no turbo mode available per player
1x Active Nintendo Switch online membership per Nintendo Switch system
1x Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe game per Nintendo Switch system
Suggested (Total of 4x Nintendo Switches)
1x Nintendo Switch system and monitor/television per player
1x Nintendo Switch-compatible controller per player
1x Pair of Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers, Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, or any Nintendo Switch compatible controller with no turbo mode available per player
1x USB to ethernet adapter per Nintendo Switch system
1x Active Nintendo Switch online membership per Nintendo Switch system
1x Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe game per Nintendo Switch system
Access to standard high-speed internet is also important, as well as working with the school/district IT department to ensure the proper restrictions are removed to allow students to play online if they are competing at school.
Getting Ready for the Season
Our Colorado Scholastic Representatives are here to help! Send them an email if you have any questions, or schedule a meeting with them for support with all things scholastic esports.
New Schools
Contact | Schedule a Call | |
Chris Shima |
Returning Schools
Contact | Schedule a Call | |
Michael Watson |
General Overview
Team Naming
During enrollment, the coach will need to create team names for each team they enroll. Please use the following naming convention:
School name, mascot, Unified.
For example, the Central High School Bobcats would use this name:
Central High School Bobcats - Unified
If a school has more than one team, please add the following:
Number, letter, or color after “Unified”
For example:
Central High School Bobcats - Unified Green
Central Middle School Bobcats - Unified Gold
Doing so is very important for us to be able to confirm your intention to participate in our Unified league!
Expectations
PlayVS
PlayVS will provide the following:
Direct support to Unified esports coaches with enrollment, team setup, technology troubleshooting, and league support/guidance throughout the entire season
Educational materials and webinars for coaches
Weekly email for Unified coaches with league updates (during each season)
Weekly email for Special Olympics Program staff with league updates and the current list of enrolled schools for that season
Scheduling of all matches and playoffs
The publishing of league standings and results
Broadcasting playoff finals
Coaches
Coach responsibilities:
Attend training sessions conducted by PlayVS
Register the school/team on PlayVS by the season’s enrollment deadline
Recruit at least one team for Rocket League or Mario Kart
Commitment to a full season of weekly matches and practices (if participating in league option, 10-12 weeks, 2-4 hours a week)
Ensuring all teammates are equipped with the required technology per esport
Work with school IT and/or other school esports coaches
Support students in getting registered on PlayVS and organizing them into teams
Communication with other coaches on match day and for rescheduling
Support players with match-day readiness and logistics
Provide adult oversight during all practices/matches and set a positive team culture
Previous esports coaching experience is helpful, but not required!
Rules and Sportsmanship
Mario Kart 8 Rules and Requirements
Unified will follow the Mario Kart Match Instructions and Mario Kart Rulebook.
The in-game ratio of teammates is:
2 Special Olympics athletes (students with an intellectual or developmental disability)
2 Unified partners (students without an intellectual or developmental disability).
If a team cannot field all 4 players with this ratio, please reschedule or talk with the opposing coach to drop the match to 4v3 and play with 2 athletes/1 partner.
Meaningful Involvement and Sportsmanship
All coaches shall work to achieve meaningful involvement for all students on both teams. The principle of meaningful involvement ensures that every player is given an opportunity to contribute to the success of his or her team through their unique skills and abilities.
To the greatest extent possible, all players on a team should be within a similar ability range.
To avoid player domination, varsity-level or other highly skilled Rocket League players are typically not a good fit to participate as teammates in this league.
Please keep sportsmanship in mind and know that each team has very different experience levels with Unified esports.
Unified Esports coaches must follow the general PlayVS Coach Code of Conduct.
Additional Resources
Mario Kart
League Info Links
General info landing page: https://www.playvs.com/so-unified