In 2015, two former Paralympians launched Access Adventures – a charity created to improve the quality of life for people with physical disabilities by introducing them to adventure sports.   The charity has grown considerably since launch and continues to improve their service provision.

Jane Sowerby and Tim Farr, both on the British Disabled Ski Team representing Great Britain at the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver 2010, know what a positive effect sport can have on people with disabilities. Teaming up with their long-standing friend Clare Williams – a physiotherapist, currently working with injured military at Headley Court – the three established a charity which organizes residential adaptive adventure camps.

Jane explains: “When the doctor delicately told me I’d never walk again, it felt like my life was over. I was completely paralyz ed from the waist down and thought I’d never be able to partake in extreme sports; I was desperate to find some kind of adrenaline rush again. Then, just over a year after my injury, I went on an adaptive ski camp; it was my saviour. There’s an incredible sense of freedom that comes from disabled skiing. The feeling of leaving your wheelchair behind and hitting the slopes is indescribable.”

Jane, Tim and Clare could all see that there was a gap in the market for adaptive adventure camps, and more importantly, a real need to provide and expand the kind of adaptive sports available for disabled people. So, Access Adventures was born.

They began with several waterski and wakeboard camps, but have since expanded the number of adaptive sports on offer to include kayaking, canoeing, land-yachting, downhill biking, hand-biking, skiing, kite-buggying and kitesurfing. May 2017 will also see their first camp catering specifically for under-18s.

Tim comments:  “Not everyone wants to do the adaptive sports, like basketball and athletics, that are readily available. Quite often people are searching for something fun, to challenge themselves and push boundaries. Often these kinds of activities are not easily accessible for people with disabilities”

The Charity Commission awarded Access Adventures charitable status in August 2015 after recognizing the significant service the organization can provide to those with a recent or long-standing physical disability.

Jane continues: “Tim and I have first-hand experience of the huge benefit our camps have to people with physical disabilities and Clare’s extensive experience working in disability rehab provides a fantastic asset to the charity.”

She adds:“I know personally how being involved in adaptive adventure sports can turn your life around and it’s been incredible to witness the same effect on others at our camps.

“Life with a disability can be very daunting and the psychological benefit following involvement in sports cannot be underestimated. It improves confidence and helps everyday challenges seem more manageable.”

They also recognize that the strong social element of the camps is often just as beneficial. Having a disability is not only about the physical limitations it may result in, some people struggle with low self-esteem. Being around people who understand your situation can really help improve this.

Unfortunately, adaptive sports are far more expensive than their able-bodied equivalent, due to the extra equipment and more tailored instruction required. This means that some people with disabilities just can’t afford to access them, and the fantastic benefits they bring. The Access Adventures team has been investigating various fundraising initiatives which will enable them to subsidise these costs and provide bursaries, with the ultimate goal to make the camps accessible for all.

For further information about Access Adventures visit:

https://www.accessadventures.co.uk/

@axSadventures

www.facebook.com/accessadventures

Wintergreen, VA Adaptive Sports PT and Ski Program

Individuals with spinal cord injuries, amputation, degenerative diseases of the nervous system, MS, muscular dystrophy, CP. spina bifida or other ambulation challenges, are invited to participate in a program at Wintergreen Resort in Virginia that combines Physical Therapy and Adaptive Skiing. Almost anyone who walks with canes, crutches or walkers or uses a wheelchair for mobility can participate in this program.

There is no fee for the equipment, the on-snow lesson or the PT evaluation or rehabilitation sessions. Session 1 is Jan, 12, 19, 26 and Feb. 2. Session 2 is Feb. 9, 16, 23 and March 2. Participants can sign up for a morning or afternoon session.

WAS provide all adaptive ski or ride equipment and a helmet (required for sit-down ski equipment.)

For more information, call (540) 545-7238 or email mwolff@su.edu.

