Mark Violano

Hamden, CT

Mark Violano is a Unified Sports® coach from Hamden who will be going to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis as the coach of the Unified softball team. Mark has been participating in Special Olympics for over 15 years, first getting involved as the parent of an athlete. He has been a Unified Sports® partner and coach for basketball, floorball, and softball.

Mark says that Special Olympics changed his life in profound ways. “It has created many lasting friendships and has solidified how important inclusion is,” says Mark. 

He is most proud of watching athletes excel and grow and delights in witnessing the athletes’ joy when they do a good job or win a game. Mark admires his wife for all she accomplishes and how she always puts others before herself. 

In addition to his roles with Special Olympics, Mark is an umpire with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and helps out at baseball games across the state. He’s also a member of the Teamster Horsemen, a charitable organization, and sings and plays instruments in a band. 

This will be Mark’s third time going to a Special Olympics USA Games event. He attended the 2010 USA Games in Nebraska to cheer on his daughter who competed in swimming and he participated in the 2014 USA Games in New Jersey as the pitcher for the Unified softball team.

To prepare for the 2026 Games, Mark is exercising and eating right and practicing with the team twice a week.