Youth Olympiad

The Youth Olympiad is held every year in Port St. Lucie, Florida to provide youth an opportunity to get a feeling of what being in the Olympics feels like, and how the Olympics is hosted, presented, and ended. The Youth Olympiad is held in the summer between June-October and is NOT held when the Youth Olympic Games are being held that year. The Olympic Host City is called "New Athens" The Youth Olympiad is hosted by two countries, Greece and a chosen country. The bidding process for the second host country is similar to the International Olympic Charter Bidding Process but without any fees and security, transportation, and housing costs. Youths who wish to participate must first participate in the Preliminary Olympiad where seven to ten advance to the Youth Olympiad. At the end, the three victors receive their medals and the Athlete Party starts where the youths are then free to leave.

Bidding Process

Athletes who wish to have their country be the second host must submit a Candidature Procedure and Questionnaire packet and then those selected after that must submit a Candidature Acceptance packet. Generally what is contained in the questionaires is how the Youth Olympiad will be presented, a theme for the Youth Olympiad, and how the opening and closing ceremonies will be made. The Candidature Acceptance packet is an additional questionaire with an extra task of creating a sample of the opening and closing ceremonies. The Youth Olympiad Committee (YOC) will decide who will be the host country.

Preliminary Olympiad

The Preliminary Olympiad is held at the same place but is a shorter and less formal version of the Youth Olympiad. The opening and closing ceremonies are not very complicated or long. Up to fifteen (15) youths who wish to compete in the Youth Olympiad can apply to participate and the top seven (7) are invited to participate in the Youth Olympiad. The Preliminary Olympiad is held in the spring between March-May. If an invited athlete cannot show up, then the athlete who would be in the top seven will be invited. The Preliminary Olympiad is hosted by Greece and the winning candidate country as well as the Youth Olympiad.

The Youth Olympiad

Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony of the Youth Olympiad is created upon the second host country's sample, written description, and chosen motto, and by the YOC. It must include a countdown, a performance, the Greece Flag, the Parade of Nations, Olympic Anthem, and the Olympic Flame. The Opening Ceremony is suppossed to describe the celebration of the games of that year and opens the Youth Olympiad of that year.

Competition Events

The events of the Youth Olympiad are immdiately started after the opening ceremony. Each athlete must participate in five (5) events minimum AND one (event) every three events. Athletes who do not comply are disqualified from the Olympiad. The events in the Youth Olympiad are proposed by the second host country and approved by the YOC. The majority of the events MUST fall under the official categories1. Running2. Jumping3. Volleyball4. Aquatics5. Competitive Swimming

Award Ceremony and Closing Ceremony

The Award Ceremony is held fifteen minutes after the last event and the three victorious athletes are given their medals. The Closing Ceremony, also created by the second host country, closes the Youth Olympiad and MUST include a final countdown, performance, Olympic Anthem, and the exit of the Olympic Flame.

List of Youth Olympiads

Final Youth Olympiad

The YOC has scheduled four Youth Olympiads to test the success. If the Youth Olympiad does not to prove a success, then the games will officially close by the IV Youth Olympiad in 2012.

[Thomas Morrison-Youth Olympiad Founder]

References