The News Leader, November 26, 2016

Adaptive skiing uses specialized equipment and/or training to allow people (with disabilities) to experience the benefits of skiing. Skiing and snowboarding provide a sense of freedom that is difficult to duplicate in other sports. Skiing is a fantastic sport for people with physical disabilities or visual impairments in that it helps to develop balance, fitness, confidence, motivation, and social skills. Simply put – Skiing is Skiing!

The primary methods for adaptive skiing and riding are stand-up, sit-down, snowboarding, and ski bike. Stand up skiing includes 2-track, 3-track, and 4-track, while sit skiing includes bi-ski, dual-ski, and monoski.

HISTORY OF ADAPTIVE SKIING

Rooted in accidental injury and war

Started in Europe around WWII – realized importance of participation in sports

Early focus on 3-track (amputees)

Disabled Sports USA formed in 1967 by Vietnam Veterans – Originally, National Amputee Skiers Association

Passing of ADA in 1990

First accepted in Olympics (Paralympics) in 1992

 Development of Technology

·                  Pre-1970 – Outriggers

·                  1974 – Ski Bra is discovered at a ski show. Helps keep tips from crossing.

·                  1975 – Toe-Spreader – Bar that fits under the bindings and across the skis

·                  1976 – Slant Board – inserted under bindings to give forward or backward slant

·                  1978 – First sit ski – ‘Plunk’ cross country sled for paraplegics

·                  1980 – Arroya Sled for alpine skiing became part of the national games (like a toboggan)

·                  1984 – Mono-ski developed

·                  1986 – Bi-ski developed

Whistler Adaptive Sports Program is once again offering a wide range of winter sports, including skiing.   Photo by Photo submitted

The organization offers accessible recreation opportunities for participants of all ages.

While many Whistler residents are tuning up their gear and counting down the days until their first run of the season, the Whistler Adaptive Sports Program (WASP) is gearing up for another season of providing recreation opportunities to those who may be facing barriers.

The local non-profit is currently seeking volunteers to help coach the wide variety of accessible winter sports and recreational programming that they facilitate for individuals with disabilities.

This year’s roster of programming, available for everyone aged three years or older, is set to include alpine skiing and snowboarding, nordic skiing and alpine ski racing, as well as indoor sports such as swimming lessons, strength and conditioning sessions and yoga.

And, according to WASP executive director Chelsey Walker, they’re all in high demand. “We’re very, very busy,” she said. “Most of our weekends are already waitlisted for ski and snowboard lessons.”

To that end, WASP is seeking 40 volunteers to coach ski and snowboard lessons alone. “We’re in a capacity building stage where we’ve grown significantly across a few different sports, and now we’re facing needing to increase our staffing… to deliver the demand for the programs,” Walker explained. “We’re looking for help with our nordic program and racing program, and if anyone has a swim background we’re always looking for an extra set of hands in the pool. Anyone who has an interest, really, can get in touch with us and we’ll find a good spot for them.”

While experience with one of the above-listed sports is considered an asset for volunteer applicants, WASP does provide training when it comes to working with the various populations they serve. “We also look for people who are flexible, who can work through plans A through Z and who can also think outside the box,” said Walker. “Our volunteer pool is actually quite diverse, which matches the diversity of the populations that we work with.”

Volunteer coach positions for WASP’s winter programs range in time commitment, from one hour per week for their nordic ski program to a minimum commitment of 23 full, seven-hour days over the course of the winter for weekend ski and snowboard lessons, though that minimum includes five training days.

In addition to helping people who might not otherwise have the chance gain access to recreation, volunteering for WASP as a ski and/or snowboard coach will also earn you the perk of a free season’s pass to Whistler Blackcomb.

But before the season begins, WASP, which accommodates approximately 600 participants on a year-round basis, is raising funds to ensure they can continue to offer the best possible experiences for their athletes. They’ve partnered with Cornucopia for the second year in a row, where they’re set to hold their second silent auction of the week during the Poured Grand Tasting event on Saturday (Nov. 19).

Last year’s fundraiser resulted in $30,000 for the organization. This year, Walker said the organization is hoping to break the $35,000 mark.

“By working all the different populations all ages it really sets us apart from other organizations working in a similar field,” she said. “I think that people really feel their dollar goes a long way when they’re contributing to Whistler Adaptive.”

Question, Whistler’s Award-Winning Newspaper (Megan Lalonde, November 14, 2016)

Veteran Marine Ryan Zimmerer is the driving voice and story behind the short film. “The physical pain, yeah its bad, but it’s tolerable. I can forget the pain and go on,” said Zimmerer. “It’s the emotional and mental pain that’s the hard part for me.”

In 2014, the High Fives Foundation and the Adaptive Training Foundation began a program called Military to the Mountains. Injured U.S. Military veterans are trained for nine weeks at the Adaptive Training Foundation in Dallas, TX, preparing for a week of skiing at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows in California. The veterans are instructed by Achieve Tahoe adaptive ski program.

“The goal of the program is to offer wounded war-fighters an opportunity to tap back into their physicality by pushing through mental and physical barriers,” said David Vobora, founder and CEO of the Adaptive Training Foundation. “Experiencing the mountains for the first time post-injury redefines their limits and ignites new passion to take ridge lines they no longer thought were possible.”

The effort is organized and funded by the High Fives Foundation, whose mission is to provide resources and inspiration to mountain action sports athletes with life-altering injuries.

“We’re dedicated to improving the physical and emotional health of U.S. veterans,” said Roy Tuscany, executive director of the High Fives Foundation. “It’s been an extremely rewarding opportunity to bring all of these organizations together to honor these men and women who have been injured serving our country.”

The project received funding from Chive Charities, the philanthropic arm of the entertainment website TheChive, allowing for another year of sustainability. It also attracted support from 16 other national sponsors.

“As warriors, we don’t need a hand out, we need a hand up,” said Jake Schick, a U.S. veteran Marine who helped pilot the program in 2014. “So if you give us an example of greatness to follow, we’re going to follow it.”

The film about Ryan Zimmerer and the others involved in the Military to the Mountains project can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/190287422

High Fives Foundation, November, 2016

The Southeastern Wisconsin Adaptive Ski Program (“SEWASP” pronounced “see-wasp”) is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization that provides adaptive alpine skiing and snowboard lessons for people with disabilities in southeastern Wisconsin and surrounding areas. Accessing the unique abilities of each skier, SEWASP fosters self-confidence and independence. SEWASP is a PSIA ski school and teaches mono-ski, bi-ski, 4-track 2-track and snowboard lessons for people of all ages and diabilities.

SEWASP began as a Zablocki Veterans Administration Medical Center recreation program in 1985. Through the years the program grew until, in 1996 with the support of Marquette Medical Systems Foundation, SEWASP, a unique community based organization, was established. In 1998 SEWASP incorporated in the State of Wisconsin and became a chapter of Disabled Sports USA.

SEWASP is a not-for-profit 501c(3) non-stock corporation licensed in Wisconsin as a charitable organization and is a chapter of Disabled Sports USA. We rely on contributions to support all functions of our ski school. Our mission is carried out with an all-volunteer board of directors and volunteer ski/snowboard instructors.

“Adaptive” refers to the modified equipment and teaching techniques used to enable skiers and snowboarders to participate safely and as independently as possible. Instruction is generally provided at Alpine Valley Ski Resort near East Troy, Wisconsin (southwest of Milwaukee on I-43), on Thursday evenings from January through mid-March.

SEWASP provides lessons for participants with all types of disabilities including motor and physical (spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), spina bifida, etc.), cognitive (brain injury, mental retardation, etc.), sensory (blindness and other visual impairments, deafness and other hearing impairments, etc.).

The program primarily teaches at Alpine Valley Ski Resort near East Troy, Wisconsin. The participants are from Milwaukee, Chicago and surrounding areas.  SEWASP is a member club of the Chicago Metropolitan Ski Council.

The program provides adaptive ski equipment and equipment fitting. Equipment provided includes bi-skis and mono-skis for participants who may sit down when they ski. Some skiers have their own equipment. Learn more about SEWASP at www.sewasp.org